President's Message

Dear Friends of the Norfolk Chamber Consort:

It is with great pleasure and anticipation that I welcome you to our 39th Anniversary Season.  Our programming theme this year, “Something Old . . .Something New,” also may be the story behind what undoubtedly will prove to be a pivotal season for the Consort.  This 2007-2008 season will be the last guided by its long-time Artistic Co-Directors, F. Gerard Errante and Allen Shaffer, who have led this venerable group for 35 years.

The new Artistic Director Designate is pianist/composer and Old Dominion University Professor Andrey Kasporov.  An immensely gifted musician, Kasparov is also the founder of Creo, a contemporary music ensemble in residence at ODU.  He will take the reigns in the Consort’s 40th Anniversary season next year.  Assisting Kasporov in the artistic management of the Consort will be violinist Yun Zhang, associate concertmaster, and Michael Daniels, principal cellist, both of the Virginia Symphony.

We will open this season on September 24th with the great A Major Violin Sonata by Cesar Franck, performed by Yun Zhang partnered with pianist Jeffrey Brown of Christopher Newport University.  This will be followed by the profoundly spiritual and mystical music of France’s Olivier Messiaen, including selections from the sensuous song cycle “Poemes pour Moi” and the monumental “Visions de l’Amen” for two pianos.  The performers are mezzo soprano Lisa Coston and duo pianists Oksana Lutsyshyn and Andrey Kasparov.

The second performance on November 19th will demonstrate the re-working of old music into new formats and idioms by the harpsichord duo of Thomas Marshall and Allen Shaffer and the Consort’s string quartet.  Favorite selections from the Baroque era by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel and Buxtehude will be presented in new guises and sounds.

On February 11, 2008, recent works by resident Virginia composers Edwin Dugger and Judith Shatin will be performed in their presence.  The program will be rounded out with F. Gerard Errante and D. Gause of Clarion Synthesis performing new and old music..

The season will conlude on April 7, 2008, with the melodic and joyous “Dumky” trio by Antonin Dvorak, the dramatic “Tibetan Dance” by Bright Sheng, and a new transcription of Ravel’s “La Valse” for piano four hands by the Consort’s Artictic Director Designate, Andrey Kasparov and his wife, Oksana Lutsyshyn.

The work of the Consort is made possible only by time, talent and effort of the musicians, Board members, sponsors, contributors and you, the audience, who form the Norfolk Chamber Consort family.  Thank you for your support!

Lawrence E. Epplein

President.