CAC Concert Series Starts Saturday

The Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/Douglas County will present its annual series of chamber concerts at the Cultural Arts Center on second Saturday evenings in February, March and April 2013. The Kinna Chamber Concerts series, named in memory of Douglas County musician and artist Jeanne Kinna, features The Lark Duo with violinist Vera Ilyushina and Lana Pogol on piano on Feb. 9, pianist Joe Chapman on March 9, and 9 String Theory on April 13. Performances begin at 7 p.m. and are followed by a reception in honor of the musicians.

Tickets for the Kinna Chamber Concert series are available for $15 per person, $12 for CAC members and $5 for students and music teachers for each concert, or a subscription price of $30 for all three concerts. 

“This is our seventh year of presenting the popular Kinna Classic Chamber Concerts series,” said CAC Director Laura C. Lieberman. “In 2006 we lost a local legend Jeanne Kinna, and we hope her creative spirit lives on in these concerts at the Cultural Arts Center where she charmed listeners for so many years with her performances. The  2013 Kinna concerts present outstanding musicians from far and near, performing many familiar and a few less well known works as well as in one concert with an unusual instrument, in programs which should appeal to music lovers, students, teachers and the general public.”

The first concert in February features violinist Dr. Vera Ilyushina and Lana Pogul on piano, the Lark Duo offering a very special valentine to anyone interested in classical music.   Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Dr. Vera Ilyushina grew up in a musical family and began studying piano at the age of 2. While studying at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Shalman and Shustin, she showed great promise and toured Russia and Europe extensively. After receiving her degree from the acclaimed music school, she continued her studies at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook where she was student of Lazar Gosman. She moved to Atlanta after earning her doctorate. She has performed with the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Opera and Atlanta Ballet. Lana Pogul was born in Saransk, Russia, where she graduated from the Music College of Saransk before studying at the Moscow State University of the Arts where she received the prestigious President Achievement Award of the Russian Federation. She has performed at many international competitions, music festivals and other events throughout Russia and the United States. The duo will be joined by a guest cellist who will perform several works during the evening.

On Saturday, March 9, the always popular classical pianist and music educator Joe Chapman returns to Douglasville to offer an all-Debussy program for the second Kinna concert this year. Dr. Chapman has presented numerous solo piano recitals in Georgia and throughout the Southeast including performances for public radio and television. He has toured the United States and eight foreign countries as conductor, accompanist (piano and organ) and soloist. Beyond his expertise at the keyboard, Dr. Chapman is active as an arranger and composer. His musical arrangements have been performed by southeastern elementary, middle, high school and college choirs and bands.  He is also gaining recognition as a composer of sacred choral music. As a music theorist, he is completing a comprehensive college music theory text, which includes computer-generated aural exercises. A Professor of Music at North Georgia College & State University, Dr. Chapman is the Director of Keyboard Studies and coordinator of the NGCSU All American Piano Celebration.

The 2013 Kinna Classic Chamber series concludes on April 13, with 9 String Theory featuring Angelina Reed, playing domra, a Russian mandolin-like instrument, and classical guitarist John Huston. The pair performs music of great variety and intense virtuosity, evoking musical traditions both ancient and modern. This season, 9 String Theory is performing music of Argentina, Russia, Austria, Brazil, Rumania, and Italy. Angelina Galashenkova-Reed was eight years old when she began her musical studies at the St. Petersburg Music School in Russia. As a student at the Mussorgsky College of Music in St. Petersburg and the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow, she won top prizes at the All Russia National Domra and International Folk Artists Competitions. Before moving to the US in 2001, Angelina performed as a soloist with the famous Andreev Russian Folk Orchestra in St. Petersburg, Police Orchestra of Moscow and numerous small ensembles.  She was also mandolin soloist with Chamber Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Russia. As a concert performer, she performed throughout Russia, the U.S. (including a 1991 Carnegie hall debut), numerous European countries, Japan and Australia. John Huston has distinguished himself as one of the most exciting and expressive guitarists of his generation. The Southern Arts Federation has hailed him "…one of the finest young guitarists today;” Guitar International praised him as "a formidable talent;" and La Stampa called his playing "...mesmerizing." He won first place in the 2001 Aranjuez Strings International Guitar Competition and top prizes in the Concours International de Guitare de Lachine, American String Teachers Association National Guitar Competition, and the National Federation of Music Clubs Guitar Competition. He has performed frequently with eminent guitarist and professor Richard Todd.  In addition to solo performances, Huston has also performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Opera, Bent Frequency, DeKalb Symphony Orchestra, Athens Chamber Singers, and Morehouse and Spelman College choirs.

The 2013 Kinna Classic Chamber Concert Series subscriptions are $30 per person for all three concerts; tickets to individual concerts will be $15 ($12 for CAC members). Students and music teachers are only $5 per person. Seating is limited, so reservations are recommended. Please call the Cultural Arts Council at 770-949-2787.