New Hope, PA. February 27, 2000.
Concordia Chamber Player’s second concert this season will again present David Kim, Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, as a soloist in the April concert. The virtuosity of David Kim will be displayed in the Bach Sonata No.2 in A minor for unaccompanied violin. Then the Piano Trio of Ravel features William Wolfram with David Kim and Michelle Djokic, cello. After intermission, Choong-Jin Chang, viola, joins the trio for the Piano Quartet in G minor, Opus 25, of Johannes Brahms. The Concert is on Sunday April 16th, 3pm, at the New Hope-Solebury High School Stephen Buck Theater. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s excellent review of Concordia’s February concert noted the concert as a “Return to Yesteryear’s Salons” and “Kim played…with authority and eloquence”
The Concordia Chamber Players was founded by Michelle Djokic, a world class cellist who debuted at age 13 with the Philadelphia Orchestra, whose roots are in New Hope. Having played with the best, all over the world, Michelle can bring to New Hope a caliber of music and musicians otherwise unavailable to our area. The Concordia musicians’ schedules take them to the world’s greatest concert venues. They come to New Hope because of their friendship with Michelle and their love to play “in chamber” with treasured colleagues.
Kim and Djokic have played together over the years in many chamber ensembles. Despite the heavy demands of his recent appointment as Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Kim will continue his association with Concordia for the 2000 series concerts. Tickets can be secured by calling 215-297-5972 or www.concordiaplayers.com
BACKGROUND: Since its inception in 1997, Concordia’s previous concerts were outstandingly successful, bringing to the community world class performers such as: include Carmit Zori – violin, Fred Sherry – cello, David Krakauer – clarinet, Nancy Allen – harp, Kenneth Cooper – harpsichord, all of whom are regular performers in the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society in New York, as well as many other equally outstanding performers.
SCHOOL INFORMANCES; The week prior to each concerts, Michelle Djokic conducts “INFORMANCES” i.e.: informal and informative performances for school age children throughout the region. From April 10-13, she is scheduled for xx such INFORMANCES in (NEEDS UPDATE) Princeton, Lambertville, New Hope, Newtown and Doylestown area. These INFORMANCES will culminate at the April 16th performance to which each child will have been given a voucher for one free child ticket with adult accompaniment. INFORMANCES will continue to be a vital aspect of Concordia’s presence within the community.
SPONSORS; Concordia Chamber Players concerts are possible a result of cooperative support from area organizations, volunteers and farsighted sponsors. This years’ season would not have been possible without the leadership sponsor of Merrill Lynch Trust Company, headquartered in Princeton NJ.
Additional support was secured from the area sponsors including Dresswells, distinctive sportswear of Lambertville, Clemens Market, MCORP hospitality software, HahnCreative Coaching & Consulting, ZZCad Design and Bucks County Magazine.
Concordia is also honored to be sponsored by a leading community organization, Partners in Progress (PIP) that includes a cross section of the community’s organizations on both sides of the river, dedicated to preserving our areas artistic, historical and cultural heritage.
THE MUSICIANS
Cellist, Michelle Djokic, is the artistic director and inspiration of the Concordia Chamber Players. “Djokic is indisputable when playing melody. Her sense of delivery and her mastery of technique have an instinctual rightness about them.” hailed a critic of the Denver Post. Ms. Djokic made her debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of thirteen. She received both her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Julliard at the age of twenty. A winner of prizes both National and International, Michelle has appeared as soloist with orchestras throughout the world to great critical acclaim. She pursues her great love of chamber music with some of today’s finest musicians.
Violinist, David Kim, is currently in his first season as Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, David Kim was born in Carbondale, Illinois, started playing the violin at the age of three, began studies with Dorothy DeLay at the age of eight and later received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Julliard School. The only American to capture a top prize in the 1985 Tchaikovsky Violin Competition, David enjoys a career as soloist, a very sought after chamber musician and now as concertmaster of one of the greatest orchestras in the world.
Pianist, William Wolfram has gained recognition as an artist who combines powerful Romantic instincts with a truly formidable command of the keyboard. A former Silver Medallist at both the William Kapell and Naumburg competitions. as well as Bronze Medallist at the Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow, Mr. Wolfram has drawn plaudits from critics both here and abroad for his musical integrity and compelling pianism. In the words of The New York Times, “Wolfram’s technique is flabbergasting; fiendishly difficult octave passages were as child’s play, and his strength is tempered by an easy poetry.”
Violist, Choong-Jin Chang. A native of Seoul, Korea, Choong-Jin Chang joined The Philadelphia Orchestra as Associate Principal Viola in November 1994. He made his performance debut as a violinist at the age of 12 with the Seoul Philharmonic as winner of the Grand Prize in Korea’s Yook Young National Competition. In 1981, at age 13, he moved to the U.S. to attend The Julliard School of Music. He has also studied at the Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University and The Curtis Institute of Music. An ardent chamber musician, Mr. Chang has participated in many such festivals. He has released several chamber music recordings on the Sugo Music and New World labels.
Full Bio’s are available at the Web Site. Select Musicians from menu, then double click on each performer. www.concordiaplayers.org
CONTACT: Les Sdorow 215-862-3428 (lsdorow@aol.com)