Jan. 26 and Jan. 29 Violinist Kristin Lee presented as part ofTwo Chamber Music Sedona Performances
Kristin Lee will perform as part of two concerts presented by Chamber Music Sedona on Thursday, January 26 at 5:30pm and Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 7:30pm.
Top L, Kristin Lee; Top R, Nicholas Canellakis; Bottom L, Alex Fiterstein; Bottom R, Wu Qian Photo of Kristin Lee by Lauren Desberg available in hi-resolution at https://www.jensenartists.com/kristin-lee
Winter Salon: Kristin Lee, violin and Wu Qian, piano Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 5:30pm Private Residence
Tickets and more information: www.chambermusicsedona.org/2023-winter-salon-kristin-lee-and-qian-wu
From Classics to Klezmer featuring Alex Fiterstein, Clarinet Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 3pm Sedona Performing Arts Center 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd. | Sedona, AZ
Tickets and more information: www.chambermusicsedona.org/2023-from-classics-to-klezmer
Kristin Lee: www.violinistkristinlee.com
Sedona, AZ – Kristin Lee, a violinist of remarkable versatility and impeccable technique, will perform as part of two concerts presented by Chamber Music Sedona on Thursday, January 26 at 5:30pm and Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 7:30pm. Of Lee's performances, the St. Louis Post-Distpatch writes, "Her technique is flawless, and she has a sense of melodic shaping that reflects an artistic maturity," and The Strad reports, “She seems entirely comfortable with stylistic diversity, which is one criterion that separates the run-of-the-mill instrumentalists from true artists.” On January 26, Lee joins pianist Wu Qian for Chamber Music Sedona’s Winter Salon concert, to be held at a private residence in the Sedona area. The duo will perform a selection of music for violin and piano for this intimate concert.
On January 29, Lee and Wu Qian will perform again as part of a program headlined by clarinetist Alex Fiterstein with Chamber Music Sedona Artistic Director and cellist Nicholas Canellakis. “From Classics to Klezmer” features the rich tradition of Jewish music, journeying from the classical tradition to the wild and fun world of Klezmer, as seen through the soulful voice of the clarinet. This performance will be held at the Sedona Performing Arts Center (995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd.), and includes Beethoven’s Trio for piano, clarinet, and cello, Op. 11; Paul Schoenfield’s Trio for clarinet, violin and piano; Bloch’s Nigun for violin and piano; Bernstein’s clarinet sonata; and traditional Klezmer folk tunes.
All four of these musicians share a history of friendship and musical collaboration. Lee has performed alongside each of them through concerts with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, as well as Emerald City Music, where Lee serves as Artistic Director.
“I am thrilled to be returning to Chamber Music Sedona,” Lee says. “It is one of the most beautiful places to visit, so the opportunity to make music with my wonderful colleagues in the midst of beautiful red canyons can’t be any more magical. I look forward to seeing old and making new friends on my visit!”
About the Musicians:
A recipient of the 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant, as well as a top prizewinner of the 2012 Walter W. Naumburg Competition and the Astral Artists’ 2010 National Auditions, Kristin Lee enjoys a vibrant career as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and educator. She is the co-founder and artistic director of Emerald City Music in Seattle and was recently appointed to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music faculty as Assistant Professor of Violin. Lee has performed on the world’s finest concert stages, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Kennedy Center, Kimmel Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Ravinia Festival, the Louvre Museum, the Phillips Collection, and Korea’s Kumho Art Gallery. An accomplished chamber musician, she is a member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Her performances have been broadcast on PBS’s “Live from Lincoln Center" and the Kennedy Center Honors, and she appeared on Perlman in Shanghai, a nationally broadcast PBS documentary.
For more information on Kristin Lee and all of the musicians performing, visit: www.chambermusicsedona.org/2023-from-classics-to-klezmer.
About Chamber Music Sedona: Chamber Music Sedona was established as a 501(3)(c) nonprofit in 1983 to present two-week festivals at Verde Valley School. Within a few years, CMS expanded to include concerts in Prescott, Flagstaff, Jerome, and Cottonwood.
In the mid 1990’s, CMS hired the first artistic director, and the year-round concerts series began. All concerts were then held at the St. John Vianney Church in Sedona. At that time, the scope of artists began to include many more well-known names: Emanuel Ax, Hillary Hann, the Julliard String Quartet, The Tokyo String Quartet, and others, as well as many up and coming young artists. During this period, the board decided to introduce the artists into the local schools for Master Classes and music appreciation events. In 2008, CMS expanded by adding the Metropolitan Opera HD Live concerts in hopes of attracting a larger audience. However, by 2014, it became obvious that the additional costs were not yielding the intended results and were impacting operations. In response, CMS formed a new Board and hired a consultant to reorganize. The reorganization eliminated the opera-casts and focused CMS exclusively on chamber music. All concerts moved to the outstanding Sedona Performing Arts Center, which also offered greater seating capacity.
In 2018, CMS hired Nicholas Canellakis of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center as artistic director. The reorganization brought immediate rewards. With more dynamic programming, the audience grew to 200-350 per concert, and the organization’s finances stabilized. The new artistic director expanded the educational program to include Concerts for Youth performed by the visiting artists, as well as small concerts in local nursing homes. As of this date, Chamber Music Sedona has helped improve the quality of education in local schools, and has welcomed over 550 artists to our community to perform for our most appreciative and appreciated audiences.
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