Violin and Viola Festival culminates in two concerts

The Fresno State Music Department will present the sixth annual Violin and Viola Festival, an intensive weekend of master classes and performances for violinists and violists with three or more years of experience. Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman is the music director for the festival.

This year’s festival will feature two concerts, welcoming two guest artists: award-winning and internationally renowned Canadian violinist Erika Raum; and Michael Chang, an alum of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, on viola.

The Chamber Music Gala Concert will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, in the Fresno State Concert Hall, featuring Erika Raum, violin; Limor Toren-Immerman, violin; Michael Chang, viola; Matthew Smoke, viola; and Thomas Loewenheim, cello, as well as the Festival String Ensemble, which is composed of faculty with selected students from the festival.

The program for the Chamber Music Gala Concert features Raum’s “Duo for Two Violins,” Mendelssohn’s “String Quintet,” Mozart’s “Divertimento” and Schubert’s “Quartettsatz.”

The Youth Orchestras of Fresno will present the Love Conquers All Gala Concert at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, in the Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall. Thomas Loewenheim will conduct, and Erika Raum is the guest violinist.

The program for Love Conquers All features the Glinka, Ruslan and Ludmilla Overture, Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto” and Aram Khachaturian’s “Spartacus Ballet Suite.” This concert is presented in collaboration with Fresno State’s Armenian Studies Program.

Tickets for the Chamber Music Gala Concert are available by clicking here. Prices are $15 for general admission, $10 for employees and seniors, and $5 for students.

Ticket information for Love Conquers All, the annual fundraiser for the Youth Orchestras of Fresno, is available by clicking here. Reserve ticket prices range from $25 to $35, plus service fee. But “because we want everyone to be able to attend, we will also offer tickets at the door, with a voluntary suggested donation of $20 for adults,” Loewenheim said.