Postponed from 2020, the festival featuring the top young musicians from the state of Montana will take place in Great Falls on October 21 and 22. The program will include Symphony no 5 by Dmitry Shostakovich and Symphony no. 2 by Howard Hanson.
Seven orchestras in North and South America have commissioned Marinescu to compose a concerto for 2 cellos and orchestra. West Chester University has awarded him a major grant to support the commission. The completion date is August 2021. The first performance date has been announced by West Chester University Orchestra as February 20, 2022.
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A GRAND JOURNEY, WORKS FOR PIANO TRIO & SOLO PIANO by
OVIDIU MARINESCU, RICHARD E BROWN, MARK G SIMON |
Listen Here to a sample: https://youtu.be/yTzgaAYsMkw
Inspired by traditional melodies and cultural flavors, A GRAND JOURNEY gives us contemporary chamber works by Richard E. Brown, Ovidiu Marinescu, and Mark G. Simon. Performed by internationally acclaimed Trio Casals, these distinct works immerse listeners in varying motifs drawn from diverse cultures, simulating a journey of melodic Korean folk patterns, Greek mythological icons, Irish fiddling, tango, and sensations garnered from the Black Sea and English countryside.
The composers draw upon a wealth of technical knowledge and established forms to bring their musical visions to life. Brown’s Trio No. 1 applies ideas from pentatonic Korean folk songs to strictly crafted chaconne, scherzo, and fugue forms, while Trio No. 2 follows a looser bookended construction with a pastoral sound. Marinescu’s piece, The Journey, refers both to cultural sources and the composer’s own inner journey as he blends classical form, clocklike repetition, tango rhythms, and fiddle tunes to express his ideas. Simon’s Caucasus Sonata is a hair-raising journey of the soul through rock and hard places, demanding virtuosity and stamina from the performer.
Release Date: September 10, 2021, Catalog #: NV6367, Format: Digital
MOTO ETERNO (navonarecords.com) – Trio Casals
Works by: MATTHEW HETZ, PIERRE SCHROEDER, TIMOTHY KRAMER, JOHN HAWKES, DAVID T. BRIDGES, JOHN G. BILOTTA, CHRISTIAN PATERNITI, DIANE JONES, KATHERINE PRICE, MICHAEL COHEN
TRIO CASALS: Alexandr Kislitsyn violin, Ovidiu Marinescu cello, Anna Kislitsyna piano
Ten international composers showcase their respective styles on MOTO ETERNO, the latest installment of NAVONA’s successful MOTO chamber music series. Like the previous MOTO releases, MOTO ETERNO is the result of a wide-ranging Call For Scores and a scrupulous selection process. Acclaimed piano trio Trio Casals (Ovidiu Marinescu, cello; Alexandr Kislitsyn, violin; Anna Kislitsyna, piano), masterfully perform their favorite picks. With its inherent innovation, zest, vigor and verve, MOTO ETERNO proves to be another triumph for the long running series: a journey full of musical twists and turns, at times soothing, at times furious, and highly immersive throughout.
Release Date: March 26, 2021, Catalog #: NV6341
It is my pleasure to invite you Saturday, May 9th at 2PM EDT, to a live virtual concert organized by Parma Recordings. Follow this link to se the concert: https://www.facebook.com/events/852987858527244/
For this special concert Parma has partnered with The New Music Solidarity Fund, an initiative from the 501(c)3 non-profit music organization New Music USA providing emergency funds to musicians impacted by COVID-19.All donations collected go to The New Music Solidarity Fund, and all are fully tax deductible. More information about the Fund can be found here: https://www.newmusicusa.org/content/solidarity-fund/
The Program:
Tiina Kiik, The Whole Note, March 25, 2020: Conductor/cellist/composer Ovidiu Marinescu, violinist Sylvia Ahramjian and pianist Anna Kislitsyna are outstanding gifted musicians who together create a tight, musical, technically virtuosic chamber trio sound. Cellist Marinescu’s amazing almost athletic performance of his own composition Sunt Numai Urechi (I’m All Ears) for solo cello is flawless. An exciting flamenco-guitar-inspired virtuosic work, he almost sounds like two performers as he tackles his fast, circling, chromatic melodies, lyrical sections, high pitches and changing mixed metres.
American Record Guide, April 2020: Cellist Ovidiu Marinescu is the better player and helps make the three works for solo cello more compelling. His own work “I’m All Ears” is the most memorable track, with more energy and feeling than any of the other compositions.
Navonna Records jusrt released a recording “I’m All Ears” for solo cello of as part of Moto Celeste album by Trio Casals. Download the track at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083V7J5C6/ref=dm_ws_tlw_trk3 (Release Date: January 24, 2020, Label: Navona).
March starts with a visit to Utah Valley University for a cello class on the 6th, followed by cello and chamber music coaching at California State University – Northridge on March 10, and University of Delaware on March 18. The weekly cello studio hour continues at West Chester University in PA.
Artistic Director Ovidiu Marinescu announces the 3rd edition of the International Musicians Academy – A Program for Soloists, Conductors and Composers. Taking place in Vidin, Bulgaria between July 27 – August 7, 2020, the academy is designed to provide an ideal learning environment for aspiring soloists, professional orchestral conductors, composers, as well as aspiring orchestra musicians. Cheung Chau, Blanka Bednarz and of course Artistic Director Ovidiu Marinescu will return.
After a July 20, 2019 performance in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in partnership with Parma Recordings, Marinescu and Trio Casals return on February 5, 2020 for the 5th concert in the Moto Series. The concert will mark the Moto Celeste album release with works by Diane Jones, Edna Alejandra Longoria, Ovidiu Marinescu, Christina Rusnak, Chad Robinson, Clive Muncaster, Joanna Estelle, Eliane Aberdam plus Beethoven’s Trio op 11.
The new works in the program bring a different sense of freshness. Each of the three solo cello pieces have a different approach to connecting with the audience. Sonic Imagination for Chad Robinson, descriptive sounds in Christina Rusnak’s Glacier Blue, or engaging rhythms by Marinescu compete for the listeners attention.
Three of us are equally engaging. Diane Jones weaves textures that are quasi hypnotic while Muncaster and Aberdam paint unique landscapes of wonderful tone colors.
Joanna Estelle doesn’t shy away from beauty and Longoria’ s trio bursts with rhythmic energy. All these compositions I feel are connected by a certain contemplative or soul bearing element. What do you think?