Robert H. Wood Great Artists Series Presents: Cellist, Matt Haimovitz & Voice

The Herkimer County College Foundation will host a special collaboration with Cellist Matt Haimovitz & Voice in If Music Be the Food of Love on Friday, February 20, 2015 at 7 p.m. in the Sarkus Busch Theater located in the Robert McLaughlin College Center at Herkimer College. The performance is open to the public free of charge.

Renowned musical pioneer, cellist Matt Haimovitz has inspired classical music lovers and countless new listeners by bringing his artistry to concert halls and clubs, outdoor festivals and intimate coffee houses. Haimovitz made his debut in 1984, at the age of 13, as soloist with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic. At 17 he made his first recording with James Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, for Deutsche Grammophon. He has gone on to perform on the world’s most esteemed stages, with such orchestras and conductors as the Berlin Philharmonic with James Levine, the New York Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta, the English Chamber Orchestra with Daniel Barenboim, the Boston Symphony Orchestra with Leonard Slatkin and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra with Kent Nagano. Haimovitz made his Carnegie Hall debut when he substituted for his teacher, the legendary Leonard Rose, in Schubert’s String Quintet in C, alongside Isaac Stern, Shlomo Mintz, Pinchas Zukerman and Mstislav Rostropovich. Besides his relentless touring schedule, Haimovitz mentors an award-winning studio of young cellists at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music in Montreal.

Voice is an acclaimed British vocal ensemble from Oxford, England that was formed in 2006 whose members include Victoria Couper, Clemmie Franks and Emily Burn. The trio performs works by Hildegard of Bingen and other early masters; traditional songs and arrangements from around the world along with contemporary compositions. In 2013, Voice launched their debut album Musical Harmony: a carefully crafted selection of songs defining Voice’s distinctive sound. The trio’s latest collaborative project, funded by Arts Council England, sees the creation of five new pieces by British composers on the theme of love. Voice has performed at festivals across UK and in Europe making their debut performance in Bucharest as part of EUROPAfest, in Brussels at La Chappelle de Verre and in the USA with Baylin Artists Management.

A special part of the evening will include Haimovitz and Voice performing a world premiere song written by Bozo Banovic of Serbia titled “Sonnet 60 of William Shakespeare.” Banovic was one of over 40 composers from 18 countries who entered works in a composition competition offered by Oxingale Music, Matt Haimovitz and Voice. The purpose of the competition was to expand and enrich the repertoire for cello in unusual combinations and ensembles using text from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 8, 30 or 60. Banovic will be in attendance at the concert.

The Robert H. Wood Great Artists Series is a result of a generous endowment made to the Herkimer County College Foundation by the late Robert H. Wood, a long-time resident of Ilion, NY. For more information, visit www.herkimer.edu/greatartists or call the Herkimer County College Foundation Office at 315.866.0300 ext 8459.