There’s the intimacy of Mary Baldwin University‘s Francis Auditorium… the Renaissance character of the American Shakespeare Center‘s Blackfriars Playhouse; the stately grandeur of First Presbyterian Church, and the post-industrial vibe of the Great Hall of the Blackburn Inn and Conference Center. Without question we are fortunate to have no shortage of remarkable venues for our Heifetz musicians to display their talents in our home base of Staunton, Virginia.
One of the great things about the inaugural Heifetz Ensemble in Residence (HEIR) program is that our musicians have had the chance to explore and perform in even more settings, from wineries to hospital atriums to expansive event spaces across the Shenandoah Valley.
One such new setting is The Staunton Augusta Art Center, a non-profit organization devoted to providing diverse experiences in the creation and appreciation of the visual arts. Our musicians have been so inspired by the marriage of musical and visual art that we’re going to launch a whole new series there as part of our 2021 Festival of Concerts: Fridays at The Gallery. Stay tuned next week for more information about our summer concert calendar!
Lyndi Angermeier’s Iridescent Ocean
Take this inclusion from artist Lyndi Angermeier’s recent exhibition titled Harmony and Balance of Forms. The stormy landscapes with a hint of sunlight breaking through provided the perfect backdrop to Julia Angelov’s performance of the Sonata No. 3 in D minor, “Ballade” by the legendary Belgian violin virtuoso and composer Eugène Ysaÿe. The piece contains the hallmark of Ysaÿe’s style, featuring both virtuosic passages seamlessly intertwined with uncanny emotional expression.
PS – if you’re still looking to get your fix of music and art together, be sure to check out Music & Miniatures of Note In The Valley – a whimsical pairing of the region’s musical stories with miniature scenes from the Valley’s past, including the Heifetz Institute’s vintage Putnam organ (manufactured in Staunton) that was the feature of another recent Video of the Week. The exhibit will be open through September 6 at the SAAC’s The R.R. Smith Center for History and Art headquarters in historic downtown Staunton.