SFCC: Ayako Yonetani Trio February 19, 2009

Violinist Dr. Ayako Yonetani will make a return appearance at South Florida Community College with her trio on Thursday, Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m., in the SFCC University Center Auditorium, Highlands Campus.

The trio will perform compositions by a variety of composers including Ludvig van Beethoven, Manuel de Falla, and Felix Mendelssohn.

Dr. Yonetani was born in Kobe, Japan, where at the age of five, she began violin studies with the famous Saburo Sumi. After winning the Japan National competition at age nine, she quickly ascended to the top ranks of Japan's violinists.

Dr. Yonetani received her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from the Juilliard School. Since 1989, she has performed over 240 concerts including 80 international concerts on three continents. These appearances include numerous solo recitals, solos with orchestras, chamber music, and ensemble performances. In addition to concert performances, her international reputation has been enhanced by recordings and engagements as a master-teacher, as well as a judge for many musical competitions.

Currently, Dr. Yonetani is an associate professor of violin and viola at the University of Central Florida, and has been instrumental in introducing contemporary Japanese composers to Western audiences.

Accompanying Yonetani will be pianist Keiko Ohnuki Andrews. Andrews is a winner of the Musicians Club of America national competition for the Florida region, and has also made several appearances as a soloist with the Mozart Festival Orchestra and the Bach Festival Orchestra in Winter Park, Fla. She has served as a keyboard player for the Florida Symphony Orchestra, Space Coast Philharmonic, and is presently playing with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. She has also spent 18 years on the Piano Faculty of Rollins College.

Grace Mihi Bahng on cello was a scholarship student of Leonard Rose and Channing Robbins at the Julliard School where she received her bachelor's and master's degrees in music. She was a member of the Blair String Quartet and associate professor at Vanderbilt University from 1984-1999. She has appeared in recitals at the Library of Congress, Kennedy Center, and on National Public Radio.

This performance is made possible by the generosity of the following season sponsors: Dennis and Melanie Bassetti, Rick and Jean Moyer, Dr. Witford Reid/Sebring Pain Management, and Highlands Today (media sponsor). Performance sponsors include Forrest H. Hilton, CPA, PA, Dr. Antonio and Dorie Roa, and Dr. Richard and Elina Campbell.

Tickets for this performance are $17 or $20 each and may be purchased online at http://performances.southflorida.edu 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tickets may also be purchased Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. by calling the SFCC Box Office at (863) 784-7178 or by visiting the SFCC Box Office located at the SFCC Auditorium, 600 West College Drive, Highlands Campus, Avon Park.

Official Website: http://performances.southflorida.edu