Caramoor Presents Sarah Chang and Orchestra of St. Luke's

June 27, 2011 - PRLog -- KATONAH, NEW YORK — On Saturday, July 18 at 8:00pm Caramoor International Music Festival presents vibrant violinist Sarah Chang and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, conducted by Douglas Boyd in a program that comes from the heart of the symphonic repertoire. The performance includes Bruch’s first and most well-known violin concerto, to which Chang brings romance and fire. The Washington Post, in awe of her interpretation of the piece, has said she brings out “all of its lovable singing qualities while doing it the honor of taking it seriously, limning it in amber tones”. Chang will perform the Bruch between Beethoven’s Overture to Fidelio and Symphony No.2 in D Major, under the baton of Douglas Boyd, a brilliant young Scotsman making his Caramoor Festival debut.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Sarah Chang
Sarah Chang is recognized as one of the world’s great violinists. Since her debut with the New York Philharmonic at the age of eight she has performed with the greatest orchestras, conductors and accompanists internationally in a career spanning more than two decades. In 2012, she will have recorded for EMI Classics exclusively for 20 years. Ms. Chang most recently recorded her 20th album for the label which included performances of Brahms and Bruch violin concertos with Kurt Masur and the Dresdner Philharmonie and received excellent critical and popular acclaim. Ms. Chang tours extensively throughout the year. Highlights in 2010/11 in the UK and the US include appearances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. She will also perform in Norway, Romania, Austria, Canada, Poland and Denmark. In 2005, Yale University dedicated a chair in Sprague Hall in Sarah Chang’s name. For the June 2004 Olympic games, she was given the honor of running with the Olympic Torch in New York, and that same month, became the youngest person ever to receive the Hollywood Bowl's Hall of Fame award. She is a past recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, Gramophone’s “Young Artist of the Year” award, Germany’s “Echo” Schallplattenpreis, “Newcomer of the Year” honors at the International Classical Music Awards in London, and Korea’s “Nan Pa” award. Ms. Chang has been named the US Embassy’s Cultural Envoy from 2011.

Douglas Boyd
Douglas Boyd, originally from Glasgow, Scotland, recently completed his tenure as Music Director of the Manchester Camerata. Boyd studied oboe at the Royal Academy of Music in London and was previously a professional oboist as well as conductor. In 2006, Boyd shifted his focus to his conducting career which has since blossomed. In addition to being the Music Director of the Manchester Camerata, Boyd is a principal guest conductor of the City of London Sinfonia and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and has appeared with countless other orchestras around the world including the Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne, the Gardner Chamber Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Tonhalle Orchester Zurich, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra and the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras.In addition to conducting the Gardner Chamber Orchestra in 2000, Boyd became the orchestra’s co-artistic director in 2002 and later became an Artistic Partner with Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Boyd has also made numerous recordings as a soloist and a conductor. These recordings include works by Schumann with the pianist Maria Joao Pires, Bach and Vivaldi Concerti with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and the Ligeti Concerto for flute and oboe. Mr. Boyd received critical acclaim for his recording debut as director, soloist, and conductor with the Manchester Camerata.

Orchestra of St. Luke’s
The 2010–2011 season marks the 36th year of America’s foremost chamber orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, which formed at the Caramoor International Music Festival in 1979 from the existing St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble (founded in 1974). This unique musical organization comprises three divisions: the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, and St. Luke’s Arts Education Program. St. Luke’s currently performs approximately 100 orchestral, chamber, and educational concerts throughout New York each year, all showcasing the hallmark collaborative spirit that has garnered consistent critical acclaim for vibrant music-making of the highest order. This summer will mark its 32nd consecutive year as orchestra-in-residence at Caramoor.

In addition to being presented by Carnegie Hall in an annual series, the Orchestra continues a 21-year collaborative relationship with that institution that currently includes participation in such Carnegie events as annual holiday concerts, Family Concerts, concert presentations of musical theater, and such special events as the recent festival Honor! A Celebration of the African American Cultural Legacy. The Orchestra is also engaged throughout the year in a number of artistic collaborations, which have recently included performances with the Paul Taylor, Mark Morris, Michael Clark, and Morphoses dance companies.

ABOUT CARAMOOR
Caramoor is a performing arts center, located on a unique 90-acre setting of Italianate architecture and gardens in Westchester County, NY. Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music. It is often described as “a Garden of Great Music,” where audiences are invited to come early, explore the beautiful grounds, enjoy a pre-concert picnic, and discover beautiful music in the relaxed settings of the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, Music Room of the Rosen House, and the magnificent gardens. “Caramoor is the loveliest Festival of them all.” - The New York Times

Concert Venues and Gardens
Concerts take place in two outdoor theaters: the 1714-seat, acoustically superb Venetian Theater and the more intimate, romantic Spanish Courtyard. Caramoor’s gardens are also well worth the visit and include nine unique perennial gardens.

GETTING TO CARAMOOR
By car from the West Side of Manhattan and New Jersey, take the Saw Mill River Parkway north to Katonah. Exit at Route 35/Cross River. Turn right, and, at the first traffic light, make a right turn onto Route 22 south. Travel 1.9 miles to the junction of Girdle Ridge Road. Follow the signs to Caramoor. (For detailed directions call 914.232.5035 and press 2, or online at www.caramoor.org). Parking at Caramoor is free on-site on a first-come, first-served basis. Once on-site parking is full, alternate parking will be available with free shuttle bus service.

By train, take the Harlem Division of the Metro-North Railroad to Katonah, New York. Taxi service from the station to Caramoor (5 minutes away) is available.

TICKETS
Tickets are $20.00, $36.00, $52.00, $69.00, and $85.00. To purchase, call 914.232.1252 or visit www.caramoor.org. Groups of 16 or more may purchase discounted tickets by contacting Matthew Scarella at 914.232.5035 ext. 252 or matthew@caramoor.org.

PICNICKING AT CARAMOOR
Extend the Caramoor experience by arriving early and enjoying a picnic amidst the beautiful gardens. Concertgoers can bring their own picnic, or order one for pick-up at Caramoor by calling Great Performances® at 212-337-6055 or online at www.greatperformances.com/caramoorpicnics.

PRESS CONTACT
For press tickets, images, or interviews, contact Whitney Holden at 917.339.7188 or wholden@cohndutcher.com

PROGRAM
Saturday, July 18 at 8:00 PM in the Venetian Theater
Sarah Chang and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s with Conductor Douglas Boyd
Sarah Chang, violin
Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Douglas Boyd, conductor


Beethoven       Overture to Fidelio, Op.72c
Bruch Violin     Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op.26
Beethoven       Symphony No.2 in D Major, Op. 36

# # #

With its outstanding summer music festival & indoors concerts, arts-in-education programming and beautiful grounds, Caramoor is a cornerstone of the cultural life of Westchester County, NY.