June 29, 2005 – Sylvia Bierschenk

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra musicians to perform at SFA's chamber music festival

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - Two members of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will perform during the Chamber Music in the Pines Festival presented by the Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and Department of Music July 9 through 17 in Cole Concert Hall.

Violinist Ivo Ivanov has been a member of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra since 1997. The Bulgarian native began studying violin at age 6. He earned his bachelor's degree from the Sate Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria, and his master's degree from Southern Methodist University.

Violist David Hermann has been the associate principal violist of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra since 1979. He served as the principal violist of the Dallas Chamber Orchestra during the 1990-91 season and is a founding member of Fort Worth's oldest professional chamber music group, The Spectrum, established in 1986. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Illinois.

For the opening concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 9, Ivanov and Hermann will join SFA faculty members John W. Goodall, oboe; Jennifer Dalmas, violin; Evgeni Raychev, cello; and James Pitts, piano; in presenting three chamber pieces by Czech composers.

The string players will open the concert with Erwin Schulhoff's "Divertimento," a piece composed when Schulhoff was only 20 years old. Written in the neoclassical style, the work is "quite sophisticated but has a sunny, open character," according to Dalmas.

The SFA musicians will then present Bohuslav Martinu's "Quartet for Oboe, Piano, Violin and Cello."

"The quartet is a very eloquent composition which I think the audience will find just as satisfying to listen to as it is to rehearse and perform," said Goodall.

Ivanov and Hermann will return to the stage for the concert's final piece, "Antonin Dvorâk's "Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81."

Dalmas said the composition is one of the great masterpieces of Romantic chamber music. "It is considered a musical portrait of Dvorâk himself--his joy in nature, his love of melody and his quickly shifting moods."

During the "Russian Composers Concert" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 12, the four string players will present three quartets: Mikhail Glinka's "String Quartet in F Major," Alexander Borodin's "String Quartet No. 2 in D Major," and Dmitri Shostakovich's "String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110."

According to Dalmas, the Glinka quartet's "charming classical style is reminiscent of chamber works by Mozart and Haydn, and Borodin's quartet has enjoyed enduring popularity since its premiere."

She identified the Shostakovich quartet as one of the greatest chamber works of the 20th century. "It is dedicated to the victims of fascism and war and was inspired particularly by the composer's trip to Dresden, soon after the destruction of the city," Dalmas said.

Other concerts included in the Chamber Music in the Pines Festival, "Four Nations Celebration," are the "French Composers Concert" at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 15, and the "German Composers Concert" at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 17.

LThe festival is sponsored in part by Ed and Gwen Cole.

Season tickets are $30 for adults, $22.50 for seniors and $15 for students. Single event tickets are $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors and $5 for students.

For tickets or more information, please call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.