Harp virtuoso, Yolanda Kondonasis makes her debut with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. She is the leading exponent on the instrument both as performer and teacher with many recordings to date. The Harp Concerto by Alberto Ginastera explores the unique timbres and exotic sounds of this age-old instrument, in a beautifully crafted work. The Sinfonietta by Prokofiev contrasts his often jarring harmonies, with beautiful melody distinctive in his later ballet scores. Our journey concludes with Symphony No. 88 by Haydn, from his “storm and stress” middle period.
REPERTOIRE
Prokofiev | Sinfonietta Op.4/48 [22']
Ginastera | Harp Concerto Op. 25 [23']
Intermission
Haydn | Symphony No. 88 in G [23']
BIOGRAPHY
Yolanda Kondonassis is celebrated as one of the world’s premier solo harpists and is widely regarded as today’s most recorded classical harpist. With “a range of colour that’s breathtaking” (Gramophone), she has been hailed as “a brilliant and expressive player” (Dallas Morning News), with “a dazzling technique unfailingly governed by impeccable musical judgment” (Detroit News). She has appeared around the globe as a concerto soloist and in recital, bringing her unique brand of musicianship and warm artistry to an ever-increasing audience. Also a published author, speaker, professor of harp, and environmental activist, her many passions are woven into a vibrant and multi-faceted career.
The first harpist to receive the Darius Milhaud Prize, Kondonassis is committed to the advancement of contemporary music for the instrument, with recent premieres including works by Bright Sheng, Keith Fitch, and Gary Schocker. Current projects include a Harp Concerto commission with Jennifer Higdon.
With hundreds of thousands of discs and downloads sold worldwide, Kondonassis’ extensive discography includes twenty titles and her 2008 release, Air (Telarc), was nominated for a Grammy Award. Her latest album, Ginastera: One Hundred, celebrates Ginastera's 2016 centennial and was released in October 2016 on Oberlin Music. Her many albums have earned universal critical praise as she continues to be a pioneering force in the harp world, striving to push the boundaries of what listeners expect of the harp.
The recipient of two Solo Recitalists Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and a 2011 recipient of the Cleveland Arts Prize, Kondonassis has been featured on CNN and PBS as well as Sirius/XM Radio’s Symphony Hall, NPR’s All Things Considered and Tiny Desk Concerts, St. Paul Sunday Morning, and Performance Today. In addition to her active solo, chamber music and recording schedule, Kondonassis heads the harp departments at Oberlin Conservatory of Music and The Cleveland Institute of Music, and presents masterclasses around the world.
*This performance has been postponed, to learn more please click HERE.
