Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota Tunes Up for Coming Season
The Merz Trio performs in January 2022 in the Artist Series Concerts season.
Image: Dario Acosta
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota has news for its audiences: The organization has just announced its 26th season, coming up in 2021-22, and has also said farewell to director of artist programs Joseph Holt at the same time as welcoming his successor, Daniel Jordan.
Jordan, who is also concertmaster of the Sarasota Orchestra, assumed his new role with Artist Series July 1, working remotely from yet another position, as principal second violinist with the Santa Fe Opera orchestra, where he is situated for the summer. When he returns to his home base here, the Artist Series Concerts season will be hosting 27 performances at seven area venues, with a continued focus on outstanding young talents who represent the future of classical music, as well as the return of favorite artists from past seasons.
The season begins in October and continues through May 2022, offering a mix of classical, pops, jazz and special events. Executive director Mary Miller says the group is adding new venues in addition to returning to past favorites, the Fischer-Weisenborne residence, the Sarasota Opera House and the Historic Asolo Theater. The series will also collaborate with State College of Florida in their first-ever piano festival, “Pianopalooza.”
Artist Series Concerts’ new classical Temple Sinai Series features performances by young artists including violinist SooBeen Lee, pianist Dina Vainshtein, Merz Trio, violist Jordan Bak, flutist Anthony Trionfo, pianist Albert Cano Smit, NEXUS Chamber Music Chicago, cellist Alexander Hersh, Quartet Amabile and classical saxophonist Steven Banks. Some of these musicians were originally set to perform here last season, which had to be rearranged due to Covid-19.
Classical accordionist Hanzhi Wang also performs in January.
Image: Matt Dine
The Soiree Series returns to the music room of the Fischer-Weisenborne home with oboist Jonathan Gentry, bassoonist Fernando Traba and pianist Joseph Holt (who will still be associated with the organization despite his departure as director of artist programs), bass-baritone William Socolof, pianist Gracie Francis and tenor John Kaneklides.
The Luncheon Series moves to the Bird Key Yacht Club and features harpist Emmanuel Ceysson, accordionist Hanzhi Wang, Emerging Stars of Sarasota, and violinist Max Tan. The Venice Dinner Series at Plantation Golf & Country Club welcomes the Rick Costa Jazz Quartet, BoyGirlBoyGirl, and soprano Kendra Colton with pianist Kayo Iwama.
About that “Pianopalooza” festival, it takes place April 30 through May 8 and features Antonio Chen Guang, Lin Ye, and Vieness Piano Duo. The piano will also star in the season opener, “Piano Grand: The Fab Four,” which will have four Steinway pianos and performers sharing the stage of the Sarasota Opera House.
Flutist Anthony Trionfo is here in February.
Image: Matt Dine
Other concerts include a holiday concert with the eight-piece ensemble Frisson, Japanese piano virtuoso Harumi Hanafusa and her sister Mami Hanafusa, and 2 Hot 2 Tango with bandoneon-piano duo Ben Bogart and Winnie Cheung, joined by world champion tango dancer Fernanda Ghi and her partner Silvio Grand.
It sounds like a packed musical season; for complete details on dates, performers and tickets, head to artistseriesconcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202. Subscription sales are open now through July 31; single tickets will become available Aug.1.
