The Los Angeles Post

VIVALDI FOUR SEASONS CLOSE THE 23/24 SEASON WITH AWARD-WINNING VIOLINIST CHARLOTTE MARCKX

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Pasadena, CA – The Pasadena Symphony closes the 23/24 season with Vivaldi Four Seasons on Saturday, April 20, 2024 with performances at 2:00pm and 8:00pm at Ambassador Auditorium. Continuing its tradition of showcasing the stars of tomorrow here today, the orchestra welcomes violinist Charlotte Marckx to perform Vivaldi’s most cherished concerti, The Four Seasons, just in time for spring. A Colburn artist, Marckx has been celebrated for her technical chops and expressive panache, which have earned her multiple awards, including the Gold Medal and Bach Prize at the 2018 Stulberg International Competition, among others.

Chinese conductor Linhan Cui will lead the orchestra for this colorful program blooming with Baroque masterworks. Noted for her natural expression, Cui recently won second prize in the Malko International Conducting Competition and was a Dudamel Conducting Fellow for the 22/23 season. The concert will open with Bach’s most beloved chamber work, Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, before Cui takes the podium for Chinese composer Si-ang Chen’s contemporary piece, Symphony No. 1 “Expedition” (2nd movement, adagio).  The string section will blossom for Puccini’s i Crisantemi (Chrysanthemums), followed by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to close a monumental season for the Pasadena Symphony.

The Pasadena Symphony provides a vibrant experience specially designed for the music lover, the social butterfly or a date night out. Arrive early for the pre-concert discussion Insights, or enjoy a bite or a glass in the Symphony Lounge, a posh setting along Ambassador Auditorium’s beautiful outdoor plaza with a full service beverage center serving coffee, spirits, and fine wines from The Michero Family, plus sandwiches, soup, appetizers and dessert by Cynthia Brooks Catering before the concert and during intermission.

All concerts are held at Ambassador Auditorium, 131 South St. John Ave, Pasadena, CA. Single tickets start at $42 and may be purchased online at www.pasadenasymphony-pops.org or by calling (626) 793-7172.

IF YOU GO:

    • What: The Pasadena Symphony presents Vivaldi Four Seasons

                    Linhan Cui, conductor
                    Charlotte Marckx, violin
                  

                   Bach    Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
                   Si-ang Chen   Symphony No. 1 “Expedition”, 2nd mvt (adagio)
                   Puccini  i Crisantemi
                   Vivaldi   Four Seasons

 

  • When: Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 2:00pm and 8:00pm
  • Where: Ambassador Auditorium | 131 South St. John Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105
  • Cost: Tickets start at $42.00
  • Parking: Valet parking is available on St. John Ave for $20. General parking is available in two locations for $10 in advance, $15 onsite: next to the Auditorium (entrance on St. John Ave) at the covered parking structure and directly across the street at the Wells Fargo parking structure (entrance on Terrace at Green St). ADA parking is located at the above-ground parking lot adjacent to the Auditorium (entrance on St. John Ave.) for $10. Parking may be pre-purchased or purchased onsite. Parking purchased onsite is cash only.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Linhan Cui
Conductor

“Some believe conductors are born, not made. Linhan Cui is human embodiment of that idea.” – Andrew Mellor

Conductor Linhan Cui has established herself as a sought-after artist who recently won second prize in the Malko International Conducting Competition. With natural expressivity at the core of her work, her experience includes performances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Korean Symphony Orchestra, Xinghai Symphony Orchestra, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, and the Indiana University Conductor’s Orchestra. As an Assistant Conductor, Linhan has worked with many world-renowned maestros such as Leon Fleisher and Xian Zhang and assisted more than fifty concerts with orchestras around the world. During the 2019-2020 season, Linhan was appointed Conducting Fellow by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra where she had the privilege of serving as Marin Alsop’s cover conductor.

In the 2022-2023 season, Linhan was Dudamel’s Conducting Fellow, being a cover conductor, and having concerts with LA Philharmonic.

Cui was born in Shenyang, China and began her piano study at the age of four. She started conducting at age eighteen when she was the only accepted student at the Xinghai Conservatory, China. She is currently pursuing doctoral studies in orchestral conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, under the guidance of Arthur Fagen. She holds a Master of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory and completed her undergraduate studies at Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou. She has participated in masterclass with USA National Symphony Orchestra.
Charlotte Marckx
Violin

Violinist Charlotte Marckx was a 2019 Davidson Fellowship Laureate and is a Jack Kent Cooke College Scholar. She won the Gold Medal and Bach Prize at the 2018 Stulberg International Competition and was a major prizewinner at the 2018 Johansen International Competition. Originally from the Seattle area, Ms. Marckx has won the KING FM Young Artists Awards and the Seattle Young Artists Music Festival Concerto Competition. Ms. Marckx has soloed with many orchestras, including the Seattle Symphony, Burbank Symphony, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, and Kalamazoo Symphony, and has performed with the Seattle Chamber Music Society, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, and Colburn Chamber Music Society. She has also been featured on National Public Radio’s From the Top and in Strings magazine.

Former teachers include Simon James and Jan Coleman, and she is currently a student at the Colburn Conservatory, where she studies with renowned pedagogue Robert Lipsett. In the summers, Ms. Marckx continues her studies with Mr. Lipsett at the Aspen Music Festival and Sounding Point Academy.

Si-ang Chen
Composer

Chinese composer Si-ang Chen is an associate professor of composition at the Xinghai Conservatory of music. He graduated from the Central Conservatory of music, where he studied under the guidance of Professor Tang Jianping. In his compositions, Chen emphasizes the use of timbre, and the exploration of various compositional approaches. His works have been performed by orchestras worldwide, and has been awarded many prizes.