World famous violinist to take music to north and south of country
Midori: Spreading the gift of music
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the Chamber Music Society of Colombo (CMCS) presents world renowned violinist, Midori with the Midori Violin Studio Project. This pioneering 10-day project around Sri Lanka will include master classes, string workshops and concerts sponsored by Fairway Holdings.
Midori – recognised as one of the 25 greatest violinists of all time made her debut with the New York Philharmonic at age 11 and has performed in major international capitals and cultural centres with the world’s top orchestras. Her discography runs to dozens of recordings, culminating in The Essential Midori, a compilation issued by Sony Masterworks.
Midori has built upon her fame by founding a series of successful not-for-profit organizations and other ongoing youth-directed projects. Midori & Friends, created in New York City in 1992, brings musical education to underprivileged children, in partnership with the city’s public schools.
In Sri Lanka, Midori, together with her nine-member team of musicians will conduct workshops focusing on music students and teachers. It will commence with an orchestral workshop for the string section of Sri Lankan Youth orchestras.
A special recital by Midori’s students will be presented at the Goethe-Institute on March 15, and the project will conclude with a concert at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on March 17, where all the musicians along with members of the CMSC will perform some outstanding repertoire such as the brilliant Octet for violins, ‘Gran Turismo’ composed by Andrew Norman, and music by Ravel, Respighi, Chausson, Dvorak, Kreisler, Massenet, Liszt, Vivaldi and Corigliano.
The project will also visit numerous institutions for charity performances, with the aim of taking their music to those who normally would never have the opportunity to listen to world class music. The Project also envisages Midori and her team travelling to the north and south of the island and conducting workshops with young musicians of those regions.