“Drew Irvin is throwing a monthlong musical party of sorts for the 250th birthday of his violin,” writes Eric Harrison in Tuesday’s (10/6) Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock). “Irvin, in addition to the concerts he’s playing as co-concertmaster of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, will play his Nicolo Gagliano instrument, made in 1765 in Naples, Italy, in a series of recitals around the state” with pianist Julie Cheek. “Cheek and Irvin will also play … for the Arkansas Symphony’s 7 p.m. Oct. 27 River Rhapsodies series concert at the Clinton Presidential Center.… ‘That program will also include the world premiere of a caprice for solo violin by Andreas Oeste, a young composer and oboist raised in Arkansas who is currently in Michigan getting his master’s [degree] in Ann Arbor,’ Irvin says. ‘It is an idea from [Arkansas Symphony Music Director] Philip Mann and a birthday present to my violin.’ … And he’ll join violinist Leanne Day-Simpson, violist Tatiana Kotcherguina and cellist and Rafael Leon to play Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 11. Irvin bought the Gagliano violin in 2003. ‘The most amazing thing for me about my instrument is the work I do with it,’ he explains.”
Posted October 8, 2015
