2022-2023 Family Matinees Series
Chamber music concerts for the whole family
Chamber music is a wonderful way for people of all ages to experience the delights, joys and range of emotions that classical music can evoke.
As part of the PSO’s ongoing mission to encourage the audiences and musicians of today and tomorrow, we are please to announce “Family Matinees,” a series of three chamber music concerts in 2023 expressly geared towards families and youth.
Each performance, which features members of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will also include a special guest performance by youth string musician from the PSO’s Stringendo program.
The String Quartet will feature PSO musicians Aniko Geladze, violin, Sargis Karapetyan, violin, Theresa Jaques, viola, Gary Hodges, cello. The program will feature a mix of recognizable classical pieces and family favorites including Claire De Lune by Debussy, Marche Militaire by Franz Schubert, and selections from the score of The Pirates of the Caribbean.
The quartet will be joined by special student guest musicians Elaine Zhan, violin and Eddie Zhan, cello, who will perform “Berceuse” from The Dolly Suite by Fauré. The youth performers will also play a string trio “Recuerdos de la Alhambra” (Remembering the Alhambra) by F. Tarrega with quartet member Aniko Geladze.
Violinist Elaine Zhan of Merrimack, NH is an 11th grader attending the Derryfield School in Manchester, NH. She started violin lessons at age nine and is currently a student of quartet member Aniko Geladze. Elaine has been the First Prize winner of the Elite International Music Competition for four consecutive years and has also won First Prize for solo and concerto competition in the Sempre Musick Competition each year since 2019.
Cellist Eddie Zhan of Merrimack, NH is an 8h grader attending the World Academy in Nashua, NH. He started cello lessons at the age of ten with quartet member Gary Hodges and is currently a student of PSO principal cellist Johnny Mok. Eddie won First Prize in the Elite International Music Competition in 2022. He is the First Prize winner in the Sempre Musick solo competition and also won first in the Manchester Music School Competition in 2021.
Both Elaine and Eddie have performed at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, NY, and both also play piano.
Are you interested in learning how to play the violin? Please email aubrie.dionne@portsmouthsymphony.org for a sign-up form.
