[photo credit: Kontrapunktus]
The program pays tribute to the Italian style that shaped Western classical music from the baroque through the romantic eras, with works by Giuseppe Valentini, Georg Philipp Telemann, Antonio Vivaldi and Ottorino Respighi. Guest violinist Aubree Oliverson joins the ensemble for a violin concerto by Joseph Haydn.
Founded in 2015 by Raymond Jacobs, Kontrapunktus performs chamber-orchestra programs centered on baroque repertoire while reaching into later periods, drawing its musicians from conservatories including the Juilliard School and the Colburn School. The ensemble rehearses at St. Andrew Catholic Church, which it treats as something of a home base.
“Pasadena is like coming home for us, because we play there every season and we love the audiences there,” said Osheen Manukyan, the group’s artistic director and cellist. He has said the ensemble aims for a closer connection with listeners than a large hall allows. “Since we’re a small ensemble, there’s much more dialogue with the audience,” he said.
The concert is supported by the Pasadena Community Foundation, the Colburn Foundation and the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. Doors open one hour before the performance, and free parking is available at the venue, including accessible spaces.
For an audience craving an intimate evening of live classical music, the program offers both fire and finesse, played close enough to feel every bow stroke.
