Ladies Musical Club: Music for the Holidays
Free
- Dhanushi Wijeyakulasuriya, soprano
- Rob Toren, piano
- Emily Riesser, piano
- Karin McCullough, piano
Hugo Wolf — Mörike-Lieder (No. 23: Auf ein altes Bild; No. 25: Schlafendes Jesuskind)
Michael Head — O Gloriosa Domina
Alan Hovhaness — Watchman, Tell Us of the Night, Op. 34
George Winston — Thanksgiving
Akira Yuyama — Confections: A Piano Sweet ("Baumkuchen")
Ralph Vaughan Williams — Fantasia on Greensleeves
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — "XII. December: Christmas" (Christmas Waltz) from The Seasons, Op. 37a
Traditional — Auld Lang Syne
Ernst von Dohnányi — Winterreigen, Op. 13 ("Postludium")
LMC members present a holiday-themed program that will delight audiences.
About Ladies Musical Club of Seattle
Formed in 1891, the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to foster classical music amongst our members and in the community through education, performance, and awards. We do this by offering music and education programs to people of all ages and diverse backgrounds in Seattle and across Washington State.
About the Frances Walton Competition: For nearly 40 years, the LMC's Frances Walton Competition has provided a unique opportunity for Classical musicians ages 20 to 35 to audition for an award package including generous cash prizes; a live performance on Classical KING, one of the premier classical music stations in the U.S.; and an outreach and recital tour of locations throughout Washington State.
http://www.lmcseattle.org/About Dhanushi Wijeyakulasuriya, soprano
Dhanushi Wijeyakulasuriya, originally from Sri Lanka, holds a Licentiate Diploma in Singing from Trinity College of Music, London. She began voice lessons in 2004, in Sri Lanka with Menaka Sahabandu and also studied with Asitha Tennekoon. At 17, she made her debut with the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka. Dhanushi has performed extensively in Sri Lanka.
Highlights include soprano soloist in Vivaldi's Gloria, scenes from The Marriage of Figaro (Susanna) and The Barber of Seville (Rosina), and The Workshop Players' The Phantom of the Opera (Christine Daae). After moving to the U.S. in 2015 she studied voice with Timothi Williams and Dr. Rachel Copeland at Penn State. Dhanushi has since presented several solo recitals in the U.S. She currently continues her vocal studies with Rachel Anne Moore and Barbara Bonney. In addition to her musical pursuits, she holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from Penn State and works as a Senior Data Scientist at Microsoft.
About Rob Toren, piano
Rob Toren has been a professional singer for most of his musical life, including most recently undertaking several small roles at Seattle Opera 1998-2014. After retiring from both singing and as a non-profit executive, he has returned to his first love, the piano. Because of his background as a singer and his earlier career days in NYC, he now gravitates towards the art song literature, with programs focusing on both the French (Debussy and Faure) and German traditions (Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Strauss). He most recently studied with Joyce Gibb.
About Emily Riesser, piano
Soprano Emily Riesser's diverse experience encompasses opera, oratorio, theatre, and new works. She recently portrayed Elle in a staging of Poulenc’s one-voice opera, 'The Human Voice' (Ladies Musical Club), sang Frasquita in 'Carmen' (Kitsap Opera), and played a nun in 'Sister Act' (Tacoma Musical Playhouse). In concert, Emily is known for her interpretation of Bach cantatas, including the Wedding Cantata, which she sang recently in several venues. Favorite experiences include singing Iphigenie in Gluck’s 'Iphigenie en Tauride' (Seattle Opera Guild), Violetta in Verdi’s 'La traviata' (Kitsap Opera), Tamiri in Mozart’s 'Il re pastore' (Off-Center Opera), and soprano chorus at Seattle Opera. Emily is a graduate of Goshen College (Goshen, IN) and past participant in Bel Canto Northwest (Portland State University).
About Karin McCullough, piano
Karin McCullough took the less-traveled road to a music career. A serious pianist while growing up in Illinois, she suppressed her aspirations and instead became a paralegal. One day she was asked to accompany opera singers at a Fremont Bistro—a weekly engagement lasting 5 years. By then her popularity as an accompanist, soloist and piano teacher let her trade her life as a paralegal for that of a full-time musician. Karin is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Piano. Karin maintains a flourishing piano studio in Ballard and performs frequently in the Seattle area. She is an active volunteer and member of Seattle Music Teachers Association (SMTA), Principal Organizer for the local chapter of Bach in the Subways, and has served on the boards of SMTA and Musical Experiences, a nonprofit classical music education organization. Karin is the pianist for Third Church of Christ, Scientist.
http://Bachinthesubways.comSeattle Public Library – Central Library Microsoft Auditorium
1000 Fourth Ave.Seattle, WA 98104
United States