The Dorset Players invite you to a benefit concert, featuring
an evening of music by world-class violinist Nicolas Kendall with special guest Pallavi Mahidhara, concert pianist, and including Vivaldi's Autumn (Four Seasons).
Date: Saturday, October 3
Time: 7:30 PM
$25 adults, $20 students
complimentary wine reception
following the performance
For more info, please call Sheila Conway at 802-867-5570 or visit http://dorsetplayers.org/
NICOLAS KENDALL, Violinist
"...Nicolas Kendall is a violinist clearly poised for a substantial career..." The Philadelphia Inquirer
Praised by The Washington Post for his "warmth, energy, and exuberance," Japanese American violinist Nicolas Kendall has emerged as one of the most compelling musicians of his generation. Increasingly, he is being recognized as an artist of uncompromising musical standards who brings an exhilarating combination of technique and passion to all his performances.
A native of Washington, DC, Kendall first came to attention in 1995 when he won the National Symphony Orchestra's Young Artist Competition. A year later, in 1996, he won first prize in another young artist competition, earning him a performance as featured guest soloist with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Since this auspicious debut, Kendall has been increasingly in demand as a soloist, chamber musician, and recitalist. To date, he has graced the premier stages of Chicago, San Francisco, Cleveland, New York, and Tokyo, in performances with such noted ensembles as the Flagstaff, San Juan, Haddonfield, and Mansfield symphonies, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati and Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestras. Most recently, Kendall was heard in highly acclaimed performances of two major classics: The Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Wichita and Asheville symphonies and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the San Diego Symphony. A prolific recitalist, Kendall has concertized in such esteemed venues as Washington, DC's Kennedy Center and Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. He has also given recitals in Pittsburgh, Springfield (Ohio), Jacksonville, and Bethesda, among others, and recently, pianist Ruth Laredo invited him to perform with her on her concert series at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Naples, Florida.
A graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied with Victor Danchenko, Kendall is the recipient of numerous awards. In 2000, he joined the roster of Astral Artistic Services as a winner of its prestigious National Auditions. Astral featured him on its "Rising Stars" series at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and presented his acclaimed Philadelphia recital debut; he has also appeared as a member of the Astral Trio at both the Los Angeles Chamber Music Festival and in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center. In 2002, Kendall won First Prize at the Young Concerts Artists (YCA) International Auditions, which led to a New York recital debut at the 92nd Street Y, as well as an appearance as part of YCA's concert series at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, to name just a few opportunities.
While committed to the standard repertoire, Kendall's affinity for contemporary music has led to numerous collaborations and performances. During the 2004-2005 season, he performed John Corigliano's Red Violin Suite with the Anchorage Symphony. Later that season, Kendall's interpretation of Kenji Bunch's Fantasy with the Westchester Philharmonic at New York's Alice Tully Hall prompted The New York Times to praise "(Kendall) played with conviction and technical command".
His passion for bringing together musical genres of all styles has also prompted Kendall to join forces with two fellow Curtis Institute of Music students Ranaan Meyer and Zachary DePue to create Time for Three, today one of America's brightest, most unique ensembles. The trio, hailed by Sir Simon Rattle as "...Monsters of ability and technique, conveyors of an infectious joy," appears all around the nation in repertoire that ranges from bluegrass, Hungarian gypsy, jazz, country-western fiddling, classical, and improvisatory music. The group has performed well over two hundred engagements in venues as diverse as its music, appearing as featured guest soloists with the Philadelphia Orchestra, opening for They Might Be Giants at Philadelphia's Penn's Landing, and, in one of many outreach concerts, performing at Paul Newman's Hole In The Wall Gang Camp's "Fandango XIV".
In addition to Time for Three Kendall is also co-founder of the Dryden String Quartet, an ensemble he created with his cellist sister Yumi Kendall, violist cousin Daniel Foster and violinist Nurit Bar-Josef, as well as the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, known as ecco. Other chamber music appearances include numerous concerts at the Encore Summer and Marlboro Music Festivals. In 2001, Kendall participated in Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Chamber Music Seminar.
Kendall, who began playing the violin at three years of age, hails from a musical family. His grandfather, John Kendall, was the first string teacher in the Unites States to pioneer the Suzuki method. In the spirit of this rich musical heritage, Kendall participates in numerous outreach activities nationwide. He also conducts master classes and workshops. Nicolas Kendall is a recipient of a 2005 Career Advancement Award from the Musical Fund Society. He also received a fellowship from the Independence Foundation and a grant in support of his musical career from the Presser Foundation.
Additional information can be found on the Nicolas Kendall's website, www.nickendall.com.
Last updated May 2006
PALLAVI MAHIDHARA, Concert Pianist
One of today's bright and upcoming young artists, Pallavi Mahidhara combines mature musical insight, an astounding technique, and a charismatic stage presence. At 22 years old, this remarkable artist is already a seasoned veteran of the concert stage, having appeared in solo and orchestral concerts across 4 continents. She has performed in such venues as the Chicago Symphony Center, the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, National Council of Performing Arts in Mumbai, National Concert Hall in Beijing, and Teatro Jovellanos in Spain. In September 2008, on a few hours' notice, she stepped in for Van Cliburn at the 2008 Liberty Medal ceremony honoring former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Philadelphia, PA.
Pallavi made her orchestral debut at the age of 10, performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Majorwith the Disney's Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. Her first appearance with a major orchestra was at the age of 14, performing Saint Saens' Concerto No. 2 with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC, under the baton of Newton Wayland. Other orchestras with whom she has appeared include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Concert Orchestra, Banff Festival Orchestra in Canada, China National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, and Asturias National Orchestra in Spain. In May 2008, she made her South African debut with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini. In January and February, Pallavi opened the 2009 concert season with the Cape Philharmonic and the Kwa-Zulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestras in South Africa. She made her South American debut in March with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador. She returned for two performances with the Johannesburg Philharmonic in June.
In March of 2008, Pallavi was invited to participate at the International Musicians' Seminar at Prussia Cove in Cornwall, England. In the summer of 2006, Pallavi was awarded the "Most Promising Young Pianist" at the prestigious Verbier Academy in Switzerland. In previous summers, she has attended summer festivals in Banff and Aspen, and performed concertos with their festival orchestras in her first year of attendance.
In 2003, Pallavi was the youngest ever recipient of a $25,000 Davidson Fellowship for her extraordinary achievements in the field of music. In February 2008, Pallavi was the only finalist from the US at the UNISA International Piano Competition in South Africa. She won Fourth Prize, and was additionally awarded prize for Best Romantic Concerto, and the audience choice award. In the US, Pallavi has garnered prizes in several national competitions including Grand Prize in the 2003 Kingsville Young Performers Competition, First prizes in the 2005 MTNA Yamaha Competition, 2002 Julia Crane Young Artists Competition, and 2001 MTNA Baldwin Competition. At age 13, Pallavi won Second Prize as the youngest contestant in the history of the Beethoven Piano Competition in Memphis, Tennessee. Other awards include Third prize at the 2004 Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Competition, and Second Prize at the 2006 National Piano Arts competition.
Pallavi is also an active chamber musician. She has collaborated with musicians from the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the London Philharmonic, and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. Her Piano Trio won 2nd Prize in the 2002 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. They also performed in the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (Washington, DC) in 2001.
In 2000, Pallavi was featured on "Piano Grand," a celebration of the piano's 300th birthday, hosted by Billy Joel and produced by the Smithsonian Institution and the Maryland Public Television. She has appeared twice on the nationally acclaimed radio show "From the Top", as well as on the award-winning national television series "Musical Encounters."
Pallavi is in her final year as a full-scholarship student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, studying with Ignat Solzhenitsyn. Prior to Curtis, she studied with Julian Martin, Rachel Franklin, and Emilio Del Rosario. She has participated in Masterclasses with Richard Goode, George Crumb, Anton Kuerti, Menahem Pressler, Lambert Orkis, Fred Sherry, Sergei Babayan, Robert McDonald, and Blanca Uribe.
Making Beautiful Music Since 1990!
Last modified: 09/27/09