Guest Conductors included Dr. Clifford Panton (University of Minnesota/Morris), Dr. Stephen Futrell (Elon University), Robin Wilson (Centennial Philharmonic) and Debra Cheverino (Pacific Symphony).
Guest collegiate players joining the Sinfonia dell'Arte in the two Teatro Petrarca concerts were:
Hillary Vaden and Peter Kimosh (University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill), Kevin McQueen and Ludwingk Rios (Baylor University), Annette Hestres (Penn State University), Sheila Santa and Emily Dobbins (Albion College) and Jeremy Glen (St. Olaf College).
Professor Kim Cook, cellist from Penn State University and Barbara Wester Skipworth, soprano from the Umbra Institute in Perugia, appeared as guest soloists featuring a new work for cello and orchestra, the Haydn C Major Concerto and arias of Wagner, Menotti and Mozart.
Joining Skipworth as Master Teacher and Conductor was Jose Contreras of the Dominican Republic, whose career covers numerous major cities throughout both hemispheres.
The two week event was not without its surprises due, in most part, to the Italian postal system. Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks and Fouad Foukhari's world premiere for cello were lost with time running out. A "cut and paste" Stravinsky score proved the solution for the former, but a more drastic response, a 24 hour composition by Maestro Skipworth entitled "Elegy from Catarina" filled the concerto spot for week 1. Skipworth had premiered his ballet "Catarina" the week before in the same theatre, and began to rewrite the fifth movement for cello. Soon realizing, however, that it simply didn't work, he borrowed two themes and a pivotal harmonic progression from the ballet. A new piece emerged the following morning..
Dr. Panton began the first Petrarca concert with Mozart's Overture to "La Clemenza di Tito", and ended the first half by conducting Menotti's "To This We've Come" with Barbara Wester Skipworth. Robin Wilson premiered the Skipworth Elegy for Cello and Orchestra and led the Wagner "Traume". Maestro Contreras ended the program with the Beethoven Second.
Concert 2 began with Wilson's performance of the Stravinsky, followed by Stephen Futrell's "Adagio" of Barber. Wilson, Futrell and Debra Cheverino shared the three movements of the Haydn C Major Concerto. The first half ended with Cheverino and Futrell conducting the two "Figaro" arias of Mozart. Maestro Skipworth, who conductetd Eroica on last year's event, ended the program with the Mozart "Jupiter" Symphony.
The Accademia dell'Arte extends its gratitude and congratulations to the fine visiting players, conductors and soloists who contributed to the success of the workshops and concerts.. The next such event will be an expanded three week program, with announcements and invitations appearing soon.