The Lopez community welcomes violist/violinist Aloysia Friedmann and pianist Jon Kimura Parker to Lopez Center on May 19 at 1 p.m., in a rousing preview of the 16th season of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival.
The Festival visits Lopez for the second year, following an enthusiastic sold-out concert in 2012 at Grace Episcopal Church. In addition to works by Rachmaninoff, Clara Schumann and Mozart, we will be treated to Jon Kimura Parker’s special centenary performance of his new transcription of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.” Parker’s transcription has just been recorded, and will be available in an autographed CD in time for the Lopez performance.
As artistic advisor and artistic director to the annual Festival, this husband and wife team brings the world’s top performers of chamber music to the islands each summer. Now based in Houston, Jon Kimura Parker is professor of Piano at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. A native of Vancouver B.C., Parker has performed as guest artist with the major orchestras and recital halls throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia. He is well remembered for his performance in war-torn Sarajevo following the Dayton Peace Agreement in 1995. Parker has given two command performances for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1999, which honors Canadians of outstanding merit.
Friedmann performs regularly with the Houston Grand Opera, and was Acting Concertmaster for its world premiere performances of Jake Heggie’s “The End of the Affair.”
In 2012 she was honored by Chamber Music America for her role as founder of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival. Praised by the New York Times for her “fiery spirit” at her Carnegie Hall debut, Friedmann has played on stage with Dustin Hoffman in “The Merchant of Venice,” performed with the Soni Ventorum Quintet on the world premiere recording of William O. Smith’s Jazz Set for Violin and Wind Quintet, and played rock ‘n’roll alongside Metallica in Madison Square Garden.
Performing together, the couple promise an afternoon of technical excellence and thrilling emotional range prepared especially for the Lopez Island audience.
A wine and cheese reception follows the concert at Lopez Center. Tickets are $25 adults and $10 under 18 years, available online through www.lopezcenter.org, or locally at Lopez Bookshop, Paper Scissors on the Rock, Southend Store and Blossom Grocery; remaining tickets at the door.
Information about the 2013 Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival taking place this August on Orcas and Lopez can be found at www.oicmf.org. For information about sponsoring Lopez performances of OICMF artists, including this performance, please contact local arrangements coordinator Micki Ryan at 468-4442, or mickiryan@rockisland.com.
