NOVA Chamber Music Series opens 40th Anniversary Season
SALT LAKE CITY — The NOVA Chamber Music Series launches its 40 th Anniversary Season with the first
concert of the Subscription Series, held in Libby Gardner Hall at the University of Utah School of Music.
This concert showcases an exceptional lineup of Utah performers: musicians include Utah Symphony
Concertmaster Madeline Adkins, Utah Symphony Principal Flute Mercedes Smith, the Fry Street Quartet,
members of the Utah Symphony brass section, and NOVA Artistic Director Jason Hardink and pianist Kimi
Kawashima.
“A big part of our 40 th anniversary season includes featuring Utah musicians as soloists in chamber
concerti,” says NOVA Artistic Director Jason Hardink. “We want to put the spotlight on the extraordinary
musicianship of our most outstanding local musicians, and we can think of no better way to start the
season than hosting Madeline Adkins as soloist in the Chausson Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String
Quartet.”
Along with works by French composers Maurice Ravel and Ernest Chausson, music by two Utah
composers will be featured: Nicolas and Miguel Chuaqui. NOVA has commissioned Nicolas Chuaqui to
compose a brass quintet for two trumpets, horn, and two trombones to commemorate NOVA’s
anniversary season. The program will also feature recent works by Nicolas’ father, Miguel Chuaqui,
Director of the University Of Utah School Of Music.
Hailed as "deliciously exuberant" by the Baltimore Sun, violinist Madeline Adkins has established herself
as equally at home in the spheres of solo performance, chamber music, and orchestral playing. In
September 2016, Adkins assumed her new post as Concertmaster of the Utah Symphony under Maestro
Thierry Fischer. She made her concerto debut with the Utah Symphony in November 2016, performing
Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2.
The Fry Street Quartet – hailed as "a triumph of ensemble playing" by the New York Times – is a multi-
faceted ensemble taking chamber music in new directions. Touring music of the masters as well as
exciting original works from visionary composers of our time, the Fry Street Quartet has perfected a
"blend of technical precision and scorching spontaneity" (The Strad). Since securing the Grand Prize at the
Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the quartet has reached audiences from Carnegie Hall to
London, and Sarajevo to Jerusalem. The Fry Street Quartet holds the Dan C. and Manon Caine Russell
Endowed String Quartet Residency at the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University.
Audience members are invited to join Artistic Director Jason Hardink for a lively pre-concert talk with
composers Nicolas Chuaqui and Miguel Chuaqui. Pre-concert talks are held in room 270 at the University
Of Utah School Of Music at 2:30 PM.
NOVA’s Subscription Series consists of six concerts, with each performance juxtaposing old and new music
performed by Utah’s talented local musicians. Programming includes works by both local and nationally
renowned composers.
Sunday October 29, 3 PM
Libby Gardner Hall, University of Utah School of Music
$20 general admission, $18 seniors, students free.
For more information, please visit novaslc.org or email [email protected].