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You might not think there were new stones left to turn in the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy's annual Vivaldi by Candlelight concert. You'd be wrong.
Gerald Elias has been music director of the popular event since 2004, but he hasn't presented an all-Vivaldi program until now. This year's edition will include concertos by the Italian Baroque master for all four string instruments, in addition to a pair of sinfonias and a work that shows off the entire Vivaldi Virtuosi chamber orchestra.
The soloists, all current or former Salt Lake residents:
Bonnie Terry • The violinist, a former student of Elias' and now associate concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony, will perform the C Minor concerto written for Johann Georg Pisendel, one of the leading violinists of Vivaldi's day. "It's probably the most extensive concerto Vivaldi wrote that I know of," Elias said. "I'm grateful Bonnie is playing it so I don't have to practice."
Claudine Bigelow • The violist, a member of the Brigham Young University faculty, will play a transcription of Cello Sonata No. 5 in E Minor. "Vivaldi cheated us by not writing a viola concerto," Elias noted. The transcription by Benedict Goodfriend fills in that gap.
Noriko Kishi • The cellist, who performs regularly with the Utah Symphony, will be featured in the B Minor Cello Concerto, RMV 424. "It's gorgeous, gorgeous, kind of dark and rich, and really shows off the quality of the instrument that chocolatey sound Vivaldi loved," Elias said.
Denson Angulo • The bassist, better-known as a member of the Jazz Vespers Quartet, has corrected another Vivaldi oversight, the absence of a concerto for string bass, Elias said. "Denson has taken the A Minor Violin Concerto, the one every Suzuki student plays, and transcribed it. It's going to be neat to hear it on the string bass. It will demonstrate Denson's virtuosity."
Bookending the concert will be a pair of sinfonias written as overtures to rarely performed operas; square in the middle will be the three-movement Concerto for Strings in A Major, RV 158.
"Vivaldi wrote hundreds and hundreds of concertos," Elias said. "You find a real variety of qualities and colors in these concertos. It's great to see how versatile a composer he was. It should be a fun, fun program."
When • Saturday, Dec. 5, 8 p.m.
Where • First Presbyterian Church, 12 C St., Salt Lake City
Tickets • $45; proceeds benefit Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy; utahdiplomacy.org
Catherine Reese Newton