2011-2012 Concert Season

Stephen Prutsman Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 7:30 pm American pianist Stephen Prutsman has been hailed for his beautiful musicality, glittering virtuosity, and an approach that is highly individual. Moving easily from classical to jazz to world music styles as a pianist, composer, and conductor, Prutsman continues to explore and seek common ground in the music of all cultures and languages. Stephen studied at the University of California at Los Angeles and the Peabody Conservatory of Music and was recently appointed Artistic Director of the largest South American Festival, Cartagena International Festival of Music.

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Odair Assad Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 7:30 pm Brazilian-born guitarist Odair Assad has set the benchmark for all other guitarists by creating a new standard of guitar innovation, ingenuity and expression. Often performing with his brother Sergio Assad, Odair has been praised as “a soloist of awesome talents, which is no less than observation has always suggest­ed.” His virtuosity has inspired collaborations with renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and Gidon Kremer.

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The Ariel Quartet Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 7:30 pm Characterized by its youth, brilliant playing, and soulful interpretations, the Ariel Quartet has quickly earned a glowing international reputation. Previously the resident ensemble in the New England Conservatory’s prestigious Professional String Quartet Training Program, the Quartet recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. Formed in Israel, the Quartet moved to the United States in 2004 to continue its professional studies, and has since rapidly gained the attention of the music world. Grand Prize winners of the 2006 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the Quartet also won the Székely Prize for their performance of Bartók, as well as the overall Third Prize at the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2007. The American Record Guide described the Ariel Quartet as “a consummate ensemble gifted with utter musicality and remarkable interpretive power” and called their performance of Beethoven’s Quartet Op. 132 “the pinnacle of the competition.” The Quartet received extensive scholarship support for its members’ studies in the United States from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, Dov and Rachel Gottesman, and the Legacy Heritage Fund. Most recently, they were awarded a substantial grant from The A.N. and Pearl G. Barnett Family Foundation and were named the 2011 Barnett Fellows.

All Musical Excursions concerts are presented in the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall at the University of New Orleans.

General Admission: $12.00
UNO Faculty & Senior Citizens: $6.00
Students: $3.00

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Department of Music at 504-280-6789 or
e-mail us at musicalexcursions@uno.edu

Tickets for individual concerts are available at the box office and advance purchases are encouraged.

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Concerts brought to you by:

Updated November 16, 2010