March 1, 2010

Peabody at Homewood concert series returns for 10th season

Johns Hopkins’ Homewood Museum announces the 10th anniversary of its Peabody at Homewood performance series, which showcases some of the most promising musicians from the university’s Peabody Conservatory of Music. The performances are presented amid the splendid architecture and furnishings of Homewood. The popular Friday evening concerts begin at 5:45 p.m. on March 5, April 2 and May 7.

Each concert will be held in the Reception Hall of the museum, which will open at 5 p.m. prior to each concert. Guests may meet the evening’s musicians at a wine and cheese reception following each performance. For single concerts, admission is $12 for Homewood members, $15 for the general public and $8 for full-time students with ID; admission for all three concerts is $30 for Homewood members, $40 for the general public and $20 for full-time students with valid ID. Due to the intimacy of the space, seats are limited and advance purchase is recommended. For reservations or other information, call 410-516-5589 or go to http://museums.jhu.edu. The scheduled performances are as follows:

Christopher Kovalchick, a violinist whose playing has been described as “a dash of genius,” will open the series on March 5 with an all-Bach program. A 2006 dual-degree graduate in violin performance at Peabody and engineering mechanics in the Whiting School, and now a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering at CalTech, Kovalchick holds the principal second violin position in the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra of Los Angeles. He serves on the Johns Hopkins board of trustees and is a member of the Peabody National Advisory Council.

Charm City Baroque, a sophisticated ensemble made up of Peabody graduate and undergraduate students, will perform on April 2. Accomplished both as individuals and as team members, the consort’s four instrumentalists use historically informed performance practices and period instruments to re-create baroque music in the way it was probably heard in the 17th and 18th centuries. The group presents a diverting and diverse program of solo and chamber works.

The final concert, on May 7, will feature a performance by the Brass Roots Quintet, considered one of the most impressive ensembles in the Baltimore area. Coached by first trumpeter Joe Burgstaller of the Canadian Brass, the group of Peabody brass students is known for its exceptional musical interpretation and unified sound. The quintet has wowed audiences along the East Coast, in addition to receiving praise from Manhattan Brass, Boston Brass, Rodney Mack Philadelphia Big Brass and Wynton Marsalis. Its richly varied program includes Bach, Gabrieli, Arnold, Debussy, Chesky, Ewazen and Piazzola.