Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota Celebrates
20 Years of Artistic Success in a
“20th-Year Anniversary Musical Retrospective”
May 28 and 29 • Historic Asolo Theater
Favorite artists from concerts past return to the Historic Asolo Theater to perform an inspired array of the classical and popular music that has been the hallmark of Artist Series Concerts’ offerings for two decades.
(Sarasota, Florida) When Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota founders Jerold and Lee Dougherty Ross hosted their first concerts 20 years ago in the lobby of their Sarasota condominium, little did they know that those concerts would blossom into a series of 40-plus concerts a year, with world-renowned artists covering an electrifying diversity of musical genres and styles. Nor did they foresee the creation of scholarship and outreach programs that, to date, have awarded nearly $275,000 in awards and prizes to talented young musicians. So, when managing director John Fischer met with Dougherty Ross to discuss how to commemorate 20 seasons of outstanding success, Dougherty Ross suggested bringing back some of the audience favorites—singers and musicians from seasons past performing a selection from the wide variety of classical and popular music that has characterized Artist Series Concerts over its 20-year history.
The lineup they chose includes the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo; violinist Alexander Markov, with pianist Heike Doerr; soprano Monica Pasquini; and baritone David McFerrin.
Fischer fondly remembers each performer’s Sarasota concert. “We presented baritone David McFerrin in 2012 and violinist Alexander Markov and pianist Heike Doerr in 2007,” he says. “Soprano Monica Pasquini wowed audiences here in 2006. Elizabeth Joy Roe made a stunning Artist Series Concerts debut as a piano soloist in 2004, and was back again in 2010, this time with Greg Anderson as part of the dynamic Anderson & Roe Piano Duo. They were all huge hits with our audiences and we’re thrilled to be able to bring them together for this anniversary performance with a program that includes Paganini, Gershwin, Schubert, Cole Porter, and much more.”
Fischer adds that the program will begin with Dougherty Ross and Joseph Holt, director of artistic programs for ASC, performing a composition for duo piano by award-winning composer and former Sarasota resident Roger Zare.
“There’s a direct Artist Series connection with Roger, too,” says Dougherty Ross. “Before we even had a formal annual awards scholarship program for young and gifted musicians, we recognized Roger’s immense talent as a composer and pianist and were able to raise funds for him over a period of four years to help him complete his studies at the University of Southern California and the Peabody Institute of Music and launch his successful musical career.”
The “20-Year Retrospective” is May 28, 7:30 p.m. and May 29, 7:30 p.m., at the Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Ticket prices range from $25 to $45 and are available at 941-360-7399 or www.artistseriesconcerts.org. Student tickets available at the door.
Known for their energetic performances, original compositions, and striking music videos, Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe continue to revolutionize the piano duo experience for the 21st century. Since forming their dynamic musical partnership in 2002 as students at the Juilliard School, the duo has appeared on NPR and MTV and has toured extensively as recitalists and orchestral soloists. Described as “the intense synchronization of genius” (ThirdCoast Digest) and “the most dynamic duo of this generation” (San Francisco Classical Voice), Anderson & Roe aim to make classical music a relevant and powerful force around the world. Their recent album, “When Words Fade” (Steinway Label), was released to critical acclaim in 2012, skyrocketing to the top of the Billboard classical charts, while their Emmy-nominated, self-produced music videos have been viewed by millions on YouTube. Highlights of the 2015-16 season include recitals in Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall for the Mostly Mozart Festival and the premiere of their ambitious and literally explosive music film, “The Rite of Spring,” at the 2015 Wine Country Music Festival. Their Artist Series program will feature their signature high-octane interpretations of such iconic works as Leonard Bernstein’s “Mambo” from “West Side Story” and Aram Khachaturian’s iconic “Sabre Dance” from “Gavane.
Internationally acclaimed violinist Alexander Markov has been hailed as one of the world’s most captivating and versatile musicians, shifting with ease between classical and rock music, and between major concert halls and packed sports arenas. Lord Yehudi Menuhin hailed him as being, “without doubt one of the most brilliant and musical of violinists. Alexander Markov will certainly leave his mark on the music-lovers of the world and in the annals of the violin virtuosi of our day.” Considered to be a master of the 19th-century romantic virtuoso repertoire, Markov is one of the few violinists in the world who performs Paganini’s entire set of 24 Caprices for Violin in a single recital and is featured in Bruno Monsaingeon’s acclaimed film “The Art of Violin.” Passionate as well about contemporary rock music, Markov co-wrote “The Rock Concerto” with James V. Remington, who also designed Markov’s signature gold, 6-string electric violin. In his quest to bridge the gap between rock and classical music, and to attract more young people to the symphony, Markov continues to write numerous new compositions combining classical and rock genres featuring the electric violin, orchestra, a rock group and a choir. German pianist Heike Doerr began studying piano at age 5 and at age 13 made her first solo appearance with an orchestra, performing a Bach Concerto with the Saliergymnasium Waiblingen Orchestra. A resident of New York since 1997, Doerr continues to tour as a recitalist and as a frequent collaborator of Alexander Markov. Markov’s program for the Retrospective includes the final of Paganini’s 24 Caprices, considered to one of the most difficult pieces ever written for solo violin.
Monica Pasquini is a young lyric coloratura soprano who, at age 19, performed her first operatic role at the renowned Salzburg Music Festival. She has also interned at London’s Royal Opera House and studied at the Royal Academy of Music. A former Artist Series Concerts’ competition award winner, Pasquini has gone on to perform in numerous operatic roles, including Belinda in “Dido & Aeneas,” Tytania in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Giannetta in “L’elisir d’amore,” The Queen of the Night in “The Magic Flute.” She recently made her Carnegie Hall debut singing the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.” Pasquini continues Artist Series Concerts tradition of musical diversity with a program that covers styles from Italian bel canto (Donizetti) to French romanticism (Delibes), modernism (Milhaud) and the 20th century popular music of Nacio Herb Brown.
Praised by The New York Times for his “appealingly textured sound,” baritone David McFerrin is achieving critical acclaim in a wide variety of repertoire. On the opera stage, McFerrin has appeared in a number of recent productions with his hometown company, Boston Lyric Opera. He recently received universal acclaim for his portrayal of the Officer in BLO’s production of Phillip Glass’ gripping, two-character piece, “In the Penal Colony,” a performance the Wall Street Journal called “disturbingly eloquent”. He continues this season with the company singing Johann in Massenet’s “Werther and Cascada,” and in Franz Lehár’s “The Merry Widow.” McFerrin has also performed with Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Boston, Sarasota Opera, the Tanglewood Festival and the Rossini Festival in Wildbad, Germany. For his return to the Historic Asolo Theater, McFerrin will be showcasing his versatility and “commanding stage presence” in a program of favorites from the Great American Songbook, including works by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart and more.
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s 2016-17 season will be announced in May 2016. For more information about the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, visit www.artistseriesconcerts.org or call 941-306-1202.
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.
