Civitas Chamber Ensemble-in-Residence to perform Nov. 4 at Valpo
Led by Shanghai native Yuan-Qing Yu, the Civitas Chamber Ensemble-in-Residence will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, in the Duesenberg Recital Hall, featuring moving pieces by John Williams, Paul Moravec, and Schubert.
Civitas is a nonÂprofit performing arts group that is comprised of members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The goals of Civitas are to provide classical chamber music at the highest possible level to people who are passionate about live music, to present educational programs to young audiences, and also to bring music to those who would have limited access to the healing power of live classical music.
Yu, artist-teacher of music and advisor to the string and orchestra programs at Valparaiso University, performs in the quartet as violinist and also acts as administrator, organizes the quartet’s premieres in collaboration with the Chinese Fine Arts Society of Chicago.
The Civitas Chamber Ensemble performed twice at Valpo during the 2011-2012 academic year. This year, Civitas presents “Air and Simple Gifts” by John Williams, written for the 2009 presidential inauguration. Its original performance was cast to highlight diversity with performers from around the world.
Paul Moravec’s “Tempest Fantasy,” winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize in music, will also be featured. Moravac’s style is primarily tonal and neo-romantic with influences from artists such as Federico Mompou and Claude Debussy.
The concert will also feature Schubert’s B flat major Piano Trio, which showcases Schubert’s unique lyrical voice, known for being as enjoyable to perform as it is to hear.
“Listeners who heard Civitas’ transcendent elevation of the Haydn Lark Quartet and Dvorak Dumky Trios last season will not want to miss this generous ensemble’s committed playing in its two Valpo appearances this season,” said Dennis Friesen-Carper, director of the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra.
The spring concert, April 21, 2013, will include pieces by Ives, Mendelssohn, and Messiaen, including Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time,” which premiered while he was imprisoned in Görlitz during World War II.
The Nov. 4 concert is free and open to the public. Please visit valpo.edu/music/performances for more information.