Friday, February 1, 2019 — 5:30pm
Music of Schubert and Brahms
Program:
Sonata for violin and piano Op. 162/D. 574, by Franz Schubert
Allegro moderato
Scherzo: Presto, Trio, Presto Andantino
Allegro vivace
Adagio from Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Opus 108, by Johannes Brahms
Ellen Chávez de Leitner has performed with many orchestras, chamber ensembles, and as soloist. In Austria she was a member of the Albertschweizerhaus Chamber Orchestra, Jeunesse Wien, Kursalon Hübner Orchestra, the Innsbruck Symphony Orchestra, and the Graz Philarmonic. In New Mexico, she has played with the Santa Fe Symphony, the Taos Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, and numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles.
In 2008 Ellen started “Enchantment Chamber Music”, organizing several concerts per year with her daughters Cecilia, soprano, and Genevieve, classical guitarist, Carlos Pérez, classical guitarist, and others. Ellen also performs with the San Juan Symphony, the Roswell Symphony, and the Southwest Symphony of Hobbs.
Recordings available by Ellen Chávez de Leitner are: “Canticos de Fé”, with the composer, Fr. José María Blanch playing piano, her daughter Cecilia singing, and herself on violin, and “Duo Guadalupe, Music for Violin and Guitar” with guitarist, Roberto Capocchi.
Ms. Leitner studied at the Conservatory of Vienna, Saint John’s College, the University of New Mexico, the College of Santa Fe, Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute, and with her most influential mentor, Renata Armani Menčik Skoberne.
Claire Detels is a pianist-musicologist who moved to Taos in 2014 after a career of teaching at the University of Arkansas Dept. of Music in Fayetteville (1982-2008). Detels holds a BA from Colorado College, and MA and PHD from the University of Washington, and has studied with Alan and Alvin Chow, Neal O’Doan, Randolph Hokanson, Max Lanner, Reah Sadowsky, and, most recently, jazz pianist Claudia Burson.
She has published numerous books and articles on opera and aesthetics as well as performing widely in the South Central region as pianist and harpsichordist with the Duo and Ensemble Courante, the Early Music Consort of Kansas City, the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and the Arkansas Arts on Tour and Artists in Education programs, specializing in the piano music of Delta-region African-American composers such as Scott Joplin, W.C. Handy, Florence Price, and William Grant Still.
Since moving to Taos, she has served as accompanist and assistant director of the Taos Community Chorus, president and founding member of PianoTaos, board member and pianist for Taos Soundscapes, music instructor for the Taos Arts in Schools program, music director at El Pueblito Methodist Church and organizer of the annual Taos Great Women Composers concerts.