Alumni Recital Series

ABOUT THE ALUMNI RECITAL SERIES
Since 1985-86, the Alumni Recital Series has featured distinguished alumni in benefit performances. The series is copresented by Curtis and the Alumni Society of Greater Philadelphia and supports the next generation of Curtis musicians.

Artists donate their services, and each year Society members work directly with Curtis to decide how proceeds from the recital series can be most beneficial to the students. In recent years, contributions have been made toward the purchase of student tickets to Philadelphia Orchestra concerts, acquisitions for the library, the student travel fund, and instrument repairs.

[top]

2007-08 SEASON
(Click below for program details.)

Richard Woodhams and Friends
Ignat Solzhenitsyn
Choong-Jin Chang and Friends
Shmuel Ashkenasi and Friends

TICKETS
All concerts take place in Field Concert Hall.
Seating is general admission.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Richard Woodhams and Friends
Wednesday, November 14 at 8 p.m.

Richard Woodhams, oboe ('68)
Christoph Eschenbach, piano (guest artist)
Juliette Kang, violin ('91)
Lisa-Beth Lambert, violin ('93)
Che-Hung Chen, viola ('00)
Yumi Kendall, cello ('04)

Principal oboe of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1977, Richard Woodhams has been called "a marvel of this tough instrument" (Philadelphia Inquirer). He has appeared as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra throughout the United States and Asia and has collaborated with such artists as Emanuel Ax, Itzhak Perlman, André Watts, and the Guarneri and Tokyo string quartets.

Ignat Solzhenitsyn
Sunday, December 16 at 3 p.m.

Ignat Solzhenitsyn (Piano and Conducting, '95) offers an all-Brahms piano recital. Mr. Solzhenitsyn’s playing has been described as "a model of transparent textures, rhythmic precision and animated lyricism" (New York Times). A recent soloist with the orchestras of Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and St. Petersburg, Mr. Solzhenitsyn is also music director of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.

Choong-Jin Chang and Friends
Sunday, January 20 at 3 p.m.

Choong-Jin Chang, viola ('94)
Mikael Eliasen, piano (guest artist)
Elizabeth Hainen, harp (guest artist)
Jeffrey Khaner, flute (guest artist)
Jessica Lee, violin ('01)
Rinat Shaham, mezzo-soprano ('95, '98)
and current Curtis students

BEETHOVEN Serenade in D major, Op. 25
BRAHMS Zwei Gesänge, Op. 91
DEBUSSY Sonata
MOZART String Quintet in C major, K. 515

Choong-Jin Chang was named principal viola of the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2006. An ardent chamber musician, he has performed in the Marlboro, Santa Fe, and Seattle music festivals, among others. Mr. Chang is a founding member of the Johannes Quartet.

Shmuel Ashkenasi and Friends
Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m.

Shmuel Ashkenasi, violin ('63)
David Soyer, cello (guest artist)
Meng-Chieh Liu, piano ('93)

SCHUBERT Sonata in A major, D. 574 (“Duo”)
SCHUBERT Rondo in B minor, D. 895 (“Rondeau brillant”)
SCHUBERT Trio No. 2 in E-flat major, D. 929

As first violinist of the famed Vermeer Quartet, Shmuel Ashkenasi (Violin '63) has gained a reputation as one of the world's outstanding chamber musicians. Joining the Curtis faculty in 2007-08, Mr. Ashkenasi performs an all-Schubert program with two current Curtis faculty members--Meng-Chieh Liu (Piano '93), winner of the 2002 Avery Fisher Career Grant, and David Soyer, former cellist of the Guarneri Quartet.

[top]