LA MUSICA AWARDED GRANT TO PRESENT REGIONAL PREMIERE

La Musica International Chamber Music Festival received a Meet the Composer Grant from Meet the Composer, Inc., through its MetLife Creative Connections program to present Three Nocturnes by James Winn as part of the 2010 festival, which runs April 9-21, in Sarasota. Winn, a piano and composition professor at the University of Nevada, is a specialist in new music, and has been involved in numerous world premieres and premiere recordings by renowned composers.

“I’m looking forward to performing at La Musica,” says Winn. “It’s particularly gratifying to have one of my own pieces programmed, which is not such a frequent occurrence for me.”

Three Nocturnes is a three-movement piano trio with each movement based loosely on a folk tale.  Violinist Ellen dePasquale and cellist Eric Kim will perform the work with the composer, Monday, April 12 at 8 pm, at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota. Winn will also present a lecture and conversation on the work, Saturday, April 10, 4:35 p.m., at the Mildred Sainer Pavilion of New College of Florida, 5313 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. The lecture event is free and open to the public.

“It is a great privilege to receive this national grant, even more so since we are also able to have James work with our third graders at our children’s program on April 13,” says Sally Faron, executive director of La Musica. “The folktales are ideal for capturing the imaginations of the young students.”

Under the direction of Artistic Director Bruno Giuranna and Associate Artistic Director Derek Han, La Musica brings together the finest musicians from around the world to present inspired programs of familiar and unusual chamber music. This year’s theme is “Resolution,” a celebration of the melding of disparate thoughts into a common idea.

The festival's fiive concerts are the result of daily rehearsals which are open to the public. Rehearsals begin April 7, take place in the Mildred Sainer Pavilion of New College of Florida where the festival has been in residence since 1992. Guest lectures, pre-concert lectures by the musicians, and special events for young people round out the festival activities.

All concerts are performed in the Sarasota Opera House at 8 pm, except for the concert on April 18, which is at 2:30 pm. Series subscriptions are $175 (includes five concerts and all rehearsals); single tickets are $40. Rehearsal tickets are $10; $50 for all sessions. Through March, tickets and passes may be ordered by mail at La Musica, P.O. Box 5442, Sarasota, FL 34277.

For information call (941) 366-8450, Ext. 3 or visit www.lamusicafestival.org.

Pictured above: Pianist and Composer James Winn.