Arts & Entertainment

Music Plus Concert Today Features Violinist, World Premiere Composition

Warren Davidson will perform today at St. James Church with assisting artist Donna Amato. The pre-concert begins at 2:30 p.m. with students from the Center for Young Musicians.

The second concert of the 2012-2013 Music Plus Concert Series features the talents of Dr. Warren Davidson, violin, and Donna Amato, assisting artist. 

The concert series begins at 3 p.m. today, Oct. 14 at St. James Church in Sewickley. It will be preceded by a pre-concert performed by students from the Center for Young Musicians at 2:30 p.m.  

All concerts are free-will offering, and will be followed by a "greet the artists" reception.

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This concert will include works by John Williams, Beethoven, a tango by Carlos Gardel, and the world premiere of a sonata written especially for Davidson & Amato by American composer Carson Cooman

The composer himself will be flying in to hear the performance. Cooman is a well-known contemporary composer for many instruments, and is well-known in musical circles. 

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About the performers:

Dr. Warren Davidson has had an incredibly active musical life in the Pittsburgh region. As an educator, he is on the faculty of Slippery Rock University, where he teaches violin and viola, and conducts the SRU Symphony Orchestra. As a performer, he is concert-master of the Westmoreland Symphony and the Academy Chamber Orchestra, and has many solo appearances with numerous ensembles in the tri-state area. He serves as guest conductor of the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra

Davidson earned a B.A. cum laude in philosophy and psychology at Duquesne University before turning to full-time violin study; his principal teachers were Alan Grishman and Efim Boico. He completed an MM in violin at Duquesne, an MA in Theory and Composition at the University of Pittsburgh, a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Chamber Music at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at West Virginia University where he was granted a Swiger Fellowship.

Davidson is very active as an orchestral concertmaster, recitalist, and teacher, and is comfortable in a wide variety of musical styles. His special teaching interests lie in these areas: technical foundations of violin and viola playing, analysis of technical difficulties, effective practice regimens, tone production, efficient body use, and musical understanding through musical analysis.

Donna Amato, who has had an extensive concert, recording and radio broadcast career, was born in Pittsburgh and received her earliest musical training in the city. Since her debut with orchestra at the age of 14 and her early studies with the great American virtuoso Ozan Marsh, she has received many honors and awards.

She has performed and studied in Mexico, Canada and throughout Europe, has worked closely with many contemporary composers, and has given world premiere performances of a wide range of music.

Amato currently teaches piano at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie-Mellon University, and works at CMU as an assisting artist.

For questions or underwriting opportunities, please contact either the church, at 412-741-6650, or email Sharron Schaefer, series director, at s.schaefer@comcast.net

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