“A Concert for Elgin” celebrates CMOTF’s 10th anniversary
Chamber Music on the Fox will offer a free concert to celebrate the organization’s 10th anniversary of bringing world class chamber ensemble performances to the Fox Valley.
“A Concert for Elgin” will be held Sunday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m. at Elgin Community College’s Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Building H, Elgin. Tickets are free, but must be reserved through the ECC Arts Center website, www.eccartscenter.org/events.
The Chamber Music on the Fox Players will be joined for this concert by Pedro Diaz, English hornist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra who will perform the world premiere of Santos Cato’s “Sonatina for English Horn and Piano”, a piece written specifically for Diaz. Heralded as evocative, eloquent, and expressive, Diaz is considered one of the pre-eminent players of his generation.
“We are very excited to bring Pedro Diaz and this world premiere to Elgin and, thanks to the generosity of SEIGLE Foundation and Elgin Community College, to be able to offer the performance for free as a token of appreciation to the community that has supported Chamber Music on the Fox for the past decade,” said Mark Fry, cofounder and artistic director of CMOTF.
Of the premiere piece, Diaz said, “Santos, a prolific composer who resides in Ensenada, Mexico, has strong connections to Italy, having attended school in Rome. These international influences add depth to the pieces we’ll be performing.”
The concert will also include works by Arthur Honneger, David Chesky, and Gaetano Donizetti.
“What adds a particular importance to this performance is that I’ll have the privilege of performing Honegger’s ‘Concerto da camera’ with Scott Metlicka as a co-soloist, alongside the Chamber Music on the Fox Chamber Players. We will also be accompanied by the wonderful pianist Liang-yu Wang. It’s an incredible opportunity, and I can’t wait to share this musical experience with our audience,” said Daiz.
The CMOTF Chamber Players include violinists Eric Pidluski and Emily Nash, violist Bruno Silva, cellist Sara Sitzer, and bassist Tim Shaffer.
Donizetti’s Concertino in F Major, a piece dating back to 1816, holds special importance to Diaz. Diaz discovered the original solo and orchestral parts for the piece several years ago at the Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica in Bologna, Italy, while on a research trip. The discovery, Diaz said, “adds a special historical dimension to our performance.”
Chamber Music on the Fox was founded 10 years ago by Fry, a trombonist, and cellist Sara Sitzer to bring chamber music ensembles – often featuring internationally renowned musicians – to intimate settings across the Fox Valley. Today, Chamber Music on the Fox offers concerts not only in the Elgin area, but also in Aurora and Woodstock.
“We are incredibly grateful for the community’s support that has fueled our success,” Fry said.
