U. of Chicago: Elena Urioste & U. of Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 'The Decade of The Great Patriotic War' Mar. 5, 8PM

[Elena Urioste (Credit: Matt Stuart)]

Tout de Suite

University of Chicago Department of Music Performance Program

Elena Urioste, one of the most sought-after young violinists in the country, will join the University of Chicago Symphony Orchestra on its program in partnership with The Soviet Arts Experience, 'The Decade of The Great Patriotic War,' for one night only on Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. in Mandel Hall. Urioste, who will perform Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, replaces Hahn-Bin, who canceled his performance due to tendonitis. Myaskowsky’s Symphony No. 22 in B minor, 'Symphonic Ballad' opens the program. The concert concludes a weeklong residency during which Urioste will engage with the campus and surrounding community in outreach endeavors.

Urioste made her Chicago debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in April 2010 with a performance of Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, which earned her praise from John von Rhein, Chicago Tribute, ('The gifted young violinist, Elena Urioste, in her Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut, charmed the audience with her lyrical sensitivity.'), Andrew Patner, Chicago Sun-Times, ('If anyone has played solo pianissimos at Orchestra Hall with the hypnotic delicacy that Urioste offered, I must have been away. Let’s hear her again soon.'), and Lawrence A. Johnson, Chicago Classical Review, ('From the hushed rustle of her opening bars, the 23-year old violinist played with inward delicacy and expressive poise, her communicative performance aided by the sweet, penetrating sound of the $18 million “Vieuxtemps” Guarneri, on loan from the Stradivari Society for these concerts.')

Elena Urioste, featured on the cover of Symphony magazine as an emerging artist to watch, has been hailed by critics and audiences alike for her lush tone, the nuanced lyricism of her playing, and her commanding stage presence. Since first appearing with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age thirteen, she has made acclaimed debuts with major orchestras throughout the United States, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Boston Pops, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and the Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Richmond, San Antonio, and Sarasota symphony orchestras. In Europe, she has appeared with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Hungary’s Orchestra Dohnányi Budafok. Urioste is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Joseph Silverstein, Pamela Frank, and Ida Kavafian. She completed graduate studies with Joel Smirnoff at The Juilliard School.

“Admission to 'The Decade of The Great Patriotic War' will be collected at the door ($10 adults/$5 students and children under 12). The 100-member University Symphony Orchestra presents an ambitious season of six major concerts per year. The Department of Music’s thirteen performance program ensembles present over a hundred stimulating and varied concerts each year.”

Detroit News: 'Sphinx engages young minority musicians'; Elena Urioste is Guest Sunday, Feb. 7

[Violinist Elena Urioste will be a guest performer at Sunday's Sphinx competition at Orchestra Hall at The Max. (Sphinx Organization) From The Detroit News]

DetNews.com
Lawrence B. Johnson / Special to The Detroit News
“What a distance the Sphinx Organization has come in its advocacy of young black and Latino string players. Aaron Dworkin, who founded (invented might be a more apt word) Sphinx a dozen years ago, measures the success of his mission in pragmatic terms. 'At the beginning, many people -- including professional musicians of color -- said to me, “The talent simply isn't out there,”' Dworkin says. 'I don't hear that any more.'

“This weekend, the Sphinx Organization holds its 12th annual competition finals for aspiring minority string players in junior and senior divisions. The senior finals at Orchestra Hall on Sunday will feature two Sphinx laureates, violinists Elena Urioste and Melissa White. Emblematic of Sphinx's core purpose, the orchestra accompanying the finalists in both divisions will be made up entirely of black and Latino musicians, all professionals from orchestras and music schools around the country. The conductor will be Detroit native Damon Gupton, a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Juilliard School.

“Over the past 11 years, the Sphinx Organization has awarded more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships. But just as important, Dworkin says, competition winners have received invaluable opportunities to play with major American orchestras. 'Our laureates are visible,' Dworkin says. That's a proud father's understatement. In recent months, the best and brightest of Sphinx alums have appeared on 'The Today Show' and 'Good Morning America,' performed at Carnegie Hall and been received at the White House. 'The television appearances are critically important because of the sheer numbers of people they reach,' Dworkin says. 'And the effect on the young musicians involved is beyond measure.'” [Violinist Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970) is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

Detroit Free Press: 'Former winner Elena Urioste to solo at Sphinx competition'

[Elena Urioste]

BY MARK STRYKER • FREE PRESS MUSIC WRITER • January 25, 2009
At 22, violinist Elena Urioste is still studying at the Juilliard School, but she's on a fast track. With professional management behind her, she has embarked on a solo career. This week Urioste returns to Detroit for the 12th annual Sphinx Competition for young African-American and Latino string players, the launching pad for her success. Urioste won the Sphinx junior division in 2003 and the senior division in 2007. At this year's event, she'll team up with another former Sphinx winner, Melissa White, at next Sunday's Finals Concert. The pair will perform part of Prokofiev's Sonata for Two Violins. The Sphinx competition, founded by MacArthur fellow Aaron Dworkin, has become a signature national event for its efforts to promote minorities in classical music. The competition doles out more than $100,000 annually in prizes, scholarships and performance opportunities. [Full Post] [The Founder/President of The Sphinx Organization is violinist Aaron P. Dworkin, who is profiled as a Musician of African Descent at AfriClassical.com]

Violinist Elena Urioste & Colorado Symphony Orchestra: Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute

19^th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert
Scott O’Neil, conductor
Eleana Urioste, violin
The Fourteeners of the Rocky Mountain Children’s Choir
The Spirituals Project Choir

The Majestic Praise Choir from New Hope Baptist Church

Thursday Jan. 17· 7:00 p.m.

On Thursday, January 17^th, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in partnership with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Awards Committee will present the 19^th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The evening’s concert will include symphonic and choral music by African-American composers, and performances by: violinist Elena Urioste, the extraordinary 2007 first place Sphinx Competition winner, The Fourteeners of the Rocky Mountain Children’s Choir, The Spirituals Project Choir, and The Majestic Praise Choir from New Hope Baptist Church.