Ajtony Csaba, Orchestra conductor
Adam Con, Chorus director
With guest Jelena Milojević, accordion
& Cassidy Stahr, soprano

Program:
Martin Palmeri — Misa a Buenos Aires (Misatango)
Václav Trojan — Fairy Tales for accordion and orchestra

Czech composer Václav Trojan has been tremendously popular for his “inventive and effective music,” evenly split between writing for concert and film. Fairy Tales, a suite composed in 1959, is bursting with musical humor, sparkling musical invention, virtuoso writing for solo and accompaniment likewise, and an evocative labeling of movements, such as The Naughty Roundabout, The Sleepy Princess and The Acrobatic Fairy-tale. Misatango, by Argentinian composer Martin Palmeri, incorporates two important musical experiences from the composer’s personal musical history: arranging tango music and directing choirs. Misatango maintains all of the characteristics of tango (the harmonies, rhythms and melodic designs) within the orchestral score, allowing the chorus to have full liberty to just “sing the mass.”

Born and raised in Croatia, Jelena Milojevic is an internationally recognized classical accordionist. She completed her studies in Croatia and Serbia receiving a Master’s Degree in Accordion Performance and Education at one of the most recognized accordion centres in the world, the FILUM Music Academy in Kragujevac (Serbia) where she is currently completing her Doctorate Degree. Her performances have been acclaimed as “an explosion of cosmic sensuality” and she has been praised for her “brilliant virtuosity.”

With a bell-like voice described as bright, clear, and plangent, mezzo-soprano Cassidy Stahr is gaining local recognition, performing in genres from classical and early music to opera and contemporary. She is in her final year of study at UVic (BMus, Performance) with Susan Young.