Mandolin Magic with Avi Avital March 21, 2010

Noted Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital plays music of Bach and Beethoven, plus a wonderful Corelli Concerto Grosso and Oswaldo Golijov's "Last Round", a simmering tango-infused work for double string quartet and double bass.

Program:
Corelli Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8
Bach Concerto in A minor (arrangement of the violin concerto)
Beethoven Andante con Variazioni (arr. Simon/Frank)
Golijov Last Round for Strings
Tango encores by Astor Piazzolla

Avi Avital (b. 1978)
"...Avital's playing, which can be defined as 'everything you never dreamt a mandolin could do,' was truly breathtaking in virtuosity and dedication."
Noam Ben Ze'ev, Haaretz Daily, April 6, 2006
Israeli mandolin player Avi Avital has performed with orchestras around the world, including the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, I Pomeriggi Musicali di Milano (Italy), the Rostov State Theatre Orchestra (Russia), the Metropolis Ensemble (New York), the Israel Chamber Orchestra, and Orchestra Milano Classica. He has played under the baton of distinguished conductors such as Mastislav Rostropovitch, Asher Fisch, Phillip Entremont and Antonello Manacorda. Avi has recorded albums Sony Classical, Mode Records NY, and La Discantica. Since 2004 he has performed regularly with the renowned clarinetist Giora Feidman, with whom he recently played in the International Youth Day, Koln, in the presence of the Pope Benedict the 16th. His playing can be heard in the Israeli Classical Music radio stations Kol Hamusica, RAI3 Italy, MDR and Bayern 4 in Germany and at the WQXR in New York, among others.

Official Website: http://www.sfchamberorchestra.org/concerts/home-concert/