Union College is host to the first concert of the inaugural tour of the Spoleto USA Festival featuring artistic director Charles Wadsworth and violinist Chee-Yun on Friday, October 17 at 8 p.m. in Union's Memorial Chapel.
The program is to include Suk's Elegie for piano trio, Bartok's Contrasts, Schubert's Fantasy in f, D. 940 for piano 4-hands, Poulenc's Clarinet sonata, and Smetana's piano trio.
Charles Wadsworth created the now-famous Mid-Day Chamber Music Series at the Spoleto Festival in Italy in 1960. In 1977, he established Spoleto/USA in Charleston, South Carolina, and now is launching a tour of the festival. The artists performing with the group are all soloists in their own right, and include director and pianist Wadsworth, violinist Chee-Yun, clarinetist Todd Palmer, cellist Andrés Días, and pianist Stephen Prutsman.
Artistic Director Charles Wadsworth has had a long and distinguished career as a champion of chamber music and in January received the 1997 Chamber Music America Award. He was founder and director of the world-famous Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for 20 years and introduces each piece in the program with wit and humor.
Violinist Chee-Yun is a world-renowned soloist and has an exclusive recording contract with Denon Records. She has performed with such leading ensembles as the Atlanta Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony, the London Philharmonic, the National Symphony, and the New York Philharmonic, among others.
Clarinetist Todd Palmer made his New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall as winner of the 1987 Artists International Competition and has gone on to perform as a soloist with the Houston Symphony, the Maryland Symphony, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. He has also collaborated with the Orion, Borromeo, Brentano and St. Lawrence String Quartets.
Cellist Andrés Días has had numerous orchestral appearances that have included performances with the Atlanta Symphony, the American Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony and the orchestras of Milwaukee, Seattle, and Victoria (B.C.) as well the Boston Pops. He has also performed recitals at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, and the Gardner Museum.
Prize-winning pianist Stephen Prutsman has received awards for his performance of Scriabin, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev and has performed in recitals with major orchestras throughout the world, including solo recitals in Boston, Portland, and San Francisco and chamber music at Lincoln Center.
The Schenectady Museum-Union College concert series is made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.
Memorial Chapel is located near the center of the Union campus. Parking is available on campus and on nearby sidestreets.
Tickets, at $15 ($7 for students), are available in advance at the Schenectady Museum (518)382-7890 and at the door at 7 p.m. For more information, call 372-3651.