The Angels' Songs and the devil's trills:
A Concert-exhibition of fine violins & bows - antique & modern
part 1: Saturday, November 5th - Exhibition: 6:15 PM / Concert: 7:30 PM
PART 2: Sunday, November 6th - Exhibition: 12:30 PM / Concert: 2:00 PM
Through the centuries, the violin rose from its humble beginnings as the instrument of the village fool and clowns to dominate the musical world as the most popular and stylistically most flexible musical instrument. This program is a 2-day event featuring an exhibition of antique and modern violins, violas, and bows followed by performances (different programs each day) in which each instrument will get its turn to shine. Busy violinist, Dr. Henrik Karapetyan, and seasoned instrument dealer, Ara Simonyan, combine forces with fellow violinist Dr. Caroline Chin and pianist Xavier Suarez to present an event where the violin itself becomes the “artist.”
This unprecedented two-day event features performances of violin masterpieces and miniatures played on multiple fine violins and bows from Italian and French antique to modern instruments from the inventory of the Karapetyan Violins as well as from the private collection and consignments of internationally recognized dealer Ara Simonyan of Sia Vivitas (Belgium-Latvia).
A wide variety of compositions will be performed – from Bach to Bartok and Bazewiez – with commentary on the instruments by Simonyan and Karapetyan. All instruments will be available for viewing and playing during the exhibition before the concerts.
KCH’s Classical Salon presentations are generously supported in part by Genre Underwriters, Maurice and Linda Binkow.
Henrik Karapetyan, DMA, is an Ann Arbor based violinist who works at the Detroit Opera Orchestra and has a busy schedule (over 200 concerts annually) as a Classical and Folk/Alternative violinist. As a classical player, he has played concerts in the USA, Canada, Italy, France, Switzerland, Russia, Armenia, Germany and Belgium and has performed in Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center, among other venues. As a non-classical violinist and founding member of half a dozen bands and projects in Michigan, he has played at the Detroit Jazz Festival and is a frequent guest at local jazz clubs and festivals. Dr Karapetyan has released seven albums, and the most recent one, his multidisciplinary solo project, Vox, will be available at this performance.
Primarily an expert and a dealer of fine instruments and bows, Ara Simonyan, a former member of the Belgian National Philharmonic Orchestra, holds a violin performance degree from Moscow Tchaikovsky State Conservatory and is a laureate of international competitions. He has also been a jury member of violin competitions (Leonid Kogan Violin Competition in Brussels, “Talents of Latvia” in Riga, etc.) and has sponsored the Rodolpho Kreutzer competition. Mr Simonyan is the owner of the Sia Vivatas music company and store, based in Latvia and is the official representative of the famous bowmaker Pierre Guillaume (Maison Bernard, Brussels) in a number of countries. Originally from Armenia, Ara Simonyan is currently residing in Belgium where he is recognized as an expert of Italian violins and French bows and a trusted dealer.
Described by the Chicago Sun-Times as “…riveting and insightful, who lights up in passages of violin pyrotechnics,” Caroline Eva Chin has concertized throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia in concert halls including the John F. Kennedy Center, the White House during their Christmas Festivities, New York’s Carnegie and Weill Halls, and the Concertgebeau in Amsterdam. She gave her solo debut at age 12 and has since performed with several orchestras throughout the United States.
An avid chamber musician, Ms. Chin has been a member the Hudson Piano Trio, Ensemble Epomeo, and collaborated with members of the Takács Quartet, Vermeer Quartet, the Juilliard Quartet as well as with artists Gary Hoffman, Raphael Wallfisch, Colin Carr, Nobuko Imai, Charles Neidich, Piers Lane, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Roger Chase, and Abdel Rahman El Basha. She has been featured as a guest artist at the Consonances Festival in France, Schiermonnikoog Chamber Music Festival in Holland, the 2 Rivers Chamber Music Festival in the UK, the Scotia Festival in Canada, and the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival in Massachusetts.
A promoter of new music, she has performed works of composers Samuel Adler, Lisa Bielawa, Richard Carrick, Christopher Dietz,Jennifer Higdon, Mikel Kuehns, Paul Moravec, Marilyn Shrude, Alexandra Vrebelov, and a world premiere of Triple Concerto: Da Camara by Pulitzer Prize winning composer, George Walker. Recordings include the world premiere Elliott Carter’s Tre Duetti for Violin and Cello on Centaur Records as well as recordings on Avie Records, Somm Records, and New World Records.
While on tour, she has given master classes at universities and colleges throughout the U.S. including Ohio University, University of Tennessee, Shenandoah College, and Brooklyn College. Ms. Chin has toured the US and Japan with tap dancer Savion Glover and performed and recorded as leader of SONYC and concertmaster of the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. As the Artistic Director of Musica Reginae from 2007-2011, she worked to bring high quality music performances to the ethnically diverse communities of Queens.
Ms. Chin is Associate Professor of Violin at Bowling Green State University’s College of Musical Arts. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Indiana University’s School of Music as a student of Miriam Fried and has received her Master of Music Degree from the Juilliard School as a student of Robert Mann.
Xavier Suarez is a pianist, vocal coach, piano teacher, and YouTuber in East Lansing, MI. As the founder of Teclado Music Institute, he is committed to bringing the joys of classical music to people of all ages and abilities through his work as a private piano teacher and as a recitalist who performs in numerous venues throughout the United States, including private homes through the newly launched Teclado House Concert series. Educated at The University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, Mr. Suarez holds a MM in Collaborative Piano under Martin Katz and a MM in Piano Performance under Dr. Garik Pedersen. He won first prize at the First Chamber Music Competition at Eastern Michigan University as a member of SIX Trio. A sought-after collaborator, Mr. Suarez works with numerous instrumentalists and singers all across the United States. He is currently a member of Syrinx Trio with Nermis Mieses, oboe, and Susan Nelson, bassoon, with performances and recordings planned for the near future. He was the Music Director and Young Artist for Pensacola Opera (Pensacola, FL) in their 2016 season and collaborated at the 2013 Manhattan Summer Voice Festival as vocal coach and keyboardist. As an educator, Mr. Suarez has been a faculty member at Adrian College and is a current member of the faculty at Friends Music Camp.
