brochure - Apollo Chamber Players

2016 - 2017 SEASON
GLOBAL Inspiration, CLASSICAL Innovation
Indigenous Origins
“Apollo’s playing is magnificent and their
ideas in programming are fascinating.”
-- Audiophile Audition
In the beginning there was music. And it was good.
Music has been with humanity since the start, expressing emotions and telling
stories in primal, visceral ways. Spanning many millennia, it evolved in concert with a
people’s geography, social and political pathways, successes and failures. This is our
journey of discovery through Indigenous Origins.
Through a diverse mix of programs featuring traditional, contemporary, and newly
commissioned music, our 2016/17 season explores the indigenous folk traditions of the
Persian, Australian, Andean, and Far Western European regions. We cross the half-way
point of 20x2020, with premieres of newly commissioned works at each season
concert. Pre-concert talks and Q&A sessions with 20x2020 composers provide an
added cultural dimension to each program, along with partnerships with local schools,
universities, and refugee service organizations. We are pleased to help enhance the local
creative economy by collaborating with members of Cantare Houston, Houston Chamber
Choir, Houston Grand Opera Studio, and renowned faculty artists from the Moores School
of Music and the Shepherd School of Music.
Of note, Apollo returns to Carnegie Hall (Weill Recital Hall) in February 2017 for a
concert with acclaimed Syrian composer-pianist Malek Jandali, spotlighting 20x2020
No. 8. Finally, we continue to expand our educational offerings in the greater Houston area
through programs sponsored by Young Audiences of Houston and granting from Texas
Commission on the Arts, and we look forward to our second full season at the cuttingedge Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH).
Thank you for your continued patronage and support
of Apollo Chamber Players; kindly consider a tax-deductible
donation gift along with your subscription package. We hope
you will join Apollo on this innovative aboriginal adventure. Warm Regards,
Matthew J. Detrick, Artistic Director
Indigenous Origins
SEASON CONCERTS
CONCERT I OF PEACE AND PROTEST
Saturday, October 15, 2016 (8pm)
@ MATCH in Midtown
Dissent comes in many forms, but none so beautifully affecting and powerfully
potent than expressed through music. This program pays tribute to the displaced and to
those seeking refuge from the clutches of totalitarianism. Syrian composer-pianist
Malek Jandali joins Apollo for the world premiere of a newly commissioned piano
quintet inspired by Syrian and Middle Eastern musical traditions. And a folk song set
by celebrated Iranian-born composer Reza Vali, professor at Carnegie Mellon University,
offers an enchanting glimpse into the beautiful music of Persia.
A portion of concert proceeds will be donated to Houston-based Partnership for the
Advancement and Immersion of Refugees (PAIR).
PROGRAM
• Malek Jandali: Piano Quintet
20x2020 No. 8 WORLD PREMIERE
• Reza Vali: Folk Song set #11b
• Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8
Malek Jandali
“..moving and thought provoking.” -- NPR
“Vali’s trademark mix of Persian and Western
music makes for an unusual and evocative
texture that is enormously appealing.”
Reza Vali
-- Boston Herald
Indigenous Origins
CONCERT II EX NIHILO: OUT OF NOTHING
Saturday, January 7, 2017 (8pm)
@ MATCH in Midtown
Creation myths connect all cultures of the world, representing our shared humanity
and creative inquisitiveness about the genesis of life. Music and art tell this uniquely human
story more compellingly than any other medium. Join Apollo for a concert exploring the
Judeo-Christian, African, and Australian perspectives on this universal question.
Program features a newly commissioned work based on Australian aboriginal Dreamtime poetry by Christopher Walczak, Professor of Composition at Southern Illinois University,
and a premiere arrangement of Haydn’s Creation for chamber ensemble. Guest artists
include members of Cantare Houston, Houston Chamber Choir, and Rice University faculty
and alumni.
PROGRAM
• Christopher Walczak: String Quartet | 20x2020 No. 9 WORLD PREMIERE
• Peter Sculthorpe: Island Dreaming
• Milhaud: la Creation du monde, for double string quartet, Arr. Daniel Seidenberg
*Grammy-winning arrangement
• Haydn: The Creation (Part I), Arr. Lorento Golofeev
Guest Artists: Lynelle Rowley, soprano
Michael Vaughn, bass
Adam Lamotte, violin, Portland Baroque Orchestra
Sonja Harasim, violin, Assistant Professor at Concordia College (Fargo, ND)
James Dunham, viola, Professor at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
---20x2020 No. 9 generously underwritten by Dr. Adam Chandler---
Michael Vaughn
Lynelle Rowley
James Dunham
Christopher Walczak
Winner of CHASM
New Music Festival Competition,
Florida State University (2008)
Academy of Arts and Letters
Charles Ives Award Nominee
Sonja Harasim
Adam Lamotte
CONCERT III ANDEAN WALKABOUT
Friday, March 31, 2017 (8pm)
@ MATCH in Midtown
While the tango reigns as one of the most popular
Latin American dances, the folk rhythms of the Andes
express a unique story of the region’s indigenous heritage of love, strife, and celebration. Award-winning Chilean composer-guitarist Javier Farias
joins as guest artist and composes for Apollo the 10th commission of 20x2020, a work
for string quartet and guitar inspired by Chilean, Peruvian, Bolivian, and Argentinean folk
rhythms. Program also features a celebrated contemporary work by Houston Symphony’s
composer-in-residence Gabriela Lena Frank.
University of Houston professor Dr. Howard Pollack presents a pre-concert lecture.
PROGRAM
• Javier Farias: Quintet for String Quartet and Guitar
20x2020 No. 10 WORLD PREMIERE
• Gabriela Lena Frank: Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout (2001)
• Ginastera: String Quartet No. 1
• Piazzolla: Tango Ballet
Gabriela Lena Frank
2009 Latin Grammy Winner
Javier Farias
2014 Fromm Music Foundation
(Harvard University) Winner
“…crafted with unselfconscious mastery”
--Washington Post
CONCERT IV: AN IRISH ODYSSEY
Friday, May 5, 2017 (8pm)
@ MATCH in Midtown
Apollo’s season finale is a multi-genre exploration of the storied music of Ireland.
The ensemble premieres its first co-commissioned work, a string quartet fusing classical
and electroacoustic with the distinct soundscapes of the national bagpipe of Ireland,
the Uilleann Pipes. Arrangements of folksong from
the Petrie Collection of Ancient Irish Music, and music
spotlighting the plight of the Irish Palatine community
bring this Irish journey full circle. Sláinte!
Acclaimed University of Houston professors
Timothy Hester (piano) and Timothy Jones (baritone),
and Houston Grand Opera Studio Artist (2016 Met
Opera Grand Finalist Winner) Yelena Dyachek join
Apollo as guest artists for Beethoven’s exquisite take
on Irish folksong.
Christopher Theofanidis
PROGRAM:
• Christopher Theofanidis/Mark Wingate:
Electro-Acoustic string quartet
20x2020 No. 11 WORLD PREMIERE
• Beethoven: Irish, Welsh, and Scottish Songs
for Voice and Piano Trio
Guest Artists: Timothy Hester, piano
Yelena Dyachek, soprano
Timothy Jones, baritone
• Howard Ferguson: Five Irish Folk Tunes
• Irish Palatine folk songs, Arr. Apollo
2007 Grammy Nomination
“What impresses me about
Theofanidis is his ability to
blend several musical
languages once thought to be
mutually exclusive...the results are
enormously attractive.”
--The Washington Post
20x2020 No. 11 generously underwritten
by Rhonda and Donald Sweeney
Mark Wingate
Timothy Jones
Yelena Dyachek
“ Jones’ voice -- flowing, flexible, but always with
a gorgeous timbre -- sought for and found the nuances
of this fascinating work.”
-- Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Timothy Hester
“Apollo’s fabulous - inspiring and
full of the future in their playing.”
-- Libby Larsen
20 new folk music-inspired works by 2020. Since the launch of 20x2020 in 2014,
the project’s commissions have been featured on radio and internet stations across
the country, from Houston Public Media to American Public Media’s nationallysyndicated radio program, Performance Today. They have reached a total audience
of over 5 million, through radio/television broadcasts and live performances in
schools, colleges and hospitals in the Houston region and beyond. We are grateful for
the support and enthusiasm this project has received and the many it has touched
positively thus far.
The 2016/17 season promises to continue the resounding success of 20x2020. By
the close of the year, we will have passed the project’s half-way point with 11 total
works. The season’s roster of composers is bold and eclectic: Syrian composer-pianist
Malek Jandali (20x2020 No. 8) has garnered praise for his unique musical voice and
passionate commitment to helping Syrian refugee families and children; Christopher
Walczak (20x2020 No. 9), Assistant Professor of Composition at Southern Illinois
University, believes that new music must “articulate the thoughts, values, and pulse
of the current social atmosphere in which the audience lives”; Chilean composerguitarist Javier Farias (20x2020 No. 10), a recent recipient of Harvard University’s
Fromm Music Foundation award, represents a compelling contemporary voice of
the music of his native Chile and South America; finally, composers Christopher
Theofanidis and Mark Wingate (20x2020 No. 11) embody the very best of what new
music can and should strive for in the 21st century.
The new works of art created by these composers promise to engage, challenge,
and delight. Through thoughtful thematic programing, it is also our aim that they will
illuminate our individual and shared cultural heritage in meaningful ways.
Kindly consider a tax-deductible gift to 20x2020. Your generous contributions enrich
the lives of many!
Please contact Director Matthew Detrick at
832-496-9943 for 20x2020 gift planning; contribution levels/benefits
at apollochamberplayers.org
20x2020 Goals
•
•
•
•
To create new music and to continue the tradition of expanding the classical music canon.
To engage the diverse community of Houston (and the U.S.) with music inspired by specific ethnic/cultural/indigenous traditions.
To utilize commissions in curating educational programs that will touch thousands of students and children of all ages.
To provide commissions to well-known composers and up-and-coming artists, gifted students.
Working with students at KIPP Sharpstown; workshop
underwritten by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts
Educational Outreach
APOLLO CHAMBER PLAYERS is
devoted to the educational aspect
of its mission which holds at its
core a commitment to engage the
global community of Houston and
beyond. Recent engagements include outreach programs for Baltimore Symphony’s
OrchKids and Youth Orchestras of San Antonio. Apollo’s distinctive programming and
20x2020 commissions are incorporated into thematic workshops that can be geared
toward any grade level or community group. Programs range from multimedia explorations of the concept of ‘identity’, as told through the music and life stories of African
American composers Florence Beatrice Price and Henry Thacker Burleigh, to programs
illuminating cultural music from around the world.
Apollo is proud to be an Associate member of Houston Arts Partners, a coalition
of nonprofit arts organizations and 53 Houston-area school districts working together
to ensure that all students have access to a complete arts education.
To learn more about available workshops and their curricular connections,
please visit apollochamberplayers.org or www.houstonartspartners.org
Albums, Touring and Regional Concerts
European Folkscapes, released January 2014
by Navona Records (Parma Recordings)
“Zesty collection of folk arrangements for string quartet.”
-- WQXR-NYC ‘Album of the Week’ (April 2014)
Blurred Boundaries, released April 2016
by Navona Records (Parma Recordings)
“This is truly lovely music played exceptionally well by the
adventurous and gifted young ensemble. Highly recommended!”
-- Daniel Coombs, AUDIOPHILE AUDITION
“The results are impressive, due in no small measure to the idiomatic,
honest, bold and straightforward playing of the members of
Apollo Chamber Players.” -- RAFAELMUSICNOTES.COM
Available on Amazon, iTunes, and Naxos of America.
Visit apollochamberplayers.org for more information.
Touring and Regional Concerts | 2016/17 SEASON
Harmony in the Air, sponsored by the Houston Airport System and the City of Houston:
Performances every Monday in Hobby Airport’s Main Terminal
Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston TX (Visit ACP website for specific dates/times)
St. James Episcopal Evening Concerts 9/25/16 • Conroe, TX
Temple Emmanuel High Holy Services 10/7 & 10/12/16 • Beaumont, TX
Fredericksburg Music Club 10/16/16 • Fredericksburg, TX
Carnegie Hall (Weill Recital Hall) 2/4/17 • New York, New York
Shepherd School of Music Faculty Concert, Webster Duo + Apollo 2/20/17 • Houston, TX
Calder Baptist Chamber Music Series 2/25/17 • Beaumont, TX
Anabel Ramirez, Matthew J. Detrick, Matthew Dudzik and Whitney Bullock
Houston (TX) based Apollo Chamber Players has “found fruitful territory”
(Houston Chronicle) through its mission to explore the cultural and folkloric influences
in classical music, and the ensemble’s performances have “rhythmic flair and doses of
virtuosity” (The Strad). As a string quartet, Apollo presents thematically-programmed
concerts both regionally and nationally including two recent tours of the East Coast,
with a Carnegie Hall debut in 2013 and concerts in Hartford, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and
at Symphony Space (NYC) in 2016. Additional touring engagements include concerts
for Chamber Music Society of Little Rock, Seattle University, Grand Junction Symphony,
and Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. The ensemble is featured frequently on
American Public Media’s nationally syndicated program, Performance Today.
Apollo’s 20x2020 commissioned works have reached a listening audience of over
8 million since the project’s launch in 2014, and the ensemble’s albums have received
international critical acclaim and airplay. Winner of HoustonPress’ 2014 MasterMinds
award, Apollo was one of three organizations in Houston to be recognized for positively
impacting the local arts community. In recent seasons Apollo has collaborated with
Houston Ballet, Houston METdance, and Catholic Charities of Houston, and concertized
with acclaimed artists James Dunham, Ivo-Jan van der Werff, Timothy Pitts, Ismail
Lumanovski, and Robin Kesselman.
Visit apollochamberplayers.org for complete ensemble and artist bios.
Patron & Donor Spotlight
“Apollo Chamber Players are so enthusiastic about folkloric-inspired classical music
that it’s infectious! We are thrilled with the idea of Irish folk music inspiring a new
classical composition, especially with The Refuge composer and Moores School
graduate Christopher Theofanidis at the helm!” -- Rhonda and Donald Sweeney
“Apollo’s programs open our ears and eyes to wonderful music and composers we had
not known before.” -- Polly Johnson and Shelby Allen
“I love the passion and enjoyment Apollo reflects in the music…and the variety of the
programs which reaches so many people and the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.”
-- Katherine Preuger
“The Croatian Connections concert inspired by Croatian folklore was amazing and
touched many hearts in the Croatian community.”
-- Sanela Vukovic-Minica, Director of the Croatian School of Houston
“Apollo brings a fresh and diverse perspective to music; their collective skill and passion
draws me to a deeper appreciation of music.” -- Patricia Ahmad
Support Apollo Chamber Players by volunteering, joining the board of directors or
an advisory committee, or by making a philanthropic contribution. Please contact us
at 832-496-9943 or [email protected] for more information.
Season Subscriber Benefits
SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW BY JUNE 30 FOR:
• 30% SAVINGS ON INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
• Free ticket for a friend (one per subscription)
EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS FOR ALL SEASON SUBSCRIBERS:
• Reserved seating for you and your guests
• Complimentary ticket exchanges; option to donate ticket(s)
to students, low-income patrons
• Exclusive invitation to post-concert receptions (select concerts)
Mix and mingle with guest artists and 20X2020 composers
• 15% discount on all Apollo merchandise (including CD’s)
INCLUDE A DONATION WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION FOR ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
Contribution Levels
INDIVIDUAL
Kindly consider a gift at one of the membership tiers below. FANDANGO membership is
the most prestigious level of donor involvement with Apollo Chamber Players. Members
make significant gifts at the Mazurka ($1,000 or more) and Csárdás ($500 or more)
levels to ensure that Houston’s most creative and dynamic chamber music organization
continues to thrive. (All benefits cumulative.)
Fandango ($2,500+)
• A private, collaboratively curated
concert by ACP at your home or business
• Named recognition as an underwriter
for one concert
•Invitations to rehearsals
Mazurka ($1,000-$2,499)
• Exclusive invitations to post-concert
receptions; mix and mingle with
guest artists and 20X2020 composers
• One complimentary season ticket
Csárdás ($500-$999)
•2 albums, autographed by ACP artists
and composers
• 20% discount on all ACP merchandise
Danzón ($100-$499)
• 1 album of your choice
• Complimentary pair of single
concert tickets
Polka ($50-$99)
• Name acknowlement in
concert programs for one year
Support and Major Funding Provided by:
Additional support provided by the C. Howard Pieper Foundation
20x2020 No. 9 generously underwritten by Adam Chandler
20x2020 No. 11 generously underwritten by Rhonda and Donald Sweeney
Apollo Chamber Players is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
apollochamberplayers.org • [email protected] • 832-496-9943
Photography by Ben Doyle, Runaway Productions • Graphics/Teresa Southwell/tbsgraphics.com
SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM
To subscribe now:
• Call 832.496.9943
• Order online at apollochamberplayers.org
• Fill out the subscription form below and mail it to:
Apollo Chamber Players • 3205 Milburn St. • Houston, TX 77021
_____________________________________________________
Name
_____________________________________________________
Address
_____________________________________________________
City/State/Zip
_____________________________________________________
Email (order confirmation will sent by email)
_____________________________________________________
Phone
Indigenous Origins
Subscription Packages
ALL CONCERTS AT THE MATCH
4-Concert Subscription
Concert 1 (Of Peace and Protest): October 15
Concert 2 (Ex Nihilo: Out of Nothing): January 7
Concert 3 (Andean Walkabout): March 31
Concert 4 (An Irish Odyssey): May 5
General Admission $100____ Senior (65+)
$90____ Donation Amount Total
(tax-deductible)
$________________ $ _____
3-Concert Subscription
Select your choice of three concerts
Concert 1 (Of Peace and Protest): October 15 _____
Concert 2 (Ex Nihilo: Out of Nothing): January 7 _____
Concert 3 (Andean Walkabout): March 31 _____
Concert 4 (An Irish Odyssey): May 5 _____
General Admission $80____ Senior (65+)
$70____ Donation Amount (tax-deductible)
$_____________ Total
$ _____

Renew my seats 
Contact me for seat selection
PAYMENT:
Check (preferred)  Visa  Mastercard  Amex
_____________________________________________________
Card # Exp. Date
_____________________________________________________
Signature CW #
Please make checks payable to: Apollo Chamber Players
•
Houston, Texas 77021
-- THE STRAD
“...performances have rhythmic flair and doses of virtuosity.”
3205 Milburn St.