MS. SARAH CHANG, VIOLIN
Ms. Chang signed copies of her latest recording, Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, and was in great spirits when posing for the camera. Attendees of the event included area administrators, Dr. May (San Antonio Independent School District Fine Arts Director,) and Mr. Wells (former Northeast Independent School District Fine Arts Director.) Area teachers also made the trip, including Mr. and Mrs. McCutchan from O’Connor and Reagan High School. We even had area personalities drop by, like Mr. John Clare from Texas Public Radio and Mr. Stephen Payne, Executive Director for Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA).
Everyone was wowed by our new space, which now includes three showrooms and a gallery area that houses rare instruments seldom ever seen, such as our original Stradivarius, Guarneri, and Lupot instruments. We invite everyone to come and experience what Ms. Chang called “shopping at a whole other level.” By the end of the event, Ms. Chang could not resist our Stradivarius and Guarner Violins and played us a sample, which was truly a sublime moment.
Congratulations to the Ham and James families, whom each won free tickets to see Ms. Chang perform with the San Antonio Symphony and were excited to be part of the festivities. And thanks to everyone who helped make the CD-Signing Event a resounding success. Don’t forget we are now on Facebook (under Antonio Strad Violin), where anyone can go and view photos of the event and a great video produced by our own Rene Hernandez. Enjoy!
MR. JOSHUA BELL, VIOLIN
Texas Public Radio coordinated the event and among the attendees included San Antonio Symphony Resident Conductor Mr. Ken-David Massur, Mr. Jeremy Denk, pianist for Mr. Bell’s performance, and Principal San Antonio Symphony Bassist, Mr. Tom Huckaby.
The performance itself was absolutely sublime, beginning with Janacek’s Sonata for Piano and Violin followed up with Brahm’s Violin Sonata in D minor. Pianist, Jeremy Denk, made it clear with this accompaniment that this, in fact, was no one-man show. The Philadelphia Reviewer has noted there is no upstaging in their performance, illustrated well Saturday night with his utter sensitivity and understanding of Bell’s movement and style.
Bell chose to mesmerize us further with Ysaye’s Violin Sonata, no. 2 in A minor, which included the Obsession prelude, Malinconia, Sarabande, and Les Furies. It was a complete selection, full of melancholic, gothic-like, passages, rounded off with expressive and virtuoso runs that were clean and, technically, flawless. It seemed to be a piece near Bell’s heart, explaining to the audience that Ysaye was considered by many the greatest Violinist that ever lived.
Closing out the evening’s performance was Francks’ Violin Sonata in A major and a delightful encore performance of Massenet’s Meditation.
MR. MING – JIANG ZHU
Pretty heady stuff, especially when conventional wisdom says otherwise about Chinese-made instruments. But that does not apply to Ming-Jiang Zhu, two-time Gold Medal Winner and two-time Silver Medal Winner at the Violin Society of America (VSA) Competition (plus countless other international awards, nods, and accolades.) Instead, Zhu has been helping pioneer the change in prevailing attitudes towards the label Made in China with instruments that are “haunting and inspiring”. Made with delicate precision, Zhu and his instruments have taken center stage.
Zhu is considered one of the pre-emininent luthiers in the world today and his contribution to the art of violin making goes beyond just his own achievements. His craftmanship and skills have inspired and advocated the growth of quality violin-making in China. In fact, 5 out of the top 10 finalists at the 2008 VSA Competition were Chinese; Silver Medalist, Shao Chen, is his pupil. So it was with great privilege to welcome Mr. Zhu to Antonio Strad Violin on November 12, 2008, for an exhibit of his full line of violin, violas, cellos, and bench instruments.
On-hand to demonstrate the instruments was violin Phenom, Ms. Nancy Zhou, who enjoyed the high playability of his violin and large, booming bottom and sweet yet penetrating top; all this even before breaking-in!
For more information on the man himself, click here to read an article written in Time Magazine chronicling his achievements.