Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Joins Pablo Sáinz-Villegas and Noah Bendix-Balgley in NYC

Collaborations with Spanish guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas and American violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley - two experts in differing folk traditions - are the highlight of Orpheus’s early spring

• At the top of 2025, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra returns to New York City’s stages with two contrasting, folk-inspired programs, featuring acclaimed guest artists Pablo Sáinz-Villegas and Noah Bendix-Balgley

• At Carnegie Hall, the Spanish classical guitarist Sáinz-Villegas and Orpheus present a program of vibrant works from the Mexican, Spanish, and Cuban heritages on March 1 - a program which the ensemble also performs at Williams Center for the Arts, a longtime partner of the orchestra’s; and, at Rockport Music (Shalin Liu Performance Center) on March 2 with guitarist Jason Vieaux

• Shortly thereafter, Orpheus and Bendix-Balgley, currently the first concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmoniker, traverse Western and Eastern European folk musical traditions in a program that includes an arrangement of the violinist’s own Fidl-Fantazye: A Klezmer Concerto, at 92NY on March 18

Orpheus & Pablo Sáinz-Villegas: Noches de Fantasías

Williams Center for the Arts (Easton, PA) - February 28, 2025 at 8PM

Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall - March 1, 2025 at 7PM

Rockport Music, Shalin Liu Performance Center (Rockport, MA) - March 2, 2025 at 4pm (with Jason Vieaux)

Gabriela ORTIZ La Calaca

RODRIGO Fantasía para un Gentilhombre

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, guitar

Jorge AMADO Marabuzal (commissioned by Orpheus Chamber Orchestra)

PONCE Estampas Nocturnas

Orpheus & Noah Bendix-Balgley: Bartók, Brahms & Klezmer

92NY Kaufmann Concert Hall - March 18, 2025 at 7:30pm

Caroline SHAW Entr’acte

BARTÓK Romanian Folk Dances for Violin and Orchestra (orchestrated by Dov Scheindlin)

Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin

Noah BENDIX-BALGLEY/Samual ADLER Fidl-Fantazye: A Klezmer Concerto

Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin

BRAHMS Hungarian Dances (orchestrated by Zachary Wadsworth)

ABOUT ORPHEUS:

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is a radical experiment in musical democracy, proving for fifty years what happens when exceptional artists gather with total trust in each other and faith in the creative process. Orpheus began in 1972 when cellist Julian Fifer assembled a group of New York freelancers in their early twenties to play orchestral repertoire as if it were chamber music. In that age of co-ops and communes, the idealistic Orpheans snubbed the “corporate” path of symphony orchestras and learned how to play, plan and promote concerts as a true collective, with leadership roles rotating from the very first performance.

It’s one thing for the four players of a string quartet to lean into the group sound and react spontaneously, but with 20 or 30 musicians together, the complexities and payoffs get magnified exponentially. Within its first decade, Orpheus made Carnegie Hall its home and became a global sensation through its tours Europe and Asia. Its catalogue of recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, Nonesuch and other labels grew to include more than 70 albums that still stand as benchmarks of the chamber orchestra repertoire, including Haydn symphonies, Mozart concertos, and twentieth-century gems by Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Ravel and Bartók.

The sound of Orpheus is defined by its relationships, and guest artists have always been crucial partners in the process. Orpheus brings the best out of its collaborators, and those bonds deepen over time, as heard in the long arc of music-making with soloists such as Richard Goode and Branford Marsalis, and in the commitment to welcoming next-generation artists including Nobyuki Tsujii and Tine Thing Helseth. Breaking down the barriers of classical repertoire, partnerships with Brad Mehldau, Wayne Shorter, Ravi Shankar and many others from the sphere of jazz and beyond have redefined what a chamber orchestra can do. Relationships with composers and dozens of commissions have been another crucial way that Orpheus stretches itself, including a role for Jessie Montgomery as the orchestra’s first ever Artistic Partner. Having proven the power of direct communication and open-mindedness within the ensemble, the only relationship Orpheus has never had any use for is one with a conductor.

At home in New York and in the many concert halls it visits in the U.S. and beyond, Orpheus begins its next fifty years with a renewed commitment to enriching and reflecting the surrounding community. It will continue its groundbreaking work with those living with Alzheimer’s Disease through Orpheus Reflections, and the Orpheus Academy as well as the Orpheus Leadership Institute spread the positive lessons of trust and democracy to young musicians and those in positions of power. Each year, Access Orpheus reaches nearly 2000 public school students in all five boroughs of New York City, bringing music into their communities and welcoming them to Carnegie Hall. Always evolving as artists and leaders, the Orpheus musicians carry their legacy forward, counting on their shared artistry and mutual respect to make music and effect change.

ABOUT PABLO SÁINZ-VILLEGAS:
Pablo Sainz-Villegas has been praised by the international press for his "virtuous and moving performance, with an irresistible exuberance and a range of bright colors" The New York Times.

Undoubtedly the most virtuoso guitarist of his generation, Pablo Sainz-Villegas has been acclaimed by the international press as the successor to Andrés Segovia and an ambassador of Spanish culture in the world. He is the first solo guitarist to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York since Maestro Andrés Segovia did so in 1983, the first guitarist to play with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 2001, and the first guitarist to perform with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the New Year's Eve Gala since 1983.

Since his debut with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos at the Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, he has performed in over 40 countries and with orchestras such as the Israel Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, and the National Orchestra of Spain, as well as in venues such as the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, and the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, among many others of equal importance and reputation.

His most notable milestones include the Princess of Asturias Awards Concert and his participation in the Metropolitan Opera Gala last May at the Palace of Versailles. His numerous performances at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, which captivated more than 85,000 attendees, as well as concerts held in distinguished venues such as Grant Park in Chicago, the iconic Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, and the illustrious Hollywood Bowl, accompanied by the LA Philharmonic, have made him one of this generation’s most remarkable and prolific performers.

As a socially committed artist, he is the founder and driving force behind the non-profit association Strings in Common in the United States. He is also the creator and artistic director of the La Rioja Festival in Spain.

As an exclusive artist for SONY Classical, he has released three albums. His latest project, 'The Blue Album,' was released in June 2023.

Highlights of his 2024/2025 performance season include the premier of Arturo Márquez’s Guitar Concerto, a tour of Colombia with the National Orchestra of Spain and a solo tour in Taiwan, and performances at Teatro Real of Madrid, Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, and orchestras such as Brussels Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande among many others.

Pablo Sainz-Villegas was born in La Rioja, Spain, and has been living in the United States since 2001.

ABOUT NOAH BENDIX-BALGLEY:
Noah Bendix-Balgley enjoys a wide-ranging musical life as a violinist. He is First Concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmoniker and tours both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. His clear and heartfelt personal sound has moved listeners around the world.

Noah appears frequently as soloist with leading international orchestras, as well as in recital at the world’s finest concert halls. Recent highlights include his concerto debut at Carnegie Hall as the featured soloist on the Berliner Philharmoniker USA tour under the direction of Kirill Petrenko, a Japanese tour with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and concerto appearances with the Philharmonic Orchestras of Berlin, Dresden, Auckland, and Nagoya. He has also performed with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra and the Shanghai, Utah, Quebec, Royal Danish, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras. He has collaborated with conductors including Kirill Petrenko, Manfred Honeck, Marek Janowski, Gustavo Gimeno, Leonard Slatkin, Long Yu, Nikolaj Szeps- Znaider, Marie Jacquot, Fabien Gabel, and JoAnn Falletta. He has toured with Apollo’s Fire Orchestra performing on period instruments, and with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. Noah recently curated and presented a week-long celebration of the violin as part of his Artist Residency with his hometown Asheville Symphony, including a solo violin recital and an all-concerto program. Upcoming 24/25 highlights include debuts with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orquestra de Valencia, and the Orchestre National de Lyon. Noah’s album Mozart/Sinigaglia with Kirill Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic was released in June 2024 to critical acclaim.

Noah is a renowned performer of traditional klezmer music, a musical style that has been part of his life since an early age. He has performed with groups such as Brave Old World, and has taught at many klezmer workshops. In 2016, Noah composed and premiered his own klezmer violin concerto, Fidl-Fantazye, with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where he was concertmaster from 2011 to 2015. Since the premiere, he has also performed the work with the Baltimore Symphony, China Philharmonic, Guangzhou Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, New World Symphony, and the Kammerakademie Potsdam. He presented the chamber orchestra version of the work with members of the Berliner Philharmoniker in a special ‘Late Night ’klezmer concert at the Philharmonie Berlin.

A passionate chamber musician, Noah performs in several fixed ensembles: in a trio Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) with pianist Robert Levin and cellist Peter Wiley, with the Rosamunde String Quartet that includes members of the New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony, and with the multi-genre septet Philharmonix, which features members of both the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras. Philharmonix tours worldwide, has an ongoing multi-year residency at Vienna’s Konzerthaus, and has released three albums on Deutsche Grammophon. Noah’s festival highlights include the Seattle Music Festival, Bergen International Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, Brevard Music Festival, ChamberFest Cleveland, Zermatt Music Festival, Aix-en-Provence, and La Jolla Summerfest.

Born in Asheville, North Carolina, Noah began playing the violin at age 4. At age 9, he played for Lord Yehudi Menuhin. He graduated from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the Munich Hochschule. His principal mentors were Mauricio Fuks, Christoph Poppen and Ana Chumachenco. A laureate of the 2009 Queen Elisabeth Competition, he also won top prizes at the Long-Thibaud Competition in France and the Postacchini Competition in Italy.

Now a gifted educator himself, Noah teaches at the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker. He is on the faculty of the Morningside Music Bridge program, where he also a member of the Advisory Council. He has served on the juries of the Menuhin Competition, the

Indianapolis International Violin Competition, and as chair of the violin jury at the the Carl Nielsen Competition.

ABOUT JASON VIEAUX:
Grammy-winner Jason Vieaux, “among the elite of today’s classical guitarists” (Gramophone), is described by NPR as “perhaps the most precise and soulful classical guitarist of his generation”. In appearances from New York’s Lincoln Center to Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and the Seoul Arts Center, Jason Vieaux has cemented his reputation as an artist of brilliance and uncompromised mastery. Cited for his “eloquent and vibrant performances” on disc (Gramophone Magazine) he is hailed as “virtuosic, flamboyant, dashing and, sometimes ineffably lyrical” (New York Times) on stage.

Sought-after for his extensive concerto repertoire, Vieaux has performed with a long list of orchestras including Cleveland, Toronto, St. Louis, Houston, Columbus, and has made premiere recordings with the Nashville Symphony (Jonathan Leshnoff Concerto) and the Norrköping Symphony (Jeff Beal Six Sixteen). He has worked with renowned conductors including Giancarlo Guerrero, Jahja Ling, Gerard Schwarz, and David Robertson. Vieaux’s passion for new music has fostered premieres from Jeff Beal, Avner Dorman, Vivian Fung, Pierre Jalbert, Jonathan Leshnoff, David Ludwig, Mark Mancina, and Dan Visconti, among many others.

Vieaux’s extensive discography includes “Bach Volume 2: Works for Violin” released on Azica in 2022 to rave reviews for his “eloquent and vibrant performances” (Gramophone). Additional 2022 releases include “Shining Night” featuring his duo with acclaimed violinist Anne Akiko Meyers (Avie Records) and Michael Fine’s “Concierto del Luna” with flutist Alexa Still (Sony Classical), both enjoying strong critical acclaim. Vieaux recorded Pat Metheny’s “Four Paths of Light”, a solo work dedicated to him by Pat, for Metheny’s 2021 album “Road to the Sun” (Modern Records). Jason Vieaux won the 2014 Best Instrumental Classical Solo Grammy Award for “Play”. The Huffington Post declared PLAY as “part of the revitalized interest in the classical guitar”.

A busy touring performer, Jason Vieaux enjoys repeated invitations from distinguished series including San Francisco Performances, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and the 92nd Street Y, among others. Festival engagements include Ravinia, Caramoor, Domaine-Forget, Music@Menlo, Round Top, and the Eastern Music Festival. Overseas performance venues include Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Seoul Arts Center, Shanghai Concert Hall, Sala Sao Paolo, and Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.

Jason Vieaux enjoys ongoing performing and recording collaborations with the Escher String Quartet, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis, accordion/bandoneon virtuoso Julien Labro, saxophone virtuoso Timothy McAllister, and violinist Francisco Fullana.

In 2011 Vieaux co-founded the guitar department at the Curtis Institute of Music (with David Starobin). The youngest winner in the history of the Guitar Foundation of America Competition, Vieaux has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music for 25 years. Jason’s online Guitar School for Artistworks Inc. has hundreds of subscribers from all over the world. He plays a guitar by Gernot Wagner, 2013, made in Frankfurt.

Hannah Goldshlack-Wolf
hannah@wildkatpr.com
+1 917 330 2046