Thursday, February 10, 2011, 8 p.m.
Fine Arts Recital Hall

Contact: Thomas Moore
Director of Arts & Culture
410-455-3370
tmoore@umbc.edu

This release is available as a pdf file.

UMBC presents violinist Airi Yoshioka and pianist Rachel Franklin in concert on Thursday, February 10 at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Recital Hall. Both musicians are on the faculty of UMBC's Department of Music and are renowned for their solo and chamber performances in the United States and internationally.

Their program will feature:
• Sonata in C minor, Op. 45 by Edvard Grieg
• Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78 by Johannes Brahms
• Sonata No. 2 by Paul Desenne (selected movements)
• Five Little Milonguitas by Pablo Ortiz

About Airi Yoshioka
Violinist Airi Yoshioka has concertized throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Canada as a recitalist, soloist and chamber musician. Deeply committed to chamber music, she is the founding member of the Damocles Trio and Modigliani Quartet and has performed and recorded with the members of the Emerson, Brentano and Arditti Quartets. Damocles Trio's debut disc of complete Piano Trios and Piano Quartet of Joaquín Turina has won a four-star rating from the BBC Music Magazine, Le Monde de la Musique and Diapason. Her orchestral credits include performances with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, American Sinfonietta and engagements as concertmaster and soloist with the Manhattan Virtuosi and concertmaster of one of the festival orchestras at the Aspen Music Festival. An enthusiastic performer of new music, she was one of the original members and concertmasters of the New Juilliard Ensemble and had performed annually in Juilliard's FOCUS! Festival and is currently a member of Continuum, ModernWorks!, RUCKUS, Son Sonora, and Azure Ensemble.

Of a performance with the New Juilliard Ensemble, The New York Times wrote, "Airi Yoshioka played the violin solo touchingly," and of a performance with Continuum of Dallapiccola's music, The New York Times wrote, "Powerfully communicative…violinist Airi Yoshioka [played] a lovely Due Studi. The performances were as varied as the music." She has premiered dozens of works and her latest recording project of works for violin and electronics includes commissions from such prominent women composers as Tania León, Linda Dusman, Alice Shields and Milica Paranosic. She is an Associate Professor in the UMBC Department of Music.

About Rachel Franklin
British-born pianist Rachel Franklin is much in demand as performer, music lecturer and teacher. As a Pro Musicis International Award winner, she gave her solo debuts in Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, and Jordan Hall, Boston. The Boston Globe enthused about her "beautiful differentiations of color, touch and texture" and described a performance on her solo debut CD as "not inferior...to the recorded performances by Cortot and Rubinstein." She has also given European Pro Musicis solo debuts in Paris and Rome. At the Wigmore Hall, London, where she has given several recitals, critics applauded her "stunning individuality," "exquisite dynamic control," and "amazing power and solidity of technique." The Washington Post has praised her "cool-headed bravura and panache." Following a widely acclaimed recent chamber concert with members of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Sun wrote: "Franklin demonstrated a flawless crystalline technique, and warmth and electricity in her playing."

As a soloist and ensemble artist, she has concertized in Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Israel, Canada and the US, and her chamber music recordings can be found on such labels as Sony and Sonoris. Among Rachel Franklin's many awards are top prizes in the Florence International Chamber Music Competition and the Louise B. McMahon International Music Competition. Her performances have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, on WQXR and WNYC in New York, WJHU in Baltimore, and Radio Telefis Eireann in Ireland. In addition, she has been the subject of a feature on National Public Radio's "Performance Today," with whom she has given frequent spoken broadcasts. She is doubly talented as an accomplished jazz pianist, having performed with many jazz ensembles, and she is the founder and artistic director of the classical/jazz chamber ensemble SONOS. She is an Affiliate Artist with the UMBC Department of Music.

Admission
$7 general admission, $3 students and seniors, free for students, free with a UMBC ID. Tickets are available through MissionTix at www.missiontix.com or 410-752-8950. Tickets will also be available at the door (cash or check only).

General Public Information
UMBC Arts & Culture Calendar: http://www.umbc.edu/arts

Directions
-- From Baltimore and points north, proceed south on I-95 to exit 47B. Take Route 166 toward Catonsville and then follow signs to public parking.
-- From I-695, take Exit 12C (Wilkens Avenue) and continue one-half mile to the entrance of UMBC at the roundabout intersection of Wilkens Avenue and Hilltop Road. Turn left and follow signs to public parking.
-- From Washington and points south, proceed north on I-95 to Exit 47B. Take Route 166 toward Catonsville and then follow signs to public parking.
-- Visitor parking regulations are enforced on all University calendar days. Hilltop Circle and all campus roadways require a parking permit unless otherwise marked.
-- Online campus map: http://www.umbc.edu/aboutumbc/campusmap/

Images for Media
High resolution images for media are available online:
http://www.umbc.edu/newsevents/arts/hi-res/
Photo of Airi Yoshioka: Richard Anderson.

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