Artist Series Concerts presents three concerts in December

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota will present three concerts in December: Double Feature with violinists Blake Pouliot – performing the Southeastern premiere of Derrick Skye’s “god of the gaps” – and Simone Porter on December 6 at the Sarasota Opera House; The 442s, a genre-defying St. Louis-based acoustic quintet, on December 13 at the Historic Asolo Theater; and Vision Duo, featuring award-winning musicians Ariel Horowitz, violin, and Britton-René Collins, marimba, on December 15 at the Sarasota Yacht Club. For more information and tickets, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202.

It’s double the star power in this program featuring two astounding young violinists. Double Feature’s Blake Pouliot and Simone Porter electrify audiences worldwide with their virtuosity and intense musicality. Pouliot has established himself as “one of those special talents that comes along once in a lifetime” (Toronto Star). Porter has been recognized as an emerging artist of impassioned energy, interpretive integrity, and vibrant communication, and is the recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant. Marking its Southeastern premiere, Pouliot will perform Derrick Skye’s “god of the gaps,” an Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum commission which premiered in Boston on November 6, 2022. Pouliot and Porter, joined by Hsin-I Huang on piano, will perform works by Strauss, Beethoven, Chausson, Bach, and more on December 6, 7:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House. A post-concert reception with open bar and assorted hors d'oeuvres and desserts is available separately. This concert is sponsored by David Chivas and Ron Rice, and Mary Elizabeth Carey.

Combining three members of the world-class St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and two of the St. Louis region’s finest jazz musicians, The 442s are a genre-defying acoustic quintet. Brought together by the innovative compositions of Adam Maness, who plays piano, guitar, accordion, melodica, and glockenspiel in the group, The 442s features Shawn Weil on violin, Shannon Williams on viola, Bjorn Ranheim on cello, and Bob DeBoo on bass. This unique ensemble blends virtuosic musicianship, group singing and inventive improvisation, all while breaking down barriers between jazz, classical, folk, and pop music. Their music serves as the soundtrack for the 2016 Emmy Award-winning documentary film, “Show Me 66: Main Street Through Missouri.” The 442s will present a program of holiday favorites and original compositions on December 13, 7:30 p.m. at the Historic Asolo Theater. The artists are sponsored by FRIENDS of Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota.

Featured young artists Ariel Horowitz, violin, and Britton-René Collins, marimba, are Vision Duo, formed after the women were named co-winners of the 2020 Concert Artists Guild Competition’s Ambassador Prize. The pair states, “We are passionate about experimenting with traditional conceptions of genre, blending seemingly opposite sound worlds such as electronic/acoustic, old/new, and Bach/blues, prioritizing inclusion and representation from the composers we perform to the work we do in our communities, and innovative interpretations of classical standards alongside multidisciplinary elements of modern performance.” Horowitz is a recent graduate of the Yale School of Music and previously studied with Itzhak Perlman at The Juilliard School. Collins is a Grand Prize winner of the 2022 Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition and the 2021 Chicago International Music Competition. They will perform classical works with a contemporary twist on December 15, 11:00 a.m. performance followed by lunch, at the Sarasota Yacht Club.

For tickets and more information, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202.