Governor's Awards for the Arts Nominations Now Open

The content of this post comes from a release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...

Governor Russell W. Peterson began the tradition of honoring Delaware artists in 1970. Since then, Delaware has paid tribute to 40 distinguished individuals and organizations that have had a profound and lasting impact on the state’s artistic and cultural life. Delaware’s Governor’s Awards for the Arts recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions and a lasting and profound impact on the artistic and cultural life of Delaware. As part of its 30th anniversary celebration, the Delaware Division of the Arts is pleased to be facilitating the 2019 Governor’s Awards for the Arts, on behalf of Governor John C. Carney. Nominations are now being accepted for this prestigious honor in these five award categories:

Categories Arts Administration – Individual who has shown sustained, impactful, and visionary executive leadership of an arts organization. Arts Education – Individual or organization that has made significant contributions through leadership and creativity to advance arts education in Delaware’s schools and communities, or in community organizations. Arts Patron – Individual, foundation or entity that, over time, has sustained and enhanced the arts in their community or the state of Delaware through contributions of their time, effort, or financial resources. Community Engagement – Individual or organization that works to create or strengthen interactive arts participation among diverse community members while increasing the public awareness about the role of the arts in community life. Government – An elected or appointed official whose work has resulted in significant support for the arts through local or state government action. NOMINATE TODAY!

Timeline Now: Nomination Guidelines and Form available June 28, 2019: Nominations due July 2019: Selection Panel meets September 3, 2019: Awardees announced on website October 28, 2019: Arts Summit & Governor’s Awards for the Arts

Serafin Summer Music Brings World-Class Artists to Delaware

Content of this post originates from a press release from Serafin Summer Music...

Serafin Ensemble, University of Delaware Department of Music and The Music School of Delaware, present Serafin Summer Music. The 10-day festival runs from Thursday, June 20 through Sunday, June 30.

Festival artists hail from China, the Philippines, New Zealand and from around the U.S., including New York City, Oklahoma, Ohio, Kentucky, Atlanta, Florida, Pennsylvania and right here in Delaware. 

“Bringing superb artists together to prepare and share marvelous masterworks with a community of eager listeners is a thrilling creative enterprise in every respect,” comments Kate Ransom, Festival Artistic Director.

The festival’s exceptional lineup features a range of repertoire including works by great classical composers Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms, as well as works by lesser-known composers, such as Smetana, Khachaturian and Faure. Each concert has a unique theme and ensemble configuration of up to six string, wind, piano and vocal performers.

Festival sponsors are Dr. William Stegeman, Ph.D., Jacobs Music Company, Harry’s Savoy Grill, Tonic Bar and Grille, Montrachet Fine Foods, Delaware Today, WDEL and GateHouse Media Delaware.

All performances will be held at The Music School of Delaware's Wilmington Branch, 4101 N. Washington Street in Wilmington. Season subscriptions are $135 for all eight performances; a four-pack of tickets is $70 and single tickets are $20. Purchase by visiting www.brownpapertickets.com or calling 302.762.1132 (the Music School).

Serafin Summer Music Artist Roster

• Amos Fayette, violin
• Hal Grossman, violin
• Kate Ransom,violin
• Benjamin Shute, violin
• Lisa Vaupel, violin
• Amadi Azikiwe, viola
• Luke Fleming, viola
• Mary Harris, viola
• Charae Krueger, cello
• Lawrence Stomberg, cello
• Guang Wang, cello
• Miles Brown, bass
• Jennifer Nicole Campbell, piano
• Amy Dorfman, piano
• Read Gainsford, piano
• Augustine Mercante, countertenor 
• Eileen Grycky, flute
• Christopher Nichols, clarinet

Serafin Summer Music Schedule

Thursday, June 20, 7:00pm - BOHEMIAN GEMS

• Dvořák “Sonatina” in G Major, Op. 100 for violin and piano
• Smetana “Two Pieces From My Native Land” for violin and piano
• Dvořák “Terzetto” in C Major, Op. 74 for two violins and viola
• Smetana String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor “From MY Life”

Friday, June 21, 7:00pm - IT’S CLASSIC!

• Michael Haydn Duo No. 2 in D Major for violin and viola
• Beethoven Piano Trio Op. 1, No.1
• Schubert song set
• Schubert “Trout” Quintet for violin, viola, cello, bass, piano

Saturday, June 22, 5:00pm - FRIENDS and MENTORS

• Brahms Scherzo ("Sonatensatz") in C Minor for violin and piano WoO2
• Schumann “Fairy Tales” for clarinet, viola and piano
• Niels Gade Sonata in D Major for violin and piano
• Dohnanyi Piano Quintet No.1 in C Minor

Sunday, June 23, 4:00pm - OUT OF BAVARIA

• Mozart D Major Quartet for flute, violin, viola, cello
• Reger Sonata in G Minor for solo viola
• Schumann “Fantasy Pieces” Op. 73 for cello and piano
• Brahms Piano Quartet in G Minor, Op. 25

Thursday, June 27, 7:00pm - FRENCH FORAY

• Leclair Duo in E Minor for two violins
• French Song Set
• Faure Piano Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 15

Friday, June 28, 7:00pm - THE THREE B’s

• Bach G Minor Sonata for solo violin
• Beethoven String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18, No.4
• Brahms Piano Trio in C Major, Op. 87

Saturday, June 29, 5:00pm - RUSSIAN ROMP

• Khachaturian Trio for clarinet, violin, piano
• Arensky Trio in D Minor, Op. 32 for violin, cello, piano
• Borodin Piano Quintet in C Minor

Sunday, June 30, 4:00pm - FINALE FIREWORKS

• Brahms Sextet in Bb Major, Op. 18 for two violins, two violas, two cellos
• Tchaikovsky “Souvenir de Florence” for two violins, two violas, two cellos

See www.serafinensemble.org/summer. 

Enjoying the 'Three Rs' of DSO Music

By Christine Facciolo

Forget the three Bs. The Delaware Symphony Orchestra (DSO) capped off its 2018-19 season with works by 'the three Rs': Respighi, Rachmaninoff and…Rozsa?

You may not know his name, but chances are you’ve heard his music, especially if you’re a film buff. Miklos Rozsa (1907-1995) was a Hungarian-American composer best known for his film scores. Rozsa’s Hollywood career earned him considerable success and recognition, including 17 Oscar nominations and three wins for “Spellbound” (1945), “A Double Life” (1947) and “Ben-Hur” (1959).

Rozsa also remained faithful to his classical music roots with his compositions earning the plaudits of the likes of Jascha Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky and Janos Starker, who commissioned the work played this night.

The orchestra eased into the evening with a performance of Respighi’s highly descriptive symphonic poem the “Fountains of Rome.” Composed in 1916, the work remains a fine example of the brilliance with which Respighi uses the resources of the orchestra. (That’s not surprising since he was a student of Rimsky-Korsakov, who wrote the book on orchestration, both literally and figuratively).

The DSO invested its performance which much skill and care. The first movement, The Valle Guilia Fountain at Dawn, conveyed a distinctly bucolic tone, while the buoyancy of The Triton Fountain in the Morning conjured up images of water spouts. The solemnity of The Trevi Fountain at Mid-Day soon gave way to euphoria reminiscent of a classic Hollywood film score. The Villa Medici Fountain at Sunset provided a pastoral conclusion with notable contributions from the woodwinds. The expressive playing led to a distant tolling of a bell — in this instance one of the Kerrigan Bells of Remembrance — heralding the ebb of the music.

Cellist Nicholas Canellakis. Photo courtesy of artist.

Rozsa’s Cello Concerto, Op. 32 offered another palette, not to mention tangy harmonies and the rhythmic flair of the composer’s native Hungarian language. The first movement full of strong ideas and a cadenza of riveting virtuosity. By contrast, the central movement is lyrical and tinged with anguish. The final movement bristles with energy and — once again — rhythmic élan.

This is a stout, boldly communicative work that deserves and demands to be heard much more often. Kudos to DSO Music Director David Amado for programming it and to virtuoso cellist Nicholas Canellakis for learning it for this concert. (The work is so well-hidden that not even the majority of cellists know it exists.)

Canellakis is a highly articulate soloist who not only performs the music; he inhabits it. His impeccable technique enables him to remain confident and in control while executing the fiendishly difficult passages Rozsa throws at him (and there are many). That composure allows him to convert pyrotechnics into phrases that are rich in beauty and meaning.

The audience responded by breaking decorum with applause between movements. After three curtain calls, Canellakis obliged with a performance of the Sarabande from J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite, No. 1 in G major.

Following intermission, DSO Board Chairman Charles Babcock honored philanthropists Gerret and Tatiana Copeland for their support of the orchestra. Mrs. Copeland told the audience that she and her husband had their first date at The Grand. She also told the heartfelt story of how Rachmaninoff — “Uncle Sergei” to her — supported her family during a financial crisis.

The DSO’s rendering of the composer’s final symphony was equally heartfelt. Amado caught all the passion of the first movement while simultaneously retaining its lyrical qualities, defined the poetic elements of the second movement and concluded the symphony with all the energy and enthusiasm a finale deserves.

See www.delawaresymphony.org.