Jose Franch-Ballester, clarinet soloist
February 9, 2008
Copland: Clarinet Concerto

Born in Moncofa, Spain into a family of clarinetists and Zarzuela singers, Jose Franch-Ballester began clarinet lessons at the age of nine with Venancio Rius Marti, and gave his first recital in Valencia at the age of sixteen.  He graduated from the Joaquin Rodrigo Music Conservatory in Valencia in 2000.  In Spain he also won First Prize in the Competition of the Cultural Council of Valencia for three consecutive years (2001-2003) and First Prize in the “Francisco Hernandez Guirado” Interpretive Soloists Competition.

 

Mr. Franch-Ballester was recently selected for Carnegie Hall’s Professional Training Workshop with Emanuel Ax and Richard Stoltzman in December 2007.  Focusing on the Brahms sonatas, the week-long workshop concludes with a performance in Carnegie’s Weill Hall.  He is a member of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two, and as a chamber musician is in demand for numerous festivals, including Chamber Music Northwest (OR), Saratoga Performing Arts Center (NY), the Skaneateles Festival (NY), the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, Music from Angel Fire (NM), the Usedomer Musikfestival in Germany, the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, the 2007 Cartagena Festival Internacional de Música in Colombia, and the 2006 Young Concert Artists Festival Week at Nexus Hall in Tokyo.  He has performed Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time with Arnold Steinhardt, as well as the world premiere of Jake Heggie’s song cycle Winter Roses with mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade in 2004. In February and March of 2008 he tours California as guest artist with the Jupiter String Quartet.

 

In addition to his appearance with the Vallejo Symphony, Mr. Franch-Ballester’s concerto soloist appearances include the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s under the direction of Keith Lockhart at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall, and appearances in his native Spain with the Orquesta de Radio Television Española, Orquesta Sinfónica Castellón, Orquesta Supramusica, Orquesta Cambra XX Teatro Monumental (Madrid), and the Musica de Vall de Uxo Orchestra. 

 

Mr. Franch-Ballester won First Prize in the 2004 Young Concert Artists International Auditions.  He was also awarded the Alexander Kasza-Kasser Prize, which sponsored his Washington, DC debut at the Kennedy Center, and the Claire Tow Prize, which sponsored his New York debut at the 92nd Street Y.  He performs numerous recitals and educational residencies across the United States at venues including Merkin Hall in New York, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the La Jolla Music Society (CA), the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (FL), the Washington Center for the Performing Arts (WA), Missouri State University, Monmouth College (NJ), Western Michigan University, Boise State University, Middle Keys Concert Association (FL), Harvard Musical Association, and the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts (MI).

Mr. Franch-Ballester came to the U.S. to The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he graduated in 2005, and studied clarinet with Donald Montanaro and Ricardo Morales and chamber music with Pamela Frank.  He is also on the roster of Astral Artistic Services in Philadelphia, having won first prize at their 2004 National Auditions, and performs with the woodwind quintet Astral Winds.

Wes Kenney, Guest Conductor
October 21, 2007

Conductor Wes Kenney is Music Director at Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra and also holds the position of Associate Professor at Colorado State University, where he conducts the University Symphony and Chamber Orchestra and teaches graduate conducting. He recently was also named Music Director of Opera Fort Collins.

Maestro Kenney recently won the First Annual Varna International Conductors Competition in Bulgaria.  His performances, described by reviewers as "beautiful and exciting," "lively and stylish," and "first-rate," have resulted in his growing demand as a guest conductor, resulting in his appearances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Savannah Symphony, Acadiana Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Dubuque Symphony, New Mexico Symphony, San Juan Symphony, and many others. Last season he was Artistic Advisor to the Williamsburg Symphonia in Virginia.

Prior to his Colorado appointments, Maestro Kenney was Associate Conductor of the Virginia Symphony for six seasons, where he appeared with that orchestra in over 350 performances in subscription, pops, family, and young people’s concerts. In his six years in that position he worked with such artists as David Shifrin, Doc Severinson, Norman Krieger, Kathy Mattea, Burt Bacharach, and Toni Tennille.

Maestro Kenney was Co-principal Conductor of the Oakland Lyric Opera for four seasons and Music Director of the Virginia Ballet Theater. Awarded the prestigious Carmen Dragon Conducting Prize in 1992, Wes Kenney served as Music Director of the Oakland Youth Orchestra for five seasons. He led that orchestra on a successful tour of Asia in 1995 and Central Europe in 1993. Mr. Kenney's programming for Oakland Youth Orchestra won the ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming twice, in 1995 and 1996.

Mr. Kenney has also enjoyed success directing from the orchestra pit, having conducted for opera, ballet, and musical theater. In 2004 he conducted Colorado State University Opera's production of Albert Herring. He has appeared as conductor for Taconic Opera's production of Carmen and Gianni Schicchi, Die Kluge for Oakland Lyric Opera, Dear World, Into the Woods, and The Secret Garden for San Francisco State University, Oliver! for TOP Theater, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat for the University of Southern California, and No, No, Nanette for the Masquers Club. For the latter he won a LAWEE award (presented by LA Weekly) as music director of the year. In addition he has conducted numerous performances of The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Firebird, and many other dance works. Mr. Kenney will return to the opera theater to conduct Carmen and The Tender Land this season.

Mr. Kenney is a graduate of the University of Southern California and San Francisco State University. Additional studies include three years as a fellow at the Conductors Institute, several American Symphony Orchestra League and Conductors Guild Workshops, and Die Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. His teachers include Harold Farberman, Hans Beer, Herbert Blomstedt, Gunther Schuller, Hans Swarovsky, and Miltiardes Carides.

Maestro Kenney comes to Vallejo Symphony in a podium exchange.  David Ramadanoff conducted Wes Kenney’s Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra during the 2005-06 season.


marcolivia, violin and viola soloists

October 21, 2007
Schnittke's Moz-Art à la Haydn
Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante

Violinists Marc Ramirez and Olivia Hajioff, who together form the violin and violin/viola duo marcolivia, have concertized extensively throughout the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, England, Canada, Mexico and Japan. They have performed in many of the world's cultural centers, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, Moscow, London, Tokyo, and Mexico City. Their performances have been featured on radio and television broadcasts, seen and heard throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. They have performed chamber music at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, and have performed with chamber music notables including Leon Fleisher, Awadagin Pratt, and Edgar Meyer.

 

Marc and Olivia have been recipients of a Fulbright fellowship and prizes from competitions including the BBC Young Musician of the Year, the European Violin Competition, and the Henryk Szerying Violin Competition, among others. In addition, they were the only chamber music finalists in the Concert Artists Guild International Competition in 2000. marcolivia presents master classes worldwide and are artists-in-residence at the Tokyo College of Music. The duo is on the faculty of Shenandoah University, Las Vegas Summer Music Festival, and Dartington International Summer Festival, and are on the roster of the Millenium Stage at the Kennedy Center and the Touring Artists for the Virginia Commission for the Arts.  They appeared with the Vallejo Symphony during the 2004-05 season.  Visit them on the web at marcolivia.com.