The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Julien Benichou, heralds the holiday season with an exciting program of orchestral and vocal music at the “Holiday Joy” concert performed on Thursday, December 5, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Avalon Theater, East Dover Street, Easton, MD.
Julien Benichou, Music Director MSO
This year, the MSO will showcase two renowned vocalists, bass-baritone Kevin Short and soprano Esther Jane Hardenbergh. Kevin is thrilling audiences around the globe in a wide range of repertoire performing with opera companies in Canada and Germany to Italy and Switzerland. He has performed multiple roles with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and also enjoys an active concert schedule working with important orchestras in the U.S. and around the world. Opera News had this to say about his role as Philippe II in Don Carlos, “Short has the requisite big sound, but he also brought an expressive, almost delicate style to his meditative scenes that were wrenchingly moving.” Kevin received his B.S. at Morgan State University, a M.M. from the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School of Music Opera Center. While attending these institutions he was a prizewinner in numerous competitions.
Esther Jane Hardenbergh has sung opera, oratorio and recital extensively in the United States and Europe. She made her debut at Carnegie Hall in 1999 as winner of the International Opera Singer Competition and is highly respected as an interpreter of recital repertoire, in particular 19th century German Lieder and 20th century American Art Song. She has appeared with many well-known orchestras such as Memphis, Atlanta, Richmond, Miami and Naples Philharmonic Orchestra. Esther Jane holds degrees from Richmond and Boston Universities and a Doctorate in Music and Music Education, Teachers College, Columbia University. She is currently Associate Professor and Department Chair of the Department of Vocal Performance at the University of Miami, Frost School of Music.
Joining Kevin and Esther Jane are talented vocalists from the University of Miami, Frost School of Music: soprano Mary Claire Curran, mezzo-soprano Katherine Wiggins, and
Esther Jane Hardenbergh, Soprano
baritone Jeffrey Williams. In addition, MSO Concertmaster, Nicholas Currie, will perform “Winter” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on the violin. Between seasonal favorites like “White Christmas” “Baby It’s Cold Outside”,” O Holy Night” and “Twelve Days of Christmas”, there will be orchestral interludes with Leroy Anderson’s rousing “Sleigh Ride”, waltzes from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” and “Klezmer Nutcracker”. This festive concert will conclude with an uplifting sing-along of the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah”.
The concert will also be held on Friday, December 6, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Mariner’s Bethel Church, Ocean View, DE, on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Cape Henlopen High School Auditorium, Lewes, DE, and on Sunday, December 8, 2013 at 3:00 pm (sold out) and 7:30 pm at the Community Church, Ocean Pines, MD. Tickets are $40 for adults, free for youths 18 years and under with a reservation. For tickets and information, please call 1-888-846-8600 or visit the MSO Website www.midatlanticsymphony.org where the season brochure and ticket order form can be downloaded by clicking on “Concerts – Tickets”. Tickets are also available at the door the evening of the performance.
Kevin Short, Bass-Baritone
The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, a nonprofit organization, is supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Maryland State Arts Council, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the Sussex County Council, the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation and the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation, as well as donations from individuals, organizations, and corporation
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