American Virtuosi – featuring Stephanie Chase, violin

April 26, 2020: Our final concert of the season features the brilliant American violin virtuoso Stephanie Chase, who has been hailed as “one of the violin greats of our era.” A prizewinner in the Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow, as well as a recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, Stephanie made her debut with the Chicago Symphony at age 9 and has gone on to an international concert career, performing with all of the major orchestras in the world. Stephanie takes center stage as soloist with the SOR in the charming early Mendelssohn d minor concerto, as well as the dazzling “Ziguenerweisen” (Gypsy Airs) of Pablo de Sarasate. In February of 2019, the SOR’S performance of Stephanie’s fiery “A Fantasy about Carmen” brought down the house, and we are excited to have her come to Missoula as we close our 35th season of spectacular concerts. The program celebrates two other popular American musicians: the beloved George Gershwin in his “Lullaby” for strings and Oregonian composer and violist Kenji Bunch, whose jazzy “String Circles” closes our April concert. It’s a dazzling season finale, full of vibrancy and virtuosity!