LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Pacific Chamber Orchestra presents spirited program, 'Passionate'

Pacific Chamber Orchestra (PCO)?welcomes audiences to experience the passionate Nuevo tango of Piazzolla's "The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires," an exquisite blend of classical and jazz in its thrilling program, "Passionate," at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 25 at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Orinda and at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 26 at Livermore's Bankhead Theater.

The performance celebrates the beginning of springtime with exhilarating music such as Telemann's "Concerto for Oboe d'amore," elevated by Soloist Robin May. Audiences will relish the enchanting sounds of Corelli's "Suite for Strings," and Vivaldi's "Concerto for Four Violins." These four masterful composers revolutionized the traditional music world, by creating timeless works that still captivate and mesmerize audiences today.

Lawrence Kohl, PCO's Music Director and Conductor remarks, "Piazzolla's Nuevo tango draws inspiration from the evocative music of the Baroque era, a critical period during which influential composers like Vivaldi, Telemann and Corelli pushed musical forms and language in an entirely new direction."

Some say that Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla embodies the "Vivaldi of our times" with music that is sensuous, mournful, joyful and brooding, sometimes all at once. While Arcangelo Corelli's music evokes calmness and nobility, he was renowned for his passionate playing, and it was said that he got so deeply involved with his violin that he tried to make it "speak."

German Baroque?composer and multi-instrumentalist, Georg Philipp Telemann, is best known as being history's most prolific composer, and it has been suggested that he may have written more than 3,000 pieces. Kohl also notes, "Each of these composers, in their own way, express an intense passion and energy in their music and created masterful works that highlight the virtuosity of the soloist as both dancer and storyteller. This program, which features four brilliant violin soloists, Igor Veligan (PCO Concertmaster), Iris Stone, Hrabba Atladottir and Lylia Guion who represent the four seasons, culminates with soloists performing together as the dancers and storytellers."

To purchase tickets for the performance at St. Stephens Episcopal Church go to https://www.pacificchamberporchestra.org,/tickets. For tickets at Livermore's Bankhead Theater, visit?https://livermorearts.org/events/pco-passionate/