Baroque Razzle-Dazzle

Monday, December 31, 2018 at 9 pm

Zilkha Hall / Hobby Center For The Performing Arts

Our New Year’s Eve spotlight shines on violinist Adam LaMotte and Ars Lyrica core instrumentalists, as we ring in 2019 with three dazzling concertos. The first and third “Brandenburg” concertos are brilliant ensemble works for strings and winds. Baroque Razzle-Dazzle pairs these works with an equally extravagant violin concerto by Bach’s close contemporary Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello, who served the Württemberg court in Stuttgart.

• Telemann, Ouverture-Suite in C, TWV 55:C6

• J.S. Bach, "Brandenburg" No. 3, BWV 1048

• Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello, Violin Concerto in G Minor

• J.S. Bach, "Brandenburg" No. 1, BWV 1046

FEATURED SOLOIST

ABOUT THE SOLOIST

Violinist Adam LaMotte is becoming well known to audiences throughout the country as a leader of both period and modern ensembles.  He has appeared as soloist, concertmaster, and conductor of numerous orchestras, including the NorthwestSinfonietta in Seattle, String Orchestra of the Rockies, Astoria Festival Orchestra, Portland Baroque Orchestra, and the Maggini String Orchestra in Houston.As violinist and violist, Adam has been hailed by critics as an "especially compelling" and "superbviolinist" with "exceptional talent," whose performances are "energetic and exquisite." As Artistic Director of the Montana Baroque Festival, he brings first-class period instrument performances to the rural Montana community.  He has co-founded two critically-acclaimed ensembles, in Portland and in Houston, and continues to produce many chamber music and chamber orchestra performances.  In collaboration with ensembles such as American Bach Soloists, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Ars Lyrica, and Chanticleer, Mr. LaMotte performs on period instruments, using a fine Italian instrument made in 1730 by Bernardo Calcagni, for which he is indebted to his generous patrons who made the purchase possible. 

About the New Year’s Eve Party Performers

Dominique McCormick is a lyric soprano from New York known for her “superlative vocals complimented with wonderful expressiveness and impeccable comic timing” (Houstonia). She received her undergraduate and masters degrees from the Eastman School of Music. She continued her education and professional experience in France performing oratorio and operatic works with, l’Orchestre Nationale des Pays de la Loire, Théâtre d’Asnières, Théâtre du Tambour-Royal and upon her return to the United States, singing with Opera America, Ars Lyrica and Opera in the Heights in Houston. She is currently finishing her doctoral dissertation on the vocal works of Marital Caillebotte. She is also proud to be the Co-Founder/owner and Artistic Director of Century Fine Arts, a music and fine arts school in Sugar Land, TX.

Recent GRAMMY-nominated [Best Opera Recording – 2011] recording producer Keith Weber is also a choral and orchestral conductor, vocal coach, organist, pianist, harpsichordist, and collaborator widely known for his musical versatility and excellence. 

He is currently Director of Music and Organist at Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Houston and is Artistic Director of Grace Song, Inc., the Texas 501 (c) 3 organization  [www.gracesong.us] that presents captivating concerts of vocal chamber music, helps fine young American singers develop their careers and brings about the creation of exciting new music.

A native of western Pennsylvania, he holds a B.M., cum laude, in Organ Performance and Pedagogy from Southern Methodist University, an M.M. also from SMU and an M.S.M. from Perkins School of Theology. 

Keith was the founding Associate Musical Director of the Lyric Opera of Dallas, and was Head Coach with the 2002-2005 Summer Festival, Opera In The Ozarks, has been Music Staff to four premieres of Houston Grand Opera (2013 and 2014), serves as a resource and vocal/career/life coach for dozens of young singers and works privately in the service of established, working singers across a variety of applications.