HB Artist Series presents Third Faculty Concert: An Eclectic Mix of Classical, Jazz and Contemporary Works

Hoff-Barthelson Music School is pleased to present the third faculty concert in the HB Artist Series, an eclectic evening of classical and contemporary works, promising a delightful experience for all attendees. The concert will be held on Friday, November 17, 2023, at 7:30 pm in the School’s Joan Behrens Bergman Auditorium, 25 School Lane, Scarsdale, New York.

Featured faculty members are Andrew Marino, guitar; Joan Forsyth, piano; and Rolf Sturm, jazz guitar. Joining the faculty on stage are guest artists Jessica Marino, piano; William Anderson, guitar; Jenna Mammina, vocals; and Rob Henke, trumpet. The program includes:

• Sonatina No. 2 for Guitar and Piano, by Radames Gnattali – a lively and engaging work in four movements that showcases the virtuosic skills of both guitar and piano, performed by Andrew Marino and guest artist Jessica Marino.
• Two Rondos for Guitar and Piano by Mauro Giuliani – two charming and elegant works in the style of the early 19th century, also performed by Andrew and Jessica Marino.
• Sonata for Piano and Guitar, by Manuel Ponce – a passionate and expressive work in three movements that combines elements of Mexican folk music with European classical music, performed by Joan Forsyth with guest artist William Anderson.
• A selection of jazz standards and originals adding a contemporary twist to the evening, fusing the timeless allure of jazz with fresh improvisation and innovation, performed by Rolf Sturm with guest artists Jenna Mammina and Rob Henke.

Tickets are $20 general admission and free of charge to HBMS students. Tickets may be purchased in advance via Eventbrite, by visiting the School’s website (www.hbms.org), by calling 914-723-1169, or e-mailing hb@hbms.org. Program and artists subject to change.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience a mesmerizing evening of music, where classical and contemporary styles unite to create a harmonious and unforgettable evening of music.

About the HB Artist Faculty Concert Series
Hoff-Barthelson faculty comprises some of the nation’s most distinguished performers and educators. Many hold chairs in prominent New York orchestras, are members of world-class chamber ensembles, perform in major Broadway productions and are in international demand as solo artists. Others teach at leading conservatories including The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and Mannes College of Music. The School’s superb faculty has contributed to the Music School’s national recognition for unsurpassed leadership in music education, performance and community service. Hoff-Barthelson prides itself on providing access to these outstanding artist-educators in the heart of Westchester. Held in Scarsdale, these concerts guarantee riveting music making of the highest caliber, in an intimate setting, at prices far below those in New York’s major concert halls.

Additional concerts in the series will be held on February 9, March 1, and April 19, 2024.

About the Faculty Artists
Pianist Joan Forsyth is a multi-faceted musician who has received critical acclaim as a soloist and chamber music artist in a wide range of repertoire. Her prize-winning performances in the 1990 Concerts Atlantique and La Gesse competitions set in motion tours of France and Switzerland. She has collaborated with such ensembles as the Cassatt Quartet, the Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center and CYGNUS, and as soloist with the New Westminster Symphony, the Westchester Philharmonic and the Westchester Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Forsyth performs with duo-partner guitarist William Anderson, most recently in Salzburg, Japan, Vancouver, Poland, Mexico and the Festival of New American Music in Sacramento. The two premiered and recorded Charles Wuorinen’s Sonata for Piano and Guitar, which was chosen to represent the “Art of the States” for worldwide broadcast.

Guitarist Andrew Marino has performed throughout the East coast and beyond including solo performances at The Walters Art Museum and Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Baltimore, and St. Paul’s Cathedral and Villa Maria College in Buffalo, NY. Chamber music performances include the Sowebo Music and Arts Festival and the H.L. Mencken House in Baltimore, the International Day of Latin and Iberian Art Song, and the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York. Andrew has won prizes in Appalachian State University’s GuitarFest Competition and SUNY Potsdam’s Chamber Music Competition. He has performed in master classes for Benjamin Verdery, Johannes Möller, and Jason Vieaux among others. Andrew holds both a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and Master of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory where he studied with renowned guitarist Julian Gray.

Rolf Sturm’s guitar playing has earned the praise of Joe Pass, Jim Hall, John Abercrombie, and Bill Frisell. He appears on over 60 CDs and has performed live or on recordings that feature Tony Trischka, Loudon Wainwright, Anthony Braxton, David Johansen, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Heather Masse, Glen Velez, Maggie Roche, and members of the Grateful Dead. Rolf has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Canada and Mexico performing at dozens of jazz, jam band/rock, folk, and blues festivals. He has performed at Lincoln Center, and Town Hall in NYC, and at the Kennedy Center. He has appeared on soundtracks for both film and television and his music has been featured on National Public Radio’s All Songs Considered. His solo guitar recording, “Balance”, was awarded 4 stars in DownBeat magazine.

For complete faculty artist biographies visit https://hbms.org/faculty/

Photo credit: HBMS Faculty member Rolf Sturm, jazz guitarist.  Photo provided by the artist.