It's not too soon to starting thinking about summer plans, especially if you're attending the 2011 Sun Valley Summer Symphony concerts. The symphony will begin its summer season with a benefit concert on Sunday, July 31, at 6:30 p.m. at the Sun Valley Pavilion. The benefit will include international recording artist and soprano phenomenon, 11-year-old Jackie Evancho. Evancho will launch her "Dream With Me" tour, which showcases future stars of classical music, at the Sun Valley Summer Symphony benefit concert.
Evancho is headlining the "Dream With Me" benefit concert, and will be joined by two young talents—Ryu Goto, 22, violinist, and Alfredo Rodríguez, 25, pianist. Evancho's program will be conducted by Constantine Kitsopoulos. Sun Valley Summer Symphony Music Director Alasdair Neale will conduct Goto and Rodríguez's debuts here.
"We are thrilled to introduce these gifted young musicians to Sun Valley," said Benefit Concert Committee Chair Maggie Sturdevant. "You will be able to say you heard them here first."
Goto made his concert debut at the age of 7, playing Paganini's "Violin Concerto No.1" at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. He has since appeared as soloist with numerous international ensembles, including the National Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Symphonica Toscanini, Vancouver Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, European Union Youth Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and the Taipei Symphony Orchestra.
< An acclaimed young artist, Goto has appeared on television and radio programs and magazines throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Beginning in 1996, Fuji TV broadcast a documentary series "Ryu Goto's Odyssey," which aired for 10 years. Goto also has been featured in television commercials and print advertisements for the East Japan Railway Company.
In May 2010, Goto launched "The Ryu Goto Excellence In Music Award" for a New York City student. Goto records exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon in collaboration with Universal Classics Japan. Goto's violin is the 1722 Stradivarius, known as the "Jupiter," which is on loan to him from Nippon Music Foundation. He is a Harvard University student and studies and holds a black belt in karate. In addition to playing the violin, Goto enjoys playing the guitar. His sister, internationally renowned violinist Midori, performed with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony in the 2004 season.
A young pianist of astonishing virtuosity and imagination, Cuban-born Rodríguez calls up images of legendary jazz pianists such as Keith Jarrett, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Bill Evans and Rodríguez' compatriot Chucho Valdés. Schooled in the rigorous classical conservatories of Havana, Rodríguez's riveting artistry is influenced as much by Bach and Stravinsky as by his Cuban and jazz roots. Discovered at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2006 by Quincy Jones, Rodríguez has since been under the tutelage of the famed producer. Rodríguez's first album, "Sounds of Space," featuring original material and produced by Quincy Jones, was released worldwide on Jones' Qwest Records last fall.
Symphony benefit
Tickets for the 2011 Sun Valley Summer Symphony Benefit Concert, "Dream With Me," are on sale. Tickets can be purchased online at www.svsummersymphony.org or by calling the Sun Valley Summer Symphony at 622-5607. The "Dream With Me" concert will be held at the Sun Valley Pavilion on Sunday, July 31, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets at $500 and $250 include a 5 p.m. cocktail reception on the Sun Valley Lodge Terrace. Tickets at $100 and $50 include a complimentary cocktail. The Pavilion lawn is not open for this concert. Proceeds from the benefit concert support the Sun Valley Summer Symphony's free classical music concerts and year-round education programs.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
The Sun Valley Summer Symphony will hold its benefit concert on Sunday, July 31, with Alfredo Rodríguez.
Photo by Chuck Gee
