Monira Foundation Virtual Stage Presents Pegasus: The Orchestra’s Fourth Season
BAROQUE REVERBERATIONS – Chamber Series – Season Opener
Pegasus presents some of the most innovative Baroque masterpieces for violin, flute and harpsichord. Featuring principals Edson Scheid (violin), Kaori Fujii (flute) with founder and artistic director, Karén Hakobyan (harpsichord).
*Stream Premiere Date – Friday April 9th, 2021 8:00 PM – Approximate run time 65 min.
*Will stay active for 2 weeks to subscribers, a link will be e-mailed after ticket purchase.
*Stream Venue – YouTube
PROGRAM:
A. Vivaldi: Trio Sonata in D Major, RV 84
J. S. Bach: Largo and Allegro Assai from Sonata for solo violin in C Major, BWV 1005
G. Ph. Telemann: Fantasie for solo flute No. 7 in D major
G. F. Händel: sonata in A Major Op. 1 No. 3, HWV 361
J.S. Bach: Sonata in b minor BWV1030
A. Corelli: “La Folia” Op. 5 No. 12
J. S. Bach: Trio Sonata in G Major, BWV 1038
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES:
Edson Scheid, violin
Edson Scheid has been praised for his “polished playing” (The Strad), and for being a “virtuoso violinist” (The Boston Globe). His performance of Strauss’s song Morgen at Carnegie Hall alongside Joyce DiDonato and Il Pomo d’Oro was described as follows: “The concertmaster, Edson Scheid, proved a worthy foil as violin soloist” (The New York Times).
A native of Brazil, Edson Scheid is based in New York City, where he plays with the city’s leading period orchestras. He frequently performs throughout the United States, on both modern and period instruments, and in Europe, Asia, North and South America with such ensembles as Il Pomo d’Oro and Les Arts Florissants.
Edson Scheid’s many performances of Paganini’s 24 Caprices, on both period and modern violins, have been received with enthusiasm around the world. He has been featured live in-studio on In Tune from BBC Radio 3 and his recording of the Caprices on the baroque violin for the Naxos label has been critically acclaimed: “Far from being mere virtuoso stunts, Scheid’s Caprices abound in the beauty and revolutionary spirit of these works…” (Fanfare Magazine). His album “On Paganini’s Trail… H. W. Ernst and more” has been released on October 2019 under the Centaur Label – the first recording ever of this repertoire on a period violin.
Edson Scheid holds degrees from the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg, the Yale School of Music and The Juilliard School, where he was the recipient of a Kovner Fellowship. He is a two-time winner of the Historical Performance Concerto Competition at Juilliard, and a recipient of the Broadus Erle Prize at Yale. www.edsonscheid.com
Kaori Fujii, flute
Born in Tokyo and residing in New York, Kaori Fujii has emerged as one of the leading imaginative and creative flutists ever to come out of the classical music world.
She has released a total of 8 albums, including “Garota de Ipanema”, which was shortlisted for a nomination at the Grammy Awards. Kaori has performed with such renowned artists as Ennio Morricone (Composer), Albrecht Mayer (Oboist), Phillip Moll (Pianist), Stanislav Bunin (Pianist), Vienna Piano Quartet, Sinfonia Varsovia, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Suk Chamber Music Orchestra, to name only a few. In addition, she has graced the stage of leading concert halls, such as The John F. Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Teresa Carreño Theater, Suntory Hall, and Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall.
Kaori took the first prize in the 7th Japan Woodwind Competition, in the 14th Japan Wind and Percussion Competition, and in the 67th Music Competition of Japan. She was the youngest winner in the history of these competitions. Kaori was also awarded the second prize in the 44th International Competition Maria Canals de Barcelona in Spain, and in the 10th International Flute Competition Friedrich Kuhlau in Germany.
A graduate of the Tokyo University of the Arts, and of the soloist class of the University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, Kaori has studied extensively with Jean-Claude Gerard, Paul Meisen, Jeannie Baxtresser, Aurele Nicolet, Wolfgang Schulz, Sir James Galway and Akiko Mikami.
In 2014, Kaori has founded Music Beyond, Inc. — a nonprofit organization that harnesses the universal power of music to empower and transform people’s lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa. She now frequently visits DRC to provide music teacher training program, women’s empowerment program and help build music curriculum for local schools. kaorifujii.net | musicbeyond.org
Karén Hakobyan, harpsichord
Described as “a musician of abundant gifts and bountiful ideas” by New York Concert Review, and “an immensely talented and dynamic performer” by Deseret Morning News, Armenian American pianist, composer, and conductor Karén Hakobyan is a versatile force on the international music scene. Since his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of seventeen, he has performed in major concert halls in Armenia, Argentina, Mexico, Germany, UK, Belgium, France, Japan, and the US. Karén regularly appears in prestigious festivals and concert series. Some of his festival performance highlights include: the “Lille International Piano(s) Festival” in 2005 (Lille, France), “The Pianist as Composer” Festival in 2008 (New York), Keys to the Future” Contemporary Music Festival in 2009-2010 (New York), the Gina Bachauer International Festival in 2015 (Utah), Festival Musique d’Abord in 2017 (Barbizon, France) and the Philip Lorenz International Keyboard Concerts in 2018 (California).
He is a top prizewinner of multiple international piano and composition competitions and holds degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, and the University of Utah. Karén has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras across several continents. His performances have been broadcasted on WQXR Radio (New York City), WMFT Radio (Chicago), WSKG Radio (New York), Argentine National Radio, Monterrey’s (Mexico) Op. 102 station, Armenian National Radio, Al Jazeera TV, Public TV of Armenia and Voice of America TV (International).
He is the Founder, Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of Pegasus: the Orchestra, based in New York. www.karenhakobyan.com
