Rice University
Office of Public Affairs / News & Media Relations
MEDIA ADVISORY
David Ruth
713-348-6327
david@rice.edu
Amy McCaig
713-348-6777
amym@rice.edu
Plinio Michetti Violin of Savona to take center stage at Rice concert
HOUSTON – (Jan. 23, 2019) – Musical selections from Bach, Paganini, Sarasate and Beethoven will be showcased at an upcoming Rice University Shepherd School of Music concert — with a little help from a 95-year-old violin obtained through the newly announced Shepherd School Instrument Acquisition Initiative.
The centerpiece instrument, an Italian violin made by Plinio Michetti, was created in 1924 and gifted to the Shepherd School by the family of Ronald Booth III as part of the Instrument Acquisition Initiative, which enables students to practice and perform on professional-level instruments while at Rice.
The concert will take place Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. in Duncan Recital Hall inside Alice Pratt Brown Hall, and will feature Shepherd School violin student Siyu Zhang. She will perform Bach’s “Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003”; Paganini’s “Capriccio No.17 in E-flat Major”; Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20”; and Beethoven’s “Violin Sonata No. 8 in G Major, Op. 30 No. 3.” Charlie Tauber, the Shepherd School’s artistic collaborator, will accompany Zhang on the piano.
The performance is free and open to the public; tickets are not required.
“Building a collection of quality instruments that can be made available to our students for competitions and professional auditions is a key priority,” said Shepherd School Dean Robert Yekovich. “Many students, especially string players, arrive at school with instruments that are not at a professional level. The difference between a student-grade violin and a professional-grade violin can determine the outcome of an audition, and we strive to give our students every opportunity to succeed in their career.”
“It’s an honor for me to play on such a wonderful violin,” said Zhang, a graduate student studying with Kathleen Winkler, the Dorothy Richard Starling Chair in Classical Violin and Co-Chair of Strings. “It’s very easy to play and the sound of the instrument is very rich and powerful. I’m able to experiment with different tone colors. It also helps me play with more confidence.”
For information about supporting the Shepherd School and the Instrument Acquisition Fund, contact Rosemary Price, development director, at 713-348-4992.
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This news release can be found online at news.rice.edu.
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Photo link: https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/news-network.rice.edu/dist/c/2/files/2019/01/Siyu-Zhang-photo-xh3dpx.jpg
Photo credit: Rice Shepherd School of Music.
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