CT Virtuosi Presents Bach Violin Concert Nov. 29

Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra will present Timeless Harmonies: A Celebration of Bach Violin Masterpieces on Sunday, November 29

NEW BRITAIN, CT - The Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra will present Timeless Harmonies: A Celebration of Bach Violin Masterpieces at the Trinity-On-Main Arts Center in New Britain on Sunday, November 29, at 3 p.m. The performance will also be broadcast live on Facebook. Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra principal violinists Katalin Viszmeg and Brunilda Myftaraj will perform alongside Artistic Director Adrian Sylveen.

“Bach once said it is the special province of music that moves the heart,” Sylveen said. “In these troubled times during the season of gratitude, we will come together in-person and online to celebrate the enduring beauty of Bach’s music. The music of a genius that reveals humanity in its most quintessential and pure form.”

Timeless Harmonies will feature four of Johann Sebastian Bach’s beloved violin concertos, including Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041; Violin Concerto in E major, BWV 1042; Concerto for Violin, Oboe (violin) in C Minor, BWV 1060; and Bach Concerto for 3 Violins in D major, BWV1064R.

Limited on-location tickets are available at a suggested price of $25. The Trinity-On-Main Arts Center is located at 69 Main Street in New Britain. The performance will also be broadcast live on the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra Facebook page. Donations are welcome at http://thevirtuosi.org/donate/.

About the Artists

Katalin Viszmeg, a native of Hungary, is the principal violinist for the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. As a chamber player, Viszmeg debuted at Carnegie Hall as a member of the Sylveen String Quartet. She collaborated with clarinetist and two-time Grammy Award winner, Larry Combs, as well as members of the Amelia Piano Trio, the Alturas Duo, and the New World Trio. It was during her collaborations with the New World Trio that she formed the Kelet Duo with pianist Pi-Hsun Shih. They enthusiastically promote music from the areas of the world they hail from—Eastern Europe and East Asia. As a soloist, Viszmeg has performed with various ensembles in Hungary, Italy and the United States, including the Béla Bartók Youth Orchestra, Sándor Frigyes Chamber Orchestra, Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, and the University of Hartford - Hartt School Symphony Orchestra. Viszmeg is currently a faculty member at the Hartt School Community Division teaching Traditional Violin.

Albanian-American violinist Brunilda Myftaraj has drawn enthusiastic 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. Myftaraj performed with the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra last month for the world premiere of “Stays the Year One Moment” by Jonathan Kane in honor of all who lost their lives to COVID-19 and is set to record 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 the Director of the Virtuosi Music Academy and the Summer Music Institute in Farmington, where she teaches violin and chamber music.

Adrian Sylveen enjoys a performing career in the United States and in Europe. He serves as Artistic Director of the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Connecticut Lyric Opera, and the Classical Orchestra of Pila in Poland. He is also a frequent guest conductor with several leading Polish orchestras. An active violin soloist, as well as conductor, he has performed concerts and recitals in Poland, Switzerland, Germany, former Soviet Union, and the United States. Sylveen graduated with distinction from the Paderewski Music Academy in Poznan, Poland, and holds Master and post-Master degrees from the Yale University School of Music. He is a winner of prizes and awards at competitions in Poland and in the United States and has participated in several international Festivals such as Weimar, Lancut and others. Sylveen was awarded several prestigious scholarships and awards, including the “Primus Inter Pares” Award given by the President of the Republic of Poland. He was awarded permanent United States residency for “Extraordinary Abilities in the Arts”.

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.