Beethoven Sonatas for Violin and Piano Concert Set for Feb. 26

NEW BRITAIN, CT - February 9, 2021 - The Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra will present a free online concert featuring Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonatas for Violin and Piano on Friday, February 26, at 8:00 p.m. EST. The concert will be streamed live on Facebook. Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra principal artists, violinist Brunilda Myftaraj and Pianist Blake Hansen, will perform.

“This is a very important, personal project for Brunilda and Blake. They have created a unique artistic connection,” said Adrian Sylveen, Artistic Director of the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. “This will be a fresh, exciting new sounding performance. Beethoven was the ‘first revolutionary’ among musicians. This musical ‘revolution’ will continue through Brunilda and Blake.”

Albanian-American violinist Brunilda Myftaraj has drawn accolades from audiences, as well as critical acclaim, for her masterful musicianship in Albania, Italy, Greece, France, Morocco, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Israel and the United States. Brunilda performed with the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra for the world premiere of “Stays the Year One Moment” last year and is presently recording Bach’s Solo Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin. Myftaraj is the Concertmaster for Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Connecticut Lyric Opera, and Greve Opera Festival and Chamber Music Academy in Greve-In-Chianti, Italy. She is also the Director of the Virtuosi Music Academy and the Summer Music Institute in Farmington, where she teaches violin and chamber music.

Pianist Blake Hansen is an experienced chamber musician who performs as an accompanist and soloist in the Greater Hartford area, including with Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and Connecticut Lyric Opera. Hansen frequently attends summer festivals, such as the Semana Internacional de Piano de Obidos (SIPO) in Portugal, the summer courses at the Conservatori Liceu in Barcelona, Spain, and the Greve Opera Festival and Chamber Music Academy in Greve-In-Chianti, Italy where he is a principal accompanist. Hansen has soloed on the piano and violin with the Principia College Orchestra and on piano with the Mt. San Jacinto College Orchestra.

The concert can be viewed live, free of charge, on the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra’s Facebook page. People with or without a Facebook account will be able to enjoy the concert. While the concert is free, charitable gifts to support the work of Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra are welcomed.

Support for the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra’s live Facebook broadcasts has been provided by a generous Catalyst Grant from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain.

ABOUT CONNECTICUT VIRTUOSI CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
The Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017. The state’s premier professional chamber orchestra is dedicated to presenting both traditional and contemporary classical chamber works to the public. The Orchestra, led by Founder and Artistic Director Adrian Sylveen, continues to grow in size and repertoire, presenting approximately 35 times a year in many major performing arts centers throughout Connecticut and New York. The organization consists of 27 professional musicians and an administrative staff of four.
The mission of the Orchestra is to preserve and perpetuate the great traditions of orchestral music through the expansion of its public performance season, its education series, and by showcasing the excellence of regional and international talent. In its choice of repertoire, special attention is given to music from Eastern Europe.

The Orchestra collaborates on many projects with the New Britain Chorale, Central Connecticut State University, Middletown Concert Association, New York’s Chopin Foundation, and others. The Orchestra co-produces fully-staged opera productions with Connecticut Lyric Opera. In addition to performances, the Orchestra enriches the community by providing free tickets to local schools and hosting lectures on orchestral music. A frequent guest at the Kosciusko Foundation’s Chamber Music Series, in 2003 the Orchestra was invited to perform at the Gala Concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of John Paul II’s papacy.