Today@Sam Article

String Festival Celebrates Diverse Works and Musicians

Sept. 26, 2018
SHSU Media Contact: Emily Binetti

Comprised of four concerts in four days with internationally recognized artists and faculty, the Sam Houston State University School of Music presents the annual Festival of Strings from Oct. 5 - 8.

Open to the public, the festival will feature concerts by renowned artists, the SHSU Symphony Orchestra and music faculty in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center.

Terra Nostra Ensemble

Terra Nostra Ensemble

On Friday (Oct. 5) at 7:30 p.m., students of the SHSU Symphony Orchestra will take to the concert hall stage presenting a suite from Tchaikovsky’s beloved “Swan Lake,” “Les nuits d’ete” (six melodies for small orchestra) and “Roman Carnival Overture,” by Hector Berlioz. Tickets to the concert can be purchased online or at the GPAC box office.

The second concert of the festival, a Guest Artist Recital, will feature a top prizewinner of several national and international competitions - Jassen Todorov. Dubbed “an outstanding violinist…a player to watch,” Todorov performs throughout Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Australia. He is also active in his native Bulgaria, where he is considered one of the country’s most prized musicians. The concert takes place on Saturday, (Oct. 6) at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall and admission is free.

Sunday’s Guest Artist Recital will feature the music of Latin-American and Iberian composers with Terra Nostra Ensemble. Paying homage to their heritage, the group was created to establish a Houston-based music group that would speak to the area’s sizeable Latino population. The ensemble presents on Sunday, (Oct. 7) at 7 p.m. in the Recital Hall and admission is free.

Composed of SHSU faculty, the Kolonneh String Quartet will perform at part of the festival with guitarist and visiting professor, Alejandro Montiel. Described by Soundboard Magazine as a "flawless musician, filled to the brim with polished technique," Montiel enjoys a performing career that has taken him throughout the United States, Mexico, China, Central America and Europe. The concert takes place on Monday, (Oct. 8) at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall and admission is free.

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