Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents
Lunch, Look and Listen:
“A Little Nice Music” with the Gulfshore Trio
Reiko Niiya, Violin; Shea Kole, Cello; William Dawson, Piano
March 17 • Michael’s On East
(Sarasota, Florida) Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s 2016 “Lunch, Look and Listen” series concludes with “A Little Nice Music” with the Gulfshore Trio. Violinist Reiko Niiya, cellist Shea Kole, and pianist William Dawson, perform works by Mozart, Fauré’, Saint-Saëns, Chopin, and Piazzolla. The performance, which also includes the premiere of William Dawson’s “River Suite,” is Thursday, March 17, at 11 a.m., with lunch to follow at 12:15 p.m., at Michael’s On East Ballroom, 1212 East Avenue South, Sarasota. Tickets are $45, which includes lunch. To purchase tickets, call 941-306-1202 (Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m.).
The Gulfshore Trio, comprised of Reiko Niiya, violin, Shea Cole, cello, and William Dawson, piano, unites three outstanding musicians—each with strong ties to Southwest Florida’s classical music scene. Reiko Niiya has been the Southwest Florida Symphony’s concertmaster for over 30 years. Her multi-faceted career also includes performances at both of President Bill Clinton’s inauguration galas, and with the National Symphony and the Washington Opera Orchestra at Kennedy Center. On the pops side, Niiya has performed with such celebrity entertainers as Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole, Michael Jackson and Sarah Brightman. Cellist Shea Kole has shared the stage with Andrés Cárdenes and Carter Brey, and has performed throughout the United States and Mexico. From 2008 to 2015, he was associate principal cellist of Mexico’s Orquesta Sinfónica Sinaloa de Las Artes. He currently performs with Opera Naples and Sinfonia Gulf Coast. Pianist and composer William Dawson is an alumnus of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied piano under famed concert pianist Rudolf Serkin. Dawson has also appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops as well as various other orchestras throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America. He has been commissioned by the Southwest Florida Symphony to compose choral works and was also named Florida State Music Teachers’ 2007 Composer of the Year.
Since 1996, Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota has presented an ever-expanding annual season of concerts by globally renowned and celebrated emerging artists. The 20th-anniversary season includes six concerts in its “Classical Recital Series,” five concerts in its “Pop Series,” four concerts in its “Special Performances” series, three “Soiree Series” concerts, three “Lunch, Look and Listen” concerts and three concerts in its North Port Performing Arts series. Many of the concerts are presented in multiple performances.
For more information about the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s 2015-2016 season, visit www.artistseriesconcerts.org or call 941-306-1202.
The Remaining 2015-2016 Season at a Glance
Classical Recital Series
Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. at the Historic Asolo Theater; 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Tickets at 941-360-7399 or www.artistseriesconcerts.org.
- Amit Peled is an Israeli-American cellist and virtuoso called a “larger than life presence on stage” (The Washington Post). Peled, a musician of profound artistry and charismatic stage presence, is known as one of the most exciting instrumentalists on the concert stage today. At 6’5″ tall (he was once a basketball player), Peled often surprises audiences with the ways he breaks down barriers between performers and the public, making classical music more accessible to wider audiences. April 9, 7:30 p.m., and April 10, 7:30 p.m.
- 20th Year Retrospective Celebration: As a close to the 20th anniversary season, Artist Series Concerts is bringing back favorites from past years. The performers that Sarasota audiences have loved before will be here again to entertain, celebrate and inspire. May 28 and 29, 7:30 p.m.
Pop Series
At the Historic Asolo Theater; 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Tickets at 941-360-7399 or www.artistseriesconcerts.org.
- QuinTango, a touring quintet of two violins, cello, bass and piano, brings a century’s worth of tango repertoire to the concert stage with sizzling musicality and captivating narrative style. Winner of two consecutive WAMMIES, QuinTango is the only tango music group to have given a command performance at The White House. QuinTango has been heard on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” CNN, and network television in both the United States and Costa Rica. When QuinTango made its debut at Charleston’s Piccolo Festival, critic Robert Jones wrote exuberantly that “their concerts packed the place and sent the customers home tango crazy.” April 30, 7:30 p.m., and May 1, 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.
- “My Favorite Things,” Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein, featuring acclaimed soloists Mara Bonde, soprano, Katherine Pracht, mezzo soprano, Aaron Blake, tenor, Marcus DeLoach, baritone, and the Gloria Musicae Singers: May 7:30 p.m., and May 8, 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.
Soiree Series
Sunday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. and Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. At the Weisenborne/Fischer residence. Call for address. Tickets at 941-306-1202.
- Bob McDonald singing songs made famous by Broadway leading man John Raitt: March 27 & 28. SOLD OUT.
About Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota was formed in 1996 as the Artist Series of Sarasota. The group is a non-profit corporation based in Sarasota, FL, that prides itself on presenting several major national and international varieties of concert, opera, orchestral, Broadway and film performances throughout their season. The majority of the performances are staged at the restored Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling.
Photos courtesy of the artists.
