Sinfonia Toronto Concert - Toronto's Own February 1, 2008

‘Toronto’s Own’ is Sinfonia Toronto’s warm and romantic program to melt the midwinter chill. This Masterpiece Series concert will take place on Friday, February 1, 2008 at 8 pm in Grace Church on-the-Hill (300 Lonsdale Road).

Conductor Nurhan Arman will lead the concert that begins with Shostakovich’s romantic Chamber Symphony qp.83. Toronto’s own brilliant young cellist Karen Ouzounian, will be the featured soloist in Boccherini’s brilliant Cello Concerto in B-flat major.

Toronto cellist Karen Ouzounian is currently completing her graduate studies at the prestigious Juilliard School where she studies with Timothy Eddy. She has served as principal cellist of the Juilliard Symphony, and she has frequently performed as a soloist and chamber musician in The Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Paul Recital Hall, the Juilliard Theatre and Morse Recital Hall.
Winner of numerous awards and scholarships, Ms. Ouzounian has received the Grunin Prize and the Presidential Distinction from the Juilliard School for the top cello audition. She has also received prizes at the Canadian Music Competitions and the Ontario Music Festivals Association. She has appeared as soloist with Sinfonia Toronto and the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony. Ms. Ouzounian has performed solo and chamber music recitals in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Guatemala, Italy, Holland, Germany and Lebanon, and has been featured on the CBC’s “Up & Coming” music program.
During her summers, Ms. Ouzounian has performed at the Marlboro Festival, Holland Music Sessions, the Sarasota Music Festival, the Casalmaggiore International Festival in Italy, the Banff Centre for the Arts and the Orford Arts Centre. In master classes she has worked with Ralph Kirshbaum, Frans Helmerson, Janos Starker and Aldo Parisot.
The concert will also feature one of Beethoven’s masterpieces. His late Quartet op. 135 written after Beethoven had already lost most of his hearing. It will be played in an orchestral version created for Sinfonia Toronto by Nurhan Arman.
There will be a free post-concert reception, giving audience members a chance to meet members of the orchestra, the conductor and the soloist.

Tickets are $40 adult, $32 senior, $12 student (16-29) and can be purchased from 416-499-0403 or online with a $5 online only discount at www.sinfoniatoronto.com

Official Website: http://www.sinfoniatoronto.com