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The 17th installment of the Montpelier Arts Center Classical Recital Series returns Sunday, for the first of its two year go-round.
This year's recital series, which has one person or group perform a recital at the Arts Center each Sunday afternoon in October, saw 99 applicants. Eight were selected to perform this year and next. This year's winning recitalists range in style and age.
Ruth Harwood, Montpelier's assistant director, said that arts specialists, outside jurors, educators, and even past recital winners usually select the winning recitalists.
Scheduled to perform this year are Makeda Hampton, 23, a soprano singer with roots in gospel; Emmanuel Borowsky, a 21-year-old violinist who's performed across the globe; Greg Giannascoli, a 42-year-old marimba player and faculty member at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City; and National Brass, a quintet that's been together for more than 30 years.
Berman ran the Berman Arts International in New York City, a music entertainment and arts management firm for 22 years. She is also the former head of Montclair State University's music education program.
"It was very difficult to break it down for the eight finalists for this year and next year," she said.
Back to Maryland
The Baltimore native Borowsky hails from a musical pedigree. His mother Cecylia Barczyk, and father Charles Borowsky are both accomplished musicians. His sister Elizabeth plays piano, and his brother Frances plays cello.
Borowsky has been playing violin since he was 4 years old. Homeschooled from third grade until high school, he went to the Icelandic Academy of Arts in Reykjavik. He currently attends Indiana University, studying for a bachelor of music in violin performance at the renowned Jacobs School of Music.
Yet Borowsky had little knowledge of the recital series before applying.
"I had heard some about it," he said. "But I like the idea of it, it's a very nice community-oriented activity."
Although he's performed in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Borowsky said he always tries to find time to play in his home state.
"Generally when I get back to Maryland I try to have a performance," he said, "even if it's small like a retirement home."
Borowsky will be joined by his sister Elizabeth, and the two will perform pieces from Bach, Brahms, and a score that all the siblings composed.
Return engagement
Giannascoli, 42, is a New Jersey native and is returning to the recital series after performing at it in the early 1990s He said he saw an advertisement for it, and decided to apply for another performance.
Giannascoli plays the marimba, an instrument similar to the xylophone but larger and uses wooden bars. He said the last time he performed at Montpelier, he played predominately modern music "because that's what every one was doing in school."
He said the music wasn't wholly disliked, but he thinks that the classical music he plans to play Oct. 26 will go over much better.
"This season I have stuff that's great for a general audience." he said. "It's music that people will actually enjoy and sounds familiar."
Giannascoli will be accompanied by pianist Luba Sindler. He will be performing a marimba rendition of Franz Liszt's Mephisto Waltz. Although originally written for the piano, he said he think it will translate well on the marimba.
"I think the audience is going to love it," he said.
Started in church
Hampton grew up in a signing household in New Castle, Del. She said she began singing in her church's choir, but it wasn't until college that she fully jumped into it.
While attending Oakwood University in Huntsville, Ala., Hampton travelled to Graz, Austria, for two consecutive summers as part of American Institute of Musical Studies Festival. There she performed classical compositions from Mozart, Bellini, and Offenbach.
She was also a member of the Alabama Gospel Choir, and toured Spain and Portugal for three straight summers.
"They loved it," she said. "Because there are not a lot of spirituals in the area the houses were pretty much full every night."
One night the group was double-booked, so they performed two concerts.
Hampton had not heard of the series before she applied, but she received a notification via www.yaptracker.com – a networking and listings Web site for musicians.
"I thought it was something that I would like to do," she said.
She said she is going to perform some pieces from Richard Strauss, and sing a spiritual her friend Jarrett Roseborough composed.
The recital is the first non-academic, professional recital that Hampton will perform. She said all her others were for classes or credits.
"It should be a good opportunity for me."
Touch of brass
According to Harwood, the Washington, D.C.-based quintet National Brass has been together for more than 30 years. She also said its members are also part of the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own."
Berman said they are a phenomenally talented group.
"They have very unique and creative arrangements," she said. "They have a wonderful tone, and they're all personalities."
According to Berman, next year's group is equally as talented as this year's.
Daniel Holmes begins the 2009 program with his tenor voice. He is followed by Basso Moderno, a string bass and piano duo. The classical guitarist Zane Forshee performs next, with Marcolivia, a violin and viola duo, drawing the curtains on the series.
"It's another balanced program," Berman said. "And the bassist in Basso is the most virtuoso string bass player I've ever heard in my life."
E-Mail Timmy Gelles at tgelles@gazette.net
IF YOU GO
Montpelier Classical Recital Series
-When: 3 p.m., Sundays in October
-Where: Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Road, Laurel
-Tickets: Suggested $5 donation
-Reservations: 301-953-1993
2008 Schedule
-Sunday: Makeda Hampton, soprano
-Oct. 12: National Brass
-Oct. 19: Emmanuel Borowsky, violin
-Oct. 26: Greg Giannascoli, marimba
