B A LT I M O R E C H O R A L A R T S P R E S E N T S
Born into a Russian Jewish family that
had immigrated to Argentina to escape
the Czarist pogroms, Golijov describes
himself as a “Jewish gaucho.” His father
was a physician and his mother a piano
teacher who “took me to Buenos Aires
to hear opera and also … Astor Piazzolla
tangos. She sang to me in Yiddish, but she
also got me to listen to Bach. Somehow it
all came together.”
Indeed it did. Golijov’s special genius
— confirmed by a coveted MacArthur
Fellowship — has mixed Yiddish soulfulness with Latino rhythms and solid
classical training in Argentina, Jerusalem,
and at the University of Pennsylvania
(where he earned a Ph.D.) into a potent
brew. Now living near Boston, he divides
his time between composition and teaching; he is Loyola Professor of Music at
the College of Holy Cross in Worcester,
Massachusetts, where he has taught since
1991. In 2000, the premiere of his Latinoflavored oratorio the St. Mark Passion won
him instant fame.
Rose of the Winds was created for the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra and members of the Silk Road Ensemble of world
musicians founded by Yo-Yo Ma; it was
premiered in Chicago on April 12, 2007.
We will hear its revised version first performed under Marin Alsop’s baton at the
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
in August 2012. This stunning 20-minute
work features four ethnic instruments: the
kamancheh, a bowed string instrument
used in Iran and neighboring countries;
the Galician bagpipes from Northern
Spain; the hyper-accordion, a version of
the accordion utilizing stereophonic electronic enhancements to expand its sonic
possibilities developed by its performer
Michael Ward-Bergeman; and the wellknown klezmer clarinet of traditional
Jewish music. And in its final movement,
it calls on ten members of the brass section
to play shofars, the ram’s-horns blown during the Jewish high holiday services.
The title and multi-cultural dimensions
of Rose of the Winds were inspired by the
rose-of-the-winds compass symbol, which
points not only to the four corners of the
earth but in all directions. When Golijov
was a child, his uncle gave him a desk
Quest for Peace
Sunday, April 26, 2015 at 3 pm
Kraushaar Auditorium at Goucher College
Tom Hall leads the full Chorus and string orchestra in poignant and powerful
settings of Dona nobis pacem by Ralph Vaughn Williams and Pateris Vasks, as
well as Arvo Pärt’s beautiful meditation, Da pacem Domine. The provocative
program, which features vocal soloists Hyunah Yu and Robert Cantrell, also
includes the Mid-Atlantic premiere of Jake Runestad’s Fear Not, Dear Friend,
based on the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson. Tickets: $25 – $40
A Choral Conversation follows the performance featuring Tom Hall and special
guests including author and former President of the Alliance for Peacebuilding
Chic Dambach, discussing the role that music and the arts play in peace-making.
Call 410-523-7070 or visit BCAsings.org
Baltimore Choral Arts is also grateful for the support of The William G. Baker, Jr.
Memorial Fund, creator of the Baker Artist Awards, www.bakerartistawards.org.
Tom Hall, Music Director
We’ve got a master’s degree
in exceptional senior living.
The secret to getting the most out of a retirement community is to choose
one where you never stop learning. Fortunately, Roland Park Place offers
a premier continuing care experience close to Johns Hopkins University
and a number of other esteemed college campuses.
At Roland Park Place we feature a wide range of intellectually stimulating
events and cultural offerings.
And because your neighbors are erudite and outgoing, you’ll have plenty
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experience offered only at Roland Park Place.
Why not learn more right now?
Call (410) 243-5700 or visit RolandParkPlace.org
830 W. 40th St. Baltimore, MD 21211
(410) 243-5700 rolandparkplace.org
The educated choice.
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