The Mallarmé Chamber Players Present “Chamber Music for the People!” Sunday, September 30

This preview has been provided by the Mallarmé Chamber Players.

The Mallarmé Chamber Players celebrate the first concert of their 29^th season of performances with an impressive concert featuring jazz-inspired string sextet works composed by double bassist Rick Robinson as well as a classic work, the String Sextet in A Major by Antonín Dvořák. Mr. Robinson, a bassist with the Detroit Symphony, composer and music ambassador, will appear as guest artist with the Mallarmé Chamber Players.

As an African American bass player with 22 years experience in the Detroit Symphony, Mr. Robinson feels a strong desire to share the kind of music he loves with curious music lovers who typically avoid classical music. He believes everyone deserves to enjoy the beauty and power of classical music and especially to understand why anyone would want to continue this tradition. To that end, he has been articulating his desire as well as designing programs and music that offer a bridge between pop and classical cultures.

Although scored for a traditional classical chamber ensemble, Robinson’s music is a fusion of jazz and classical with elements of tango, gospel, rock, country, folk, blues, Detroit funk and even reggae. Works bearing titles such as Gitcha Groove On! and Pork ‘n Beans include open-ended grooves that invite adventuresome classical musicians to improvise solos and inspire audiences to get up and dance. Mallarmé will be performing both of these works in the second half of the program in addition to arrangements of music by Duke Ellington and Mikhail Glinka. This program, which Rick Robinson calls CutTime Sinfonica, “is powered by musicians hell-bent on creating New Classical. It’s REAL music for REAL people.”

He says of the Mallarmé concert: “I’m really excited to come to Durham, play my music, meet the community and turn curious people on with the dramatic possibilities of classical music. I love making it accessible by explaining what I think it’s all about, why it’s called ‘classical’ and how it relates to humanity.”

In addition to Mr. Robinson, four dynamic, principal string players with the North Carolina Symphony will join Mallarmé’s artistic director and violist Suzanne Rousso in this performance. This includes Associate Concertmaster Dovid Friedlander, Acting Principal 2nd Violinist Jackie Wolborsky, Assistant Principal Violist Chris Fischer and Principal Cellist Bonnie Thron.

New this season, Mallarmé is introducing a series of “Listening Lunches” which will be presented on the Friday before select concerts at Beyu Caffe in downtown Durham (335 W Main St) which will give listeners information about the upcoming performance. Mr. Robinson will be appearing on Friday, September 28, from 12 – 1pm, and admission is free with purchase of lunch and/or coffee.

Individual tickets as well as season subscription flex packages are on sale now. Flex packages will be made available until Sunday, September 30; individual tickets for all 2012-13 series concerts are available throughout the season by either calling the Mallarmé office at 919/560-2788 or ordering online at www.mallarmemusic.org/concerts.html. In addition, there are four area retail outlets for tickets (cash or check only): High Strung Violins & Guitars and Morgan Imports in Durham, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill and Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh. Full details for ordering tickets can be found on Mallarmé Chamber Players’ website: www.mallarmemusic.org. 

Hayti Heritage Center – 804 Old Fayetteville St, Durham

$18 adv, $20 door | $15 K-12 Educators | $5 Students

Listening Lunch: Friday, September 28, 2012 at 12:00 PM | Beyu Caffe – 335 W Main St, Durham

Featuring guest artist Rick Robinson, of the Detroit Symphony, in a program that includes classic chamber music, Robinson’s own jazz/urban-infused works and unique string sextet arrangements of jazz standards.

Antonín Dvořák – String Sextet in A Major, Op. 48
Mikhail Glinka (arr. Robinson) – Overture from Russlan & Ludmilla
Rick Robinson – Pork ‘n Beans
Duke Ellington – “Martin Luther King”
Rick Robinson – Elegy
Rick Robinson – City of Trees

ARTISTS: Rick Robinson, double bass and composer; Dovid Friedlander and Jacqueline Wolborsky, violin; Chris Fischer and Suzanne Rousso, viola; Bonnie Thron, cello

This performance and Mr. Robinson’s appearance is sponsored by George Chandler.

TICKETS: www.mallarmemusic.org/concerts.html or 919/560-2788

The Mallarmé Chamber Players are a flexible ensemble of professional musicians based in Durham, North Carolina, whose mission is to enrich the lives of their community through outstanding chamber music. The ensemble distinguishes itself by its innovative educational programs, its commitment to creative collaboration with other organizations, its creation of significant new work and its dedication to serve a diverse population.

Mallarmé annually presents a series of five concerts that features great, diverse, and multidisciplinary chamber music. Mallarmé performs everything from Bach with period instruments to brand new works. In this past year alone, Mallarmé has presented two world premières by composers Gwyneth Walker and Katrina Wreede. In 2010, Mallarmé released a CD on Albany/Videmus records of chamber music by African American composers to great acclaim.

Mallarmé is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization. The 2012-13 concert season is made possible in part by grants from the Durham Arts Council’s Annual Fund, The North Carolina Arts Council and the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation.