American Music - Celebration of love

Dear friends of The Villages Philharmonic


Join us as we celebrate Valentine's Day with special guest artists. We give a special welcome to Violinist Gennaro Desiderio on his debut at The Sharon; and welcome the return of Vocalists Raphaella Medina and Stephen Mumbert. The evening's program is structured with pieces by John Williams, Leonard Bernstein, Astor Piazzolla and Andrew Lloyd Webber. 


Please save your day for our annual Fundraising Black tie event, scheduled February 27th at The Sharon L Morse Theater. It will be a Joyous celebration of our 20th anniversary as the Villages Philharmonic Orchestra. Yes, it was 20 years ago that my dear brotherly friend Oscar Feliu and I began this project to promulgate the arts to this extraordinary city; The Villages. 


In recent years we have had many supporters who have lovingly supported the project.In particular, I would like to thank Ms. Margaret Dick for her love of music and the VPO. I would also like to thank Northlake Presbyterian Church and our friend and colleague Ms. Sallie Mattson for their support,...and of course all of you who enthusiastically support the music and your orchestra in this magical place that is The Sharon L Morse PAC. 


Thank you with all my heart.


Musically yours,

Pasquale Valerio 

Chair of The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra

Meet Our Guest Artists

Raphaella Medina - Vocalist

Raphaella Medina has been consistently praised for her colorful timbre and moving performances. In the 22/23 season, she made role and house debuts as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi and Clarina in La cambiale di matrimonio with Opera Orlando as a member of their Studio Artist program. She also made appearances with the Orlando Ballet and Orlando Philharmonic in Moulin Rouge, and the UCF Symphony as part of their UCF Celebrates the Arts Festival under the baton of Eric Jacobsen. In the summer of 2022, she joined Opera Saratoga as a Festival Artist, performing the role of the Mezzo Elder in Sky on Swings working alongside

composer Lembit Beecher and covering the role of Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd. A versatile artist, Raphaella has sung leading roles across a wide range of repertoire, including opera and musical theater and encompassing composers as varied as Mozart and Sondheim. Previous seasons have included performances with Opera Santa Barbara, Florentine Opera, and Opera Columbus.

Gennaro Desiderio - Violin

Born in 1974 into a family of musicians. He began studying music on the classical guitar. In 1980 he participated in an international competition for classical guitarist in the town of Recanati. He won first prize. In 1981 he left the guitar for the sound of violin. He first studied with M° Ciro Astarita, and than under the guidance of M° Arciprete who leads him to his diploma at “S. Pietro A Majella” Conservatore in Naples. In 1986 he participated as a guest in the television program “Domenica In” together with his two brothers Aniello and Gaetano as a Trio, where he gained both the audience and critics acclaim. A versatile musician when he completed his studies he felt the urge to approach other musical styles and therefore he took up an intense concert activity which led him to confront both jazz and pop. With Lina Sastri in 1997/98 he took parta s a solo violinist in the world tour of the show “Cuore Mio” (My Heart). In 1998 he was at “Biennale Dell’Arte” in Venice with Enzo Moscato. In the same year, together with other Neapolitan musicians he formed the “Maluki Jazz Quartet” with which he won first prize at “Foggia Jazz Festival”. He has participated as a leading musician in many television shows with the “DIMI” orchestra, under the direction of M° Peppe Vessicchio.

He has chosen by M° Roberto De Simone to take part of some of his best known works such as “Gatta Cenerentola” and “ L’Opera Buffa del Giovedì Santo”. In the year 2000 he formed a duo with Aniello, which performed both in Italy and abroad: Winthertur, Bonn, Musikfest di Bremen, Wesel, Colonia, Francoforte, Brucknerhaus di Linz, Waldkraiburg, Murnau, Rheingau Music Festival, Istanbul. In 2002 he and his brother Gaetano performed as solo artist at “Todi Music Fest” under the direction of M° Walter Attanasi, the world premier of Astor Piazzolla’s “Histoire du Tango” for solo violin, piano obbligato and orchestra, arr. By Ciro Caravano (I Neri per Caso). In 2003 for the Opera Ballet and concert season at the “ Teatro Dell’Opera” in Rome he played as a solo artist in the show “Girotondo Romano” by Beppe Mehegatti with Carla Fracci. In the same year he became first violin in the permament orchestra at the “Trianon Theater” in Naples.

First violin and solo player in the “DIMI” orchestra, he collaborated wit international known artists among whom: Walter Attanasi, Ennio Morricone, Lionel Richi, t, Renato Zero, Gino Paoli,Ornella Vanoni, Lucio Dalla, Mario Biondi Riccardo Cocciante, Milva, Lina Sastri, Ron, Demo Morselli, Loredana Bertè, Albano, Fabio Concato, Spagna, Rossana Casale, Giovanotti, Dolce Nera, Francesco De Gregari, Lisa, Sergio Cammariere, Massimo Ranieri, Niccolò Fabi, Gigi D’alessio.


2004 saw him engaged in duo concerts with violinist Stefano Pagliani. Still in 2004 he was in New York playing duo with pianist Cristiana Pegoraro for the Italian Culture Month and The Italia America Chamber of Commerce al DiCapo Opera Theatre di NY in Music and Passion from Naples to Buenos Aires. In 2005 and 2006 he was invited as solo artist to the USA for the opening concert of the Todi Musicfest for violin and orchestra. In 2007 he toured Europe (Germany, Turkie, Holland) along with his brothers Gaetano and Aniello and the argentinian bandoneon player Romulo Larrea in quartet and orchestra concert within a Tanghero program. He has recorded several albums ranging from classical to pop, jazz and folk music among which his brother Aniello “Tango y Danza” for “Universal” label.


He is currently engaged as first violin and solo player in the TV program “Amici” hosted by Maria De Filippi. He i salso working on a concert and recording project “From Vivaldi to Piazzola” with Aniello Desiderio quartet.

Stephen Mumbert - Vocalist

Hailed as a “Scene-stealer...with a knack for staying in character even when he isn’t the center of attention,” as well as “Vocally the most promising singer...with an assured and stylish technique.” by the Guardian Newspaper for his interpretation of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Stephen Mumbert is currently an Adjunct Professor of Voice at Rollins College as well as Seminole State College and maintains a private voice studio here in Orlando FL. He is a graduate of Stetson University where he holds a B.M. in voice performance, and he also holds an M.M. in opera from The Boston Conservatory.


Recent performances include singing Khan Kontchak from Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances in Steinmetz Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bass Soloist for the Winter Park Bach Society’s Classic Christmas Concert which was filmed and aired on PBS this past Christmas, a concert of Handel’s Vespers with the Bach Vocal Artists, Mozart’s Requiem with the Riverside Community Chorale and Orchestra as well as with the Dakota Valley Symphony (broadcast on Twin Cities Public Television), Handel’s Messiah with the Messiah Choral Society, First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, and Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, Jesus in Bach’s St Matthew Passion, BWV 90, and Faure’s Requiem with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, Adam in Haydn’s Creation with Orlando Sings, the Doctor in the Death of Ivan Ilych, Count Monterone in Rigoletto, Actor 8 in a tour of All is Calm, as well as Marco in Gianni Schicchi all with Opera Orlando, and a new opera project performing the lead roles of Guildenstern in


Herschel Garfein’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Hopkins in Robert Aldridge's Sister


Carrie staged with the respective Grammy award winning composers in residence. Upcoming local performances include singing as bass soloist for Bach’s B Minor Mass in Steinmetz Hall with Orlando Sings, Bach’s Magnificat and Voices of Light with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, and Bass soloist in Considering Matthew Shepard with Orlando Sings/Solaria Singers at the Dr. Phillips Center. Stephen is thrilled and honored to be returning to join the Villages Philharmonic!

Concert Program

Shostakovich Waltz 2 from the jazz suite n 2


Ancient Ruins by Eric Heuman


Suite from Evita


Amazing Grace


Oblivion


Theme from Schindler’s List


Por una Cabeza


Cinema Paradiso


Cheek to Cheek


I Dreamed a Dream


Memory


Tonight - West Side Story


Maria - West Side Story


All I Ask of You


If I ever would leave you


Suite Histirie du tango

BLACK-TIE FUNDRAISING GALA

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