The Francis Marion University (FMU) Performing Arts Center (PAC) is set to host the second annual South Carolina Chamber Music Festival on Feb. 24 through March 1.
The event is coordinated by Dr. Paolo Andre Gualdi, assistant professor of music at FMU, and will feature world-class musicians who perform throughout Europe, Asia, and South America.
“Some of the highlights of the repertoire presented during the festival will include Chopin’s Sonata for cello and piano,” Gualdi said. “It is one of only three works written by the Polish composer that were not for solo piano, the world premiere of Brandon Goff’s ‘Force Quit’ for the unusual combination of electric guitar and piano, and Fauré’s Piano Quartet No. 2, one of the greatest chamber works of the last 200 years.”
Gualdi said he is thankful for the support he receives from the Fine Arts department at FMU, and from the Ready to Experience Applied Learning (REAL) program, which enables him to organize the festival each year.
“Making this a yearly appointment helps raise the community’s awareness and appreciation for classical music, for our school, and the work we do,” Gualdi said. “It’s a privilege that making music is the core of my profession.”
Guest artists include Qiao Chen Solomon, violin, China (Agnes Scott College); Danijela Zezelj Gualdi, Viola, Serbia (UNC Wilmington); Joseph Eller, clarinet, USA (University of South Carolina), Hyunjung Rachel Cheng, piano, Korea (Spellman College), Dusan Vukajlovic, cello, Serbia, (University of South Carolina), Martin Gueorguier, cello, Bulgaria (Oxford College of Emory University); and Amy Tan and Chee Hang See, piano duo, Malaysia and Singapore (Charleston Academy of Music).
Along with Gualdi, who will be playing the piano, performances by other FMU faculty will include Terry Roberts, Horn; Shane Reeves, Marimba; and Brandon Goff, Electric Guitar.
The event will take place in the PAC’s Black Box Theater according to the following schedule:
Monday: 7:30 p.m. ($5) Music by Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin. Eller, clarinet; Vukajlovic, cello; Gualdi, piano
Tuesday: Piano master class by Hyunjung Rachel Chung, 6 p.m.
Wednesday: “American Duos” 7:30 p.m. ($5) Music by: Beach, Saunders, Basler, Goff and Gershwin. Solomon, violin; Chung, piano; Roberts, horn; Reeves, marimba; Goff, electric guitar; Gualdi, piano
Thursday: Lecture Recital, 6 p.m. Music for Piano Four Hands by Amy Tan and Chee Hang See, piano duo
Friday: Music by Handel-Halvorsen, Beethoven and Fauré. Solomon, violin; Zezelj-Gualdi, viola; Gueorguiev, chello; Gualdi, piano
Saturday: National Bean Market Museum, Lake City, S.C. Music by Handel-Halvorsen, Beethoven and Fauré. Solomon, violin; Zezelj-Gualdi, viola; Gueorguier, cello; Gualdi, piano
Admission is $5 for some events and free for all students with a valid ID. Seating is limited. Please call to reserve tickets at the PAC box office at (843) 661-4444 or email Dr. Paulo André Gualdi at pgualdi@fmarion.edu.