Filament to Light Up CAC With Baroque Chamber Music*

A trio of young musicians are kicking off the first concert of 2024 at the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center. Filament, a chamber music ensemble, will perform at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12.

The Philadelphia-based band plays baroque music from the 17^th and 18^thcenturies on stringed, period instruments. John Walthausen, 32, plays keyboards, including the harpsicord and organ. Evan Few, 40, plays the violin. And Elena “Nellie” Kauffman, 30, plays the viola da gamba, which is held like a cello and has frets like a guitar. 

Filament, a chamber music ensemble, includes, from left, John Walthausen, Elena “Nellie” Kauffman and Evan Few. The early music chamber ensemble consists of a core trio of violin, viola da gamba, and keyboards. Filament specializes in trio repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries, recently featuring music of Northern Germany and Scandinavia, and cross-cultural music-making in Northern Europe. (photo supplied).

Walthausen, a Delaware native, studied organ at Oberlin College and in Paris. Few, an Atlanta native, also studied at Oberlin College and in the Netherlands. Kauffman, a native of Philadelphia, is a graduate of Temple University.

Walthausen said they are very excited to bring their music south. For the past five years, Filament has performed primarily in the Philadelphia area. Their January three-city tour includes their first stop in Lancaster followed by performances in York, S.C. and Naples, Florida.

“This is a really exciting moment for us because in the past four years we have really concentrated on local performances in Philadelphia,” he said. “This is our first time going this far and we are very much looking forward to building an audience farther from home.”

John Walthausen, Elena “Nellie” Kauffman and Evan Few. (Photo supplied).

At press time, the band was still working on their program, but the music of Danish composer and organist, Dietrich Buxtehude, will be a big part of their performance. Buxtehude had a huge influence on Bach and Handel and is considered one of the most important composers of the 17^th century.  Bach, at the age of 20, walked over 200 miles in the winter of 1705 to hear Buxtehude play the organ.

Their first recording is an album of Buxtehude’s Opus 1 trio sonatas.

“The album is an expression of our collective love and admiration for this incredible body of work,” he said. 

Filament’s passion is finding forgotten and overlooked composers and bringing them to life. The three musicians came together for their shared love of Buxtehude. They continue to comb through microfilm and digital scans searching for buried Baroque compositions.

Kauffman, Walthausen and Few. (Photo supplied).

The trio named their band “Filament” because they all played string instruments and appreciate the analogy to the light bulb which glows and produces light when an electric current passes through and heats the thin metal filament. 

Kaufman, Walthausen and Few at a recent concert. (Photo supplied).

CAC concerts organizer John Craig said the Cultural Arts Center is pleased to have Filament as their first concert of the year.

“This will be the first concert of 2024, and we are pleased to start off the still young year with a talented young ensemble of baroque musicians,” Craig said.

Craig noted that the CAC doesn’t often have an organ or a harpsichord. 

“Yet, the acoustics of the CAC are virtually designed for these historic instruments,”he said. “I learned about Filament through BachAkademie Charlotte, which just shows how programming top notch classical music is a ‘heard it through the grapevine’ exercise.”

Walthausen said Filament’s performances are intended as a dialogue with each individual audience. He said the music is very personal and it comes out of their partnership and friendship. They want the audience to be a part of that dialogue.

“We really delight in live music in all its forms and any concert will be a little bit different because it is truly of the moment,” he said. “We hope people will come and give this music a try and learn about it and share in this moment that we want to bring.”

For more about Filament, visit their Facebook page or website, http://www.filamentbaroque.com.

The Lancaster Cultural Arts Center.

The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the Old Presbyterian Church on West Gay Street which was built in 1862, the first brick Church building in Lancaster County. The French Gothic Revival style architecture features an arch in the pulpit, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained-glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high. The acoustics are nearly perfect and creates a transcendent concert experience that elevates music to a spiritual experience. 

Craig encourages patrons to purchase their tickets early online. $15 Advance tickets can be purchased at the user-friendly website http://www.lcshp.org. Patrons should call 803-287-6826 if they have any difficulties on the website. Tickets at the door are $20.For more information on the Cultural Arts Center and future performances, visit www.lcshp.org.

 *Headline by The Lancaster News editor, Jane Alford. *

CAC Presents Silent Film ‘The Golem’ With Live Music

Two nights before Halloween, the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center is showing a silent horror film accompanied by live chamber music. 

On Sunday evening, October 29, at 7:00 p.m. the CAC will screen the 1920, German silent movie, “The Golem: How He Came into the World.” Six Mallarmé string musicians will provide music to set the mood for the movie that is recognized as the source of the Frankenstein myth. 

Scene from “The Golem.”

Mallarmé Music’s artistic director, Suzanne Rousso, said the performances are perfectly timed to occur around Halloween.  

“Audiences find it frighteningly creepy even now, over 100 years since the film’s premiere,” she said.

“The Golem” tells the story of Rabbi Judah Loew, a real historical figure, who brought a giant clay creature to life to defend the Jewish people. The story’s 1600 setting coincides with the beginning of the Baroque era of music. The musicians will be using period instruments from that time period.

1920 movie poster for “The Golem.”

The project is known as “Historically Informed Performance” or HIP and its goal is to rediscover the sounds and expressive nature of early music from the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The performance will feature music of our time using the expressive language of the Baroque era to bring the 17^th century legend to life.

The live score is written by bassist and composer Dr. Mark Elliott Bergman, director of strings and orchestral studies at Sheridan College in Wyoming, double bass instructor at the University of Wyoming and music director of Wyoming Baroque. Accompanying Bergman will be violinists David Wilson and Matvey Lapin; violist Suzanne Rousso; cellist Barbara Krumdieck; and harpsichordist Jennifer Streeter.

Bassist and composer, Mark Bergman wrote the live score for “The Golem,” and will be accompanied by four other string players and a harpsichordist. (supplied)

Mallarmé Music, formerly Mallarmé Chamber Players, is a nonprofit based in Durham, North Carolina and is a collective of professional musicians whose mission is to enrich the lives of its community through chamber music and education. They have been bringing chamber music to the Carolinas since 1984. They strive to blend great music with other art forms to expand the definition of chamber music. The name Mallarmé is taken from the 19^th century poet, Stéphane Mallarmé, who was known to attract intellectuals to his home in Paris for discussions of poetry, art and philosophy.

Cellist Barbara Krumdieck said fitting the music with the movie was unlike any other concerts she has performed. She is sure the audience will be enthralled by the dramatic effect of the live music put to the silent movie.

“I was involved with Mark Bergman’s Wyoming performances of music to accompany the silent movie The Golem. It was a thrilling adventure and I’m really looking forward to bringing it back to life, so to speak, for our performance in Lancaster,” she said. “It’s exciting to present this early ‘monster movie’ right before Halloween! Very fitting!”

CAC concerts organizer John Craig said, “This is the first time since we started the concert series at the CAC, some 12 years ago, that we have combined live classical music with a movie, and this is a very special one—silent and spooky. We will be projecting on a 12-foot screen that fills the stage, with the musicians performing below the stage. In case there is any doubt that you are seeing a movie, we will be serving popcorn—at no charge! This is going to be a real Halloween treat.”

The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the restored and expanded Old Presbyterian Church, at 307 West Gay Street. Built in 1862, it was the first brick Church building in Lancaster County.

The French Gothic Revival style architecture features an arch in the pulpit, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained-glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high.

Craig encourages patrons to purchase their tickets early online. $15 Advance tickets can be purchased at the user-friendly website http://www.lcshp.org. Patrons should call 803-287-6826 if they have any difficulties on the website. Tickets at the door are $20.

For more information on the Cultural Arts Center and future performances, visit http://www.lcshp.org.

For more information on Mallarme’ Music, visit their Facebook page, “Mallarme Chamber Players” and website, http://www.mallarmemusic.com.

For more information on upcoming events at the Cultural Arts Center, visit https://www.lcshp.org.

CAC to Host First Music Festival

The increasingly popular Lancaster Cultural Arts Center is hosting a three-day music festival Sept. 7th, 9th, and 10^th. The gala will conclude with a reception at the historic Craig House, Sunday September 10.

The Lancaster Cultural Arts Center

The Historic Lancaster Music Festival is a collaboration between Chamber Music for All (CM4A) and several very talented musicians, vocalists, and groups. 

Calin Lupanu, founder of CM4A, designed the inaugural festival. CM4A performs several times each year at the CAC.

“We are looking forward to playing at this beautiful venue, which is quickly becoming our home away from home,” he said.

The CAC is establishing itself as a favorite music venue for some of the most talented regional musicians. Audience members love the former church for its ambiance and intimate setting allowing them to see the faces of the performing musicians. 

Lupanu, Concertmaster for Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and coordinator of music festivals, has created a masterpiece of musical offerings showcasing the best musical talent in the greater Charlotte area.

Day 1

Thursday, Sept. 7, the first night of music, begins at 6:30 p.m. and features the Mendelssohn Octet.

The Octet includes the following musicians: violinists Lupanu, Ayako Game, Hanna Zhdan and Monica Boboc; violists Marcus Pyle (Davidson College) and Rebina Bak (Yale University alumni); cellists Allison Drenkow and Marlene Ballena.

The concert will also feature Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Translated into English, the title means “A Little Night Music.” The audience will find the serenade light, breezy and entertaining. Other works include Romanian composer Enescu’s Prelude in Unison.

Calin Lupanu

Day 2

Saturday night, Sept. 9, the second night of performances, begins at 6:30 p.m. and is a Classical and Jazz Pop collaboration between Chamber Music for All and Opera Carolina. Soprano Corey Lovelace and tenor Johnnie Felder will be featured.

The evening’s program will explore some of Gershwin’s music and familiar Arias from popular operas. Other works include jazz pieces and works by Puccini and Piazzola.

James Meena, general director and principal conductor of Opera Carolina, said collaborations like this are an important part of the cultural network in greater Charlotte. 

“We are proud to be a part of the music festival and expect that this first successful year will be a herald for many years of great programming in the Lancaster area,” Meena said. 

James Meena

Day 3

The third and final concert will begin at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, with guest pianist and USC professor of piano, Phillip Bush, joining the CM4A musicians to perform the piano quintets of Bartok and Dvorak. These compositions maximize diversity of sound and create a rich and full resonance with a small ensemble of musicians – perfect for the CAC’s acoustics. 

“It will be a tour de force,” Lupanu said.

Phillip Bush

Bush has performed worldwide and is regarded as one of the most experienced chamber music pianists of his generation. He is a professor of music at the University of South Carolina.

Bush has played a few times at the CAC with Lupanu and is delighted to be a part of the first music festival at the venue. 

“I am always inspired by the space itself,” Bush said. “I find the sound to be glorious and grand, even when just one or a few instruments are playing, and yet the space is also quite intimate and small enough that one feels the energy and the rapt attention of the audience too, most palpably from the perspective of the stage.”

Bush sees the CAC as a treasure, not just for the immediate Lancaster community but for the wider Lancaster County area, York County, and beyond. “It’s well worth a drive to hear a concert at the CAC,” he said. “I hope that this festival serves as a spark to ignite a wider awareness and appreciation for the CAC’s extensive menu of year-round and diverse cultural offerings.”

Reception

The grand finale will be the reception at historic Craig House, 1859 Craig Farm Road, less than 10 minutes from the CAC. The celebration will begin at 5:00. Concert organizer John Craig said if weather allows, the event will be held under the pavilion and surrounding lawns. If it rains, the party will move inside the Craig House. 

Craig House (Photo by Johannes Tromp)

“We expect to have much to celebrate and the reception is designed to do just that,” Craig said. “We will have a generous amount of food and drinks with informal background music.”

John Craig

There will be a raffle drawing between 5 and 7 p.m. at the reception, including a top prize of an overnight stay for a couple at Kilburnie Inn with breakfast.

Kilburnie Inn (Photo Supplied)

The reception is a fundraiser for CAC concerts. 

Craig said the music hall just received an anonymous donation of $5,000 as long as it is matched by other individuals and businesses which will turn the $5,000 promise into a $10,000 gift. Donations can be mailed to LCSHP, 1859 Craig Farm Road, Lancaster SC 29720.

The CAC relies on sponsors to keep ticket prices low. Most concerts cost only $15.

CAC’s Growing Popularity

The Cultural Arts Center is becoming more popular each year. Twenty-four concerts have been booked for 2023. A dozen continuing education seminars, or conversations, are scheduled on the first Wednesday of every month bringing the total events to 39. Craig said the venue is used about a dozen times by area groups which means something is happening at the CAC nearly every week.

Four events are scheduled for the first full week of September.

“It’s a sign of success that the CAC now has an annual music festival,” Craig said. “Lancaster is really on the map culturally and we are pulling in more and more concert patrons from out of town and even the county. The festival will be a great way to kick off the Fall.”

How to Buy Tickets

Advance tickets for individual concerts are $15 each. A ticket to the reception is $84. For access to the entire event, a festival package ticket is only $131, including a small processing fee. Combined festival tickets, not purchased online will be $145.

The Lancaster Cultural Arts Center is located at 307 W. Gay St. in historic downtown Lancaster. Free on-site and street parking are available. Craig Farm is located at 1859 Craig Farm Rd. where free parking will be available. 

CAC plans first 3-day music festival

The increasingly popular Lancaster Cultural Arts Center is offering a special treat the week after Labor Day – a three-day Historic Lancaster Music Festival concluding with a reception at the historic Craig House, Sunday September 10, 2023.

Calin Lupanu

John Craig

Concert organizer John Craig sees the reception as a way to thank performers, festival volunteers and the audience for the CAC’s growing success.

Craig, Calin Lupanu (founder of Chamber Music for All) and friends were brainstorming after CM4A performed at the venue this past spring and the vision for the festival emerged. 

Lupanu is the concertmaster of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and the former chamber music coordinator for the Colorado Music Festival. He was the perfect fit to plan the festival repertoire and programming. Craig and Johannes Tromp began developing flyers and posters and scheduling tuning appointments for the piano.

Lupanu said he is certain the festival will bring a lot of joy to the audience.

“I believe the Historic Lancaster Music Festival will put the entire community on the cultural map of the Carolinas,” he said. “The Lancaster Cultural Arts Center has become a very significant player in the regional music world and we hope the Festival will further enhance that reputation.”

Day 1, Sept. 7

The festival will begin at 6:30 on Thursday night, Sept. 7, featuring Chamber Music for All musicians who will play Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings. 

Mendelssohn composed Octet for Strings in 1825 when he was only 16 years old. The masterpiece is performed by two string quartets: four violins, two violas and two cellos. The Octet is a favorite chamber work of string players and Mendelssohn claimed it as his favorite composition.

The Octet will include the following musicians: Violinists Lupanu, Ayako Game, Hanna Zhdan and Monica Boboc; Violists Marcus Pyle and Rebina Bak; cellists Allison Drenkow and Marlene Ballena. 

The concert will also feature Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Translated into English, the title means “A Little Night Music.” The audience will find the serenade light, breezy and entertaining. Other works include Romanian composer Enescu’s Prelude in Unison.

Day 2, Sept. 9

The second night of the Festival begins at 6:30, Saturday, Sept. 9, and is a Classical and Jazz Pop collaboration between Chamber Music for All and Opera Carolina. The evening’s program will explore some of Gershwin’s music and familiar Arias from popular operas. Other works include jazz pieces and works by Puccini and Piazzola. 

James Meena, director/principal conductor of Opera Carolina

Day 3, Sept. 10

The third and final concert will begin at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, with guest pianist and USC professor of piano, Phillip Bush, joining the CM4A musicians to perform the piano quintets of Bartok and Dvorak. These compositions maximize diversity of sound and expression and create a rich and full sound with a small ensemble of musicians – perfect for the CAC’s acoustics. 

“It will be a tour de force,” Lupanu said.

Reception

The grand finale will be the reception at historic Craig House, 1859 Craig Farm Road, less than 10 minutes from the CAC. The celebration will begin at 5:00. Weather permitting the event will be held under the pavilion and surrounding lawns. If it rains, the party will move inside the Craig House. 

“We expect to have much to celebrate and the reception is designed to do just that,” Craig said. “We will have a generous amount of food and drinks with informal background music.”

Craig House (Photo by Johannes Tromp)

.The reception is a fundraiser for CAC concerts.

Craig said the music hall just received an anonymous donation of $5,000 as long as it is matched by other individuals and businesses which will turn the $5,000 promise into a $10,000 gift. Donations can be mailed to LCSHP, 1859 Craig Farm Road, Lancaster SC 29720.

The CAC relies on sponsors to keep ticket prices low. Most concerts cost only $15.

Lancaster Cultural Arts Center

CAC’s Growing Popularity

The Cultural Arts Center is becoming more popular each year. Twenty-four concerts have been booked for 2023. A dozen continuing education seminars, or conversations, are scheduled on the first Wednesday of every month bringing the total events to 39. Craig said the venue is used about a dozen times by area groups which means something is happening at the CAC nearly every week.

“We are delighted that the CAC is realizing its potential as an important cultural and community asset for Lancaster,” Craig said.

He said it was truly a gamble when the historical preservation society undertook the costly restoration and expansion of the CAC several years ago.

“We are grateful to those who had faith in the project and its success is unquestionably contributing to the revitalization of downtown Lancaster,” Craig said.

He hopes to have a music festival every year. As organizer, he aims to diversify the musical genres to ensure continued growth of the audience. 

Lupanu said he is amazed at what the historical society has done under the leadership of Craig.

“John’s dedication to the cultural scene of Lancaster is immense and I truly hope that the community appreciates something that many bigger cities and towns don’t have – a cultural ambassador devoted to his roots and to his family’s history.”

How to Buy Tickets

Advance tickets for individual concerts are $15 each. A ticket to the reception is $84. For access to the entire event, a festival package ticket is only $131, including a small processing fee. Combined festival tickets, not purchased online will be $145.

The Lancaster Cultural Arts Center is located at 307 W. Gay St. in historic downtown Lancaster. Free on-site and street parking are available. Craig Farm is located at 1859 Craig Farm Rd. where free parking will be available. 

Beaux Arts Chamber Ensemble coming to CAC

The Beaux Arts Chamber Ensemble, featuring the very talented and award-winning pianist Catherine Lan, will perform a classical music concert Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center.

Lan will be accompanied by cellist Claudio Jaffe and flutist Meghan Brachle. The dynamic south-Florida based trio of critically acclaimed musicians have won international competitions, scholarships and grants including the Yale Alumni Ventures Grant.

They perform individually with South Florida Symphony, Palm Beach Symphony and Symphony of the Americas. The trio tours throughout the United States and overseas.

Lan is looking forward to returning to the CAC.

“Since the very first time I performed at this gorgeously unique venue, I immediately fell in love with its acoustics and architectural design,” Lan said. “It is a heavenly space for musicians to freely create and express their stories and emotions through sound.”

She also expressed gratitude to the audience and said their enthusiasm and appreciation inspire them. 

“To be a live performer, we need the audience and the audience at Lancaster Cultural Arts Center is incredible,” she said.

Catherine Lan

Claudio Jaffe

Meghan Brachle

Beaux Arts Chamber Ensemble presents all genres of music from classical to contemporary. They support classical music through engaging repertoires and reach communities of all backgrounds through concerts and outreach programs for children and seniors. 

Jaffe teaches at Palm Beach Atlantic University and is the conductor of the Florida Youth Orchestra. He is principal cellist with the Delray String Quartet. He made his orchestral debut when he was just 11 years old, performing a concerto written specifically for him. Jaffe earned four degrees from Yale University including the Doctor of Musical Arts.

CAC Concerts Organizer John Craig said Lan and her colleagues always wow the audience.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that as a pianist Lan is dazzling. Cellist Claudio Jaffe adds to the performance with his witty and informative commentary on the pieces played,” he said. “This will be flutist Meghan Brachle’s first time at the CAC and I am sure she will be stellar too.”

Lan is a world-touring classical concert pianist and teaches at Broward College in Florida. She is a founding member of several duos including Duo Beaux Arts and Duo Formosa. She earned her Bachelor of Music from Indiana University (Bloomington) and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Miami. 

Brachle, a native of Denver, Colorado, received her musical education at the University of New Orleans and University of Miami. She has performed in major music venues in the U.S., Italy and Ireland.

The trio will be playing works by Bach, Chopin, Mark Summer and the very popular Carmen Fantasy by Georges Bizet. Lan said the concert will showcase each instrument and bring them together at the end with the passionate Piano Trio in C major Op. 66 by Mendelssohn. It was his last chamber music.

Mendelssohn’s music was full of charm and polish and he created pieces with outstanding clarity and balance. The piece is wild and triumphant.

The audience will enjoy the Frenchman Bizet’s operatic composition which tells the story of a soldier seduced by a fiery gypsy woman named Carmen. This musical piece broke new ground in French opera by depicting proletarian life, immorality and lawlessness and ended with the death of the main character on stage. 

For more information on Beaux Arts, visit their website: https://www.catherinelan.com. 

The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the Old Presbyterian Church, at 307 West Gay Street. Built in 1862, it was the first brick Church building in Lancaster County. The French Gothic Revival style architecture features an arch in the pulpit, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained-glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high. 

Advance tickets ($15 plus a small service fee) can be purchased on the user-friendly website www.lcshp.org. Patrons are encouraged to call 803-287-6826 if they have any difficulties on the website. Tickets at the door will be $20. Free on-site and street parking are available.

CM4All String Quartet to Perform at CAC

Chamber Music for All string quartet will perform Sunday afternoon, April 30, at 3:00 at the Cultural Arts Center.

Chamber Music for All string quartet is led by Charlotte Concertmaster Calin Lupanu, who along with his wife, Monica Boboc will be featured on the violin. Completing the quartet are violist Benjamin Geller and cellist Allison Drenkow. All are members of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.

The concert will feature the music of three composers: Spaniard Joaquin Turina (1882-1949), Czech  Leos Janacek (1854-1928) and German Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847).

Lupanu described the progam as virtuosic.

“The performance from the Latin flavored Turina, with Debussy-like tones to the extremely Romantic and difficult Mendelssohn, will feature many themes that leave the audience humming,” he said.

The ensemble will play Turina’s La Oracion del torero which translated means “the toreador’s or bullfighter’s prayer.”

Turina’s composition begins with a reverent tone as the bullfighter realizes he is in a life and death battle. The drama and tension rise evoking exotic adventure, passion and swagger as listeners imagine the toreador facing the bull. The music turns stoic and quiet at the end like a prayer as the brave warrior prepares for possible death.

Janacek’s Quartet no. 1 “Kreutzer Sonata” was inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s novella by the same name. Tolstoy was inspired by Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9, which was dedicated to the famous violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer.

Mendelsshon’s String Quartet in F Minor op. 80 has been described as poetically melancholy evoking a sensation of gloomy foreboding and anguish. Mendelsshon wrote the piece after the death of his beloved sister, Fanny. He died just months after completing the composition and had described his last days as “gray on gray.”

Concert organizer John Craig said the CAC is privileged that Lupanu brings ensembles to the Cultural Arts Center at least four times each year.

“He is one of the greatest violinists of the region and never fails to assemble a top notch group of players to perform inspirational programs of classical music,” Craig said. “In fact, Calin is so good and devoted to the CAC that we have asked him to put together the first Historic Lancaster Music Festival which will be at our venue on Thursday, Sept. 7 (6:30 p.m.), Saturday, Sept. 9 (6:30 p.m.) and Sunday, Sept. 10 (3:00 p.m.).”

The Sunday event will conclude with a CAC benefit reception at Craig Farm after the final performance that day. The Saturday night festival performance will be a Pops concert including vocalists from Opera Carolina. 

Chamber Music for All is a nonprofit with a mission to broaden the audience for classical music. Lupanu and his wife, Monica Boboc founded the ensemble in 2016. They are committed to providing high quality chamber music and educational programs, for both younger audiences and experienced listeners.

Lupanu has served as concertmaster for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra for twenty years. He, and his wife, Boboc, were born in Romania. She joined the CSO in 2004. 

Monica Boboc

Ben Geller

Allison Drenkow (Amanda Tipton photo)

Calin Lupanu

Geller, is a soloist in the CSO and a chamber musician in the Charlotte area.

Drenkow was appointed assistant principal cellist of the CSO this year. 

The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the Old Presbyterian Church, at 307 West Gay Street. Built in 1862, it was the first brick Church building in Lancaster County. The French Gothic Revival style architecture features an arch in the pulpit, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained-glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high. 

Advance tickets ($15 plus a small service fee) can be purchased on the user-friendly website www.lcshp.org. Patrons are encouraged to call 803-287-6826 if they have any difficulties on the website. Tickets at the door will be $20.

For more information on the musicians, visit www.charlottesymphony.org or http://www.chambermusicforall.com.

CAC hosts ‘Musica da Camera’

The Cultural Arts Center will host a special collaborative concert Sunday, March 12, 2023, bringing together the voices of Opera Carolina and the instrumental virtuoso of Chamber Music for All.

 Opera Carolina, founded in 1948 and based in Charlotte, is the largest professional opera company in the Carolinas. 

James Meena, artistic director and principal conductor, is looking forward to the “Musica da Camera” or chamber music with vocals concert.

“It is a way for audiences that enjoy chamber music and great singing to experience both genres in an intimate setting,” Meena said. “There is nothing quite like a live performance in a chamber music setting.”

James Meena

Charlotte Symphony Concertmaster Calin Lupanu who founded Chamber Music for All said the program will feature a work by Dmitri Shostakovich based on the poetry of Alexander Blok plus the ever-popular “Death and the Maiden” quartet by Franz Schubert, a Verdi piece and others.

Calin Lupanu

Lupanu said the Shostakovich piece is a very interesting combination of instruments and an incredibly powerful piece of music, typical of the composer’s late work.

“It’s an absolute masterpiece and during the piece, which is written for soprano, piano, cello and violin, every combination possible is featured,” Lupanu said. 

Opera Carolina talent will include soprano Corey Lovelace and pianist Emily Urbanek. 

Loveless said she is looking forward to singing in the CAC and bringing to life the music of Shostakovich.

“I can’t wait to be in the space and make use of the incredible acoustics,” she said. 

Corey Loveless

Emily Urbanek

Franz Schubert’s seductive “Death and the Maiden” tells the story of death coming to claim a young woman who refuses to go quietly. Hugo Wolf’s Italian Serenade and Giuseppe Verdi’s first movement of his Quartet in E minor will round out the program.

Chamber Music for All quartet musicians include: Lupanu, violin; Tatiana Karpov, violin; Benjamin Geller, viola; and Sarah Markle, cello.

Meena, who plans to be in attendance, said “To collaborate with some of the finest instrumentalists in our community is a privilege Opera Carolina members value highly.”

CAC Concerts and Conversations organizer John Craig said, “We have been looking for a way to bring Opera Carolina to Lancaster for some time, and it is wonderful that James Meena and Calin Lupanu worked out this program to accomplish that objective in a small but significant way.”

Loveless is an operatic star.

“The acoustics of the CAC will give her all she needs for a stellar performance,” he said.

The performance hall seating is going to be arranged “in-the-round” to enhance the intimacy of the performance.

Sarah Markle

Tatiana Karpova

Benjamin Geller

Craig encourages purchasing tickets early, $15 in advance online, $20 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased a www.lcshp.org or by phone 803-287-6826. If any difficulties are encountered with online purchase, call 803-287-6826 for assistance.

The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the Olde Presbyterian Church on West Gay Street which was built in 1862. It was the first brick Church building in Lancaster County. The French Gothic Revival style architecture features an arch in the pulpit, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high. 

Craig encourages those interested to purchase their tickets early, $15 in advance, $20 at the door. 

For more information on Chamber Music for All, visit their website https://www.chambermusicforall.com, Facebook page and their full bios on the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra’s website: https://www.charlottesymphony.org. For more on Opera Carolina,https://operacarolina.org. To keep up with future concerts at the CAC, visit https://www.lcshp.org

Fractured Light – Astralis Chamber Ensemble to Perform at CAC

Astralis Chamber Ensemble, world-renowned trio, will perform at the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. 

The Florida-based troupe was founded a decade ago by flutist Angela Massey. The trio have decades of experience playing major venues nationally and abroad. 

The ensemble includes flutist and founder Angela Massey, along with her husband, trumpist, Kris Marshall. Completing the trio is pianist Caroline Owen.

Caroline Owen, Angela Massey, and Kris Marshall. (Supplied)

The Ensemble present concerts for mixed instrumentation across the country and past performances have been described as “captivating” and “dazzling!” They have delighted audiences all over the world. 

They last performed at the Red Rose City on Valentine’s Day when Massey and Marshall shared a little of their love story with the audience. 

The two became engaged and married in the pandemic year of 2020. The couple were wed in a small ceremony in the North Carolina Mountains. 

The ensemble’s mission meshes well with Lancaster’s Cultural Arts Center which is to make  classical music accessible for everyone.

Massey, a South Carolina native, is looking forward to performing in the Palmetto State. 

“It’s always a treat to bring our work and music to audiences in my home state of South Carolina,” Massey said. “We put a lot of thought and work into making each performance unique and a gift to the people in Lancaster.”

They will also be sharing the good news that they are expecting their first child.

“This concert is a special one that brings together my interest in French music and Impressionist Art as well as performing with my husband before our baby girl joins us in November,” Massey said. 

The trio will present “Fractured Light” a charming and captivating concert experience focusing on the use of color in music with the Impressionist movement in France, featuring works by Debussy, Gaubert, an Impressionist-inspired trio by Yuko Uebayashi and other works by Scriabin, Ketting and Alan Elkins. 

This will be Astralis Chamber Ensemble’s fourth performance at the CAC. Chamber music has been described as music of friends and is a perfect fit for the amazing acoustics of the music hall. 

CAC organizer John Craig said “Fractured Light” will be a great autumn concert. 

“Angela Massey and her ensemble always deliver a beautiful and enlivened performance at the CAC,” Craig said. “That’s whey we have them here a couple times a year. Each of their programs is different – different musical theme, varying team composition and instruments.”

He said each time they visit we learn more about the world of classical music.

Massey and Marshall are from Fort Meyers, Florida, which took a direct hit from Cat 4 Hurricane Ian. 

“Our hearts go out to all our friends from Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island, Cape Coral, Fort Meyers and Naples,” Massey said. 

They will continue their tour and look forward to healing through their music.

Photo from one of their favorite spots on Sanibel Island which was greatly damaged from the storm. (supplied)

Massey has been a featured soloist with the Tryon Concert Association and Kosciusko Foundation in New York City. Marshall is the principal trumpet with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Venice Symphony and has performed with many orchestras in Florida including the Jacksonville Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Naples Philharmonic and the Florida Orchestra. Owen is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and earned her doctorate of music in piano performance this past May from Florida State University. Owen performs as a soloist and collaborator and has played throughout the U.S. and Europe.

The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the Old Presbyterian Church on West Gay Street which was built in 1862. It was the first brick Church building in Lancaster County. The French Gothic Revival style architecture features an arch in the pulpit, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high. 

For future concerts, Craig encourages those interested to purchase their tickets early, $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at the user-friendly website http://www.lcshp.org. Patrons are encouraged to call 803-287-6826 if they have any difficulties on the website.

Follow Astralis Chamber Ensemble on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. For more on Caroline Owen, visit http://www.carolineowenpiano.com.

Duo Beaux Arts

Pianists Bring Uplifting Show to CAC on Sept. 26

Duo Beaux Arts, internationally renowned concert pianists, will make their debut at Lancaster’s Cultural Arts Center, Sunday, September 26, at 3:00 p.m. 

Dr. Catherine Lan and Tao Lin have been performing together since 2008, the year they wed, to both popular and critical acclaim. Audiences delight in the energy, enthusiasm and chemistry between the two former child-prodigies whose harmonious bond is in both music and matrimony.

Concert pianists Catherine Lan and Tao Lin will bring an upbeat, joyous concert featuring piano four hands, playing duets together on the same piano, to Lancaster’s Cultural Arts Center next weekend.

The concert at Lancaster’s top music venue is the first of three performances Duo Beaux Arts will make in South Carolina this month. 

Lan is looking forward to bringing the upbeat, joyous concert to Lancaster.

“Music is essential for our souls, especially during difficult times,” Lan said. “We believe our upcoming concert at the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center will be enthralling and energizing for the audience.”

She said they are grateful to be playing for a live audience again as opposed to the virtual concerts of the past pandemic year.

“Music is a communicative art, created to be presented to live audiences, the unspoken bond between the performer and the audience is one essential element that can never be fully replicated by technical means,” Lan said.

The program will feature works for solo piano and piano four hands, a type of duet where both pianists play the same piano simultaneously. Lan and Lin’s four hands will gracefully play the keys as though from the same heart. 

Concert organizer John Craig said the first time he saw a single piano played by two was on the Ed Sullivan show in the mid-1950s.

“It was fascinating to watch two concert pianists playing simultaneously on one piano and hear what a talented team can bring out of a single piano,” he said. “Catherine Lan and Tao Lin rank in the same class as those players of long ago.”

Craig said Lan and Lin have earned rave reviews from around the world including: Tallinn; Estonia; Helsinki; Finland; Bern, Switzerland; Barcelona, Spain; Amsterdam; Paris.

“The program they will be performing captures the spirit of Paris when impressionism was at its height,” Craig said. “This is a performance not to be missed.”

Duo Beaux Arts will perform cheerful upbeat music from La Belle Epoque (1880-1914), which features some of the most enchanting Romantic French music from the late 19th to early 20th century. They will highlight composers Bizet, Debussy and Poulenc. In France, these peaceful years before World War I were characterized by optimism, scientific innovations and cultural advancements.  

The lineup will include Claire de lune and Petite Suite by Debussy and Jeaux d’enfants by Bizet. Claire de lune means “moonlight” in French. It takes its name from a poem by French poet Paul Verlaine in which he depicts the soul as somewhere full of music ‘in a minor key’ where birds are inspired to sing by the ‘sad and beautiful’ light of the moon.  Jeux d’enfants, translated as “Children’s Games” is composed of 12 short pieces, each evoking a feeling of childhood.

The concert is sure to bring smiles and lift spirits. 

Currently, the globetrotting couple lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They married in 2008 and became Duo Beaux Arts and have performed in palaces, music halls, festivals and cathedrals throughout the United States, Asia and Europe. 

The two pianists have very accomplished individual careers and worldwide respect for their talent. They have five concert grand pianos at home. 

“When we prepare for a new program, we learn each of our parts separately and once we are ready to rehearse, we very often do not need to verbalize how we would like the music to be executed because it is all expressed through our playing,” Lan said. 

Lan and Lin, both child prodigies, were born to musical parents. 

Lan was born in Taiwan and began playing piano at the age of 3. By the time she was 8, she performed an original composition in Japan. She has degrees from the University of British Columbia, University of Indiana and a doctorate of music from the University of Miami. She also plays oboe and harpsichord. Lan conducts master classes in the U.S., Singapore and Thailand and teaches at Broward College. 

Lin was born in Shanghai and has performed as a solo pianist across Asia, North America and Europe. He has played recitals at Kennedy Center, National Gallery of Art, Izumi Hall in Japan and in Norway. He  began playing piano at age four and by the time he was eight, he was admitted to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music where his parents worked. Lan is a Steinway artist and has taught master classes at universities and conservatories in the U.S., Norway and China.

Their personal and professional chemistry comes through as they sit side-by-side on the piano bench with their hands gracefully stroking the keys.

The two pianists have a penchant for the intimacy of chamber music.

“To come together to feel and breathe as one is hugely rewarding,” Lin said. “We treasure every opportunity we have to perform these magnificent masterworks.”

The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the Old Presbyterian Church on West Gay Street which was built in 1862. It was the first brick Church building in Lancaster County. The French Gothic Revival style architecture features an arch in the pulpit, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high.  

Craig encourages those interested to purchase their tickets early, $15 in advance, $20 at the door. 

The 2020-21 series has more than a dozen performances scheduled through December 2021.

The concerts are sponsored by the Lancaster County Society for Historical Preservation and the Craig Farm Historic Preservation Foundation. 

Advance tickets can be purchased at the newly created and user-friendly website http://www.lcshp.org or by phone at 803-287-6826.

For more information on Duo Beaux Arts, check them out on their website https://duobeauxarts.com, and individual sites: https://catherinelan.com and https://taolinpianist.com.

Chamber Music for All Returns to CAC

String Quartet Featuring concertmaster Calin Lupanu

Chamber Music for All will return to the Cultural Arts Center with their Piano Trios concert. The String Quartet will feature concertmaster Calin Lupanu and widely-renowned pianist Phillip Bush. The quartet will take the stage at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, September 12.

Concert organizer John Craig is delighted to have the quartet kick off the second half of the concert series. 

Charlotte Symphony Concertmaster Calin Lupanu has become a regular at the CAC, with three concerts a year now scheduled.

“Each is totally different, often with different performers, and they reflect the enormous range of Calin’s musical range, interests and experience,” Craig said. 

This concert will delight anyone who loves the piano.

The Chamber Music for All quartet includes three members of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Lupanu and his wife Monica Boboc will delight audiences with both violins and pianos. Marlene Ballena will perform the cello. The quartet will be completed by pianist Bush who is widely considered to be one of the most experienced chamber music pianists of the past thirty years. 

• 

  Calin Lupanu

• 

  Monica Boboc

• 

  Marlene Ballena

• 

  Phillip Bush

Lupanu said this group of musicians are some of the best chamber music players in the Carolinas. 

“I am very happy that Phillip has found time in his busy schedule to play with us,” Lupanu said. “He is a wonderful musician and friend, and he is one of the most experienced pianists that I have played with.”

The afternoon will be filled with Romantic music including: Brahms-Scherzo from F.A.E. Sonato for violin and piano; Arensky-Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor Op. 32; Brahms-Piano Trio No. 1 in B major Op 8. The Romanitc period, 1830-1900, was expressive and inventive and drew from art and literature. It was an artistic and literary revolt to the prior era which was all about science and reason. 

The F.A.E. Sonato is a four movement work for violin and piano, a collaborative composition by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, and Schumann’s pupil, Albert Dietrich. It was composed in Germany in 1853. F.A.E. is from the Romantic German phrase “Frei aber einsam” which means “free but lonely.” The composition is based on the musical notes F, A, and E, the intials of the phrase.

The movements are like chapters in a book, each movement used to organize the themes into a longer piece of music. The contrasting sections build suspense and pace the overall expression of the music. 

Lupanu said “This music speaks to the heart and soul of the audience.”

Lupanu has been the concertmaster for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra since 2003 and an instructor at Gardner Webb University since 2004. He was born in communist Romania. While pursuing his undergraduate studies at the Music Academy in Bucharest in 1989, the bloody Romanian Revolution was underway. The oppressive regime restricted freedom of speech and travel. Lupanu found solace and escape in music – his one freedom of expression. He is passionate to do his part to preserve and share music. 

Boboc, also a native of Romania, gave her first solo performance with a professional orchestra at the age of 14. She completed her musical studies at the Music Conservatory in Bucharest. She joined the CSO in 2004 and has taught at Gardner Webb University since 2005. 

Ballena, the cellist, is from Peru and has been performing the cello since the age of seven. She has been with the CSO since 2014. She earned degrees from the University of Louisville and the Cleveland Institute of Music. She continued her chamber music studies at Kent State University and completed a performance residency at Carnegie Mellon University. 

Bush made his debut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1984 after winning the prestigious American Pianists Association Fellowship Award. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. Reviews often  describe his playing as poetic, powerful and elegant. 

Chamber Music for All is a nonprofit with a mission to broaden the audience for classical music. Lupanu and his wife, Monica Boboc, founded the ensemble in 2016. They are committed to providing high quality chamber music and educational programs, for both younger audiences and experienced listeners.

Lupanu is one of the premier violinists in the United States.                                                                Concerts in beautiful music halls can make ones worries disappear for a little while and the COVID-weary will find respite at the CAC. Lupanu wants to assure the audience that their health and safety are his top priority. 

“Our group will wear masks and we’re all vaccinated,” he said. 

Lupanu said they are looking forward to playing in Lancaster “which is quickly becoming a musical home-away-from-home venue.”

Craig said that more than half of the audiences for CAC concerts come from Indian Land, choosing to come to Lancaster to avoid Charlotte’s traffic. He said they find the music to be “Charlotte-level in quality and energy.”

Craig said this is because of high caliber musicians who have found a home at the CAC.

“It’s thanks to performers like Calin Lupanu that the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center is firmly on the regional map for great entertainment,” Craig said.

The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the Old Presbyterian Church on West Gay Street which was built in 1862. It was the first brick Church building in Lancaster County. The French Gothic Revival style architecture features an arch in the pulpit, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high. 

Craig encourages those interested to purchase their tickets early, $15 in advance, $20 at the door. 

The 2020-21 series has more than a dozen performances scheduled through December 2021.

The concerts are sponsored by the Lancaster County Society for Historical Preservation and the Craig Farm Historic Preservation Foundation. 

Advance tickets can be purchased at the newly created and user-friendly website http://www.lcshp.org or by phone at 803-287-6826.

For more information on Chamber Music for All, visit their Facebook page and their full bios on the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra’s website: https://www.charlottesymphony.org.