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FEATURED ARTIST
Dr. Hampson Sisler, Composer
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WELCOME TO THE BVAI ROSTER!
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BV Artists International is pleased to introduce to you the exceptionally talented composer Dr. Hampson Sisler!
"It [Four Impromptus] has melodies Howard Hanson would die for. It reminded me of Charles Ives'. This man should be much better known than he is." - Paul Cook, American Record Guide
Hampson Sisler is recognized as one of the most prolific American classical composers today. He was born in Yonkers, New York. His first composition was published in 1951, at the age of nineteen. Since very early age, he was able to play the piano by ear and, reportedly, his musical talent was largely self-developed and perfected early on.
During his career, he has written over one hundred works for a variety of instruments and orchestra. Mr. Sisler has performed on the international stage in numerous countries and stages.
He studied music, including composition, with Norman Coke-Jephcott and Seth Bingham, and credits Palestrina, Bach, and the Romantics for the earlier influence on his career. Later, he was influenced by Leo Sowerby, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Benjamin Britten.
For many years, Mr. Sisler worked with church choirs and has served in many houses of worship as organist and choir director. He acknowledges that much creativity and inspiration has resulted from this involvement.
Hampson Sisler continues to compose, and very recently, he released two CDs: his Oratorio, "The Second Coming [of Christ]" and "Trans Cultural Bonding," both by MSR Classics Recordings. The premiere of his oratorio took place on December 14, 2013 at the New York's Ethical Culture Society. It was received with much acclaim and great reviews. Jeffrey Williams from New York Concert Review wrote: "Sisler is a composer of skill and craftsmanship, whose music appeals to wide audiences... The composer joined the performers at the end for a well-deserved congratulations." The concert was also reviewed by the NY Culture Examiner.
Both works focus on momentous events and capture the essence of inter-faith and emotional ties that bind humanity during moments of triumph and despair, equally glorious when dealing with life or death.
Ever the romantic, Mr. Sisler continues to find inspiration all around. In a recent interview, he shared that in one of his upcoming projects, he wishes to harness the growing knowledge and scientific progress made in our understanding of the outer space, beyond our Solar System, and incorporate it in his next composition.
Currently, Mr. Sisler is the Music Director at the historic St. James Episcopal Church in Elmhurst, New York. His work is regularly performed in numerous countries around the world.
NEW CD on MSR Classics!
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Linus Lerner, conductor
recording a new CD with
Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra
Maestro Linus Lerner keeps a very busy schedule in the months of January and February. After returning from Brazil where he performed several concerts with the Symphony Orchestra of Rio Grande do Norte in December, he finished the recording of a CD of Tucson resident composers with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra and returned to Oaxaca, Mexico, to coach singers and plan the upcoming Oaxaca Opera Festival this August.
At the moment, he is finishing up another cycle of concerts with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra conducting works such as Brahm's Symphony No 1, Bloch's Schelomo and Marquez's Danzon No 2. After this weekend of performances, he returns to Mexico City to conduct the Solistas Ensamble el Iinstituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, followed by master classes and coaching singers at the Conservatorio de las Rosas in the city of Morelia and another master class in the city of San Luis Potosi.
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The New Year brought a busy musical schedule for BV Artist International's pianist Veselin Ninov. He was invited to promote Steinway & Sons pianos by giving a series of solo recitals and piano programs in New York. Not long ago, he was asked to perform on the legendary Steinway & Sons Model D piano of Vladimir Horowitz during its North American Tour.
In January, Veselin performed with violist Tonya Bibashka-Ninov on several different occasions in Nassau and Suffolk Counties of Long Island. These events were incorporated to support and advance the talent of young promising keyboard and string players in the area. That included also a Master Class and a Gala Concert for the students.
Veselin was also invited to perform a classical program at the annual 'Steinway meets Broadway' concert. Some of New York's finest Broadway performers will perform alongside Steinway and Sons' most captivating concert pianists. This concert will take place in the spring of 2014.
For more information visit: www.BVArtistsInternational.com
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FEATURED VIDEO
ANNA VELEVA
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"Kill Bond"
(a tribute to 50 years of James Bond)
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After reading about James Bond, her favorite spy, Anna falls deep into a dream world where she is hired to eliminate 007. Will she do it, or will she give in to his British charms? Released on the same night as the Oscars with special James Bond celebration with performances of Sky Fall and Goldfinger, "Kill Bond" should have been included!
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Dear Friends and Colleagues! 
Greetings from the very cold and snowy New York, where the winter is still in full swing. I hope our global readers are enjoying warmer conditions than what we are experiencing in North America.
The achievements of our artists, however, are keeping us warm and we want to share them with you in our first issue this year.
Keep safe, read on, and stay warm!
Yours,
Kalin Ivanov, Artistic Director
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Please, join our mailing list or become our fan on Facebook and LinkedIn!
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Anna Veleva, Soprano
with Placido Domingo
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Soprano Ana Veleva comes from a family with deep connections to opera and music. Her career began in 2003 with a debut at the Sofia National Opera, Bulgaria. Soon after her performance as Lucia in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, the Bulgarian newspaper Monitor boasted that she is "the new opera hope." Since then, Miss Veleva has performed numerous beloved roles with brilliance and acclaim in her native country as well as throughout Europe and the United States. Among these are Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata, Gilda in Rigoletto, Musette in Puccini's La Boheme, and Michaela in Bizet's Carmen (produced by Columbia Artists Management). Also, she has been a feature at musical festivals in Boston and Gettysburg, and concert programs at the World Bank in Washington and the United Nations in New York.
As an internationally recognized soprano, Anna Veleva has performed in some of the best cultural centers in the world including Carnegie Hall and Opera Verdi Europa, among others. In addition, she has been engaged by the most prestigious artist management companies, and has toured with the most prominent of Bulgaria's opera houses.
Herself a student of the great operatic masters Renata Scotto, Aprile Millo, and Placido Domingo, in addition to her extensive singing training, Anna Veleva has studied theater performance with Alec Baldwin at the South Hampton College in New York.
The popular Bulgarian newspaper Trud, in its February 2014 issue, quotes a comment made by Placido Domingo during his recent visit to Bulgaria: "Bulgaria has given birth to fantastic operatic voices such as Boris Hristov, Dimitar Uzunov, Gyaurov, Guzelev, and the unforgettable Gena Dimitrova, Raina Kabaivanska and Anna Tomova-Sintova. And it is wonderful that they have worthy successors like Krasimira Stoyanova, Svetlana Vasileva, Pendachanska, Anna Veleva, and Orlin Anastasov."
This month, Miss Veleva performed at the Concert for Valentine's Day Weekend at 76 House, Tappan, New York. She also performed a set of romantic arias and love songs at the Union Arts Center, Sparkill, a production whose musical director was Miss Veleva.
Miss Veleva has recently ventured into a project that involves another personal favorite combination-her beloved opera and love for pop music, an earlier career venue. In a collaboration with her husband, Anna is currently working on a pop project, "Kill Bond," written by her as a commemoration to James Bond's 50th anniversary and performed by her. VIDEO
Interview with Anna for January/February, 2014 issue of Hook Magazine.
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Anna Veleva, Soprano
with Alec Baldwin
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For more information visit: www.AnnaVeleva.com
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Tamara Poddubnaya, Pianist
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At the end of last year, Miss Poddubnaya served as a judge at the Savshinsky International competition in St. Petersburg, Russia. The event attracted more than 300 participants from all over the world. In addition to her service on the jury panel, she was asked to give a short speech both during the opening and closing ceremonies. Her performance at the opening ceremony was broadcasted by TV and St. Petersburg Radio.
On January 8th, 2014, she played a recital at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Glinka Concert Hall. It featured a Frank Bridge program, including Trio Fantasy, Quartet Fantasy, and Quintet. Before the concert she was invited for an interview with St. Petersburg TV 100 channel. This recital was a Russian premiere of F. Bridge's music. The audience gave Miss Poddubnaya a long standing ovation.
On February 12th, her students played a recital of music by Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, and Gavrilin in Albert Hall at the Long Island Conservatory of Music.
In March, she is invited to give master classes at Mila Filatova Piano Academy in Manchester, NH.
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Barry Kolman's year started out with a busy and exciting schedule. On February 8th, he led the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra to a sold out show that ended with a standing ovation. The performance featured Brahms' Symphony No. 1.
Also in February, Mr. Kolman gave an invited lecture at the Latino Cultural Center at the University of Illinois/Chicago. His recently published book, EL LENGUAJE DE LA M�SICA, AL DESCUBIERTO, was the focus of this event.
Next month, on March 15th, he will conduct the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra performance of a Shostakovich program including Symphony No. 12 and the Cello Concerto No. 1. Mr. Kolman is preparing a recording for Centaur Records of Tango Tonight! with the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra and Argentine singing sensation, Estefania, singer of Tango, planned for February 2015.
Fanfare Magazine's March/April issue will feature an article named "Clarinets, Classrooms, and Conducting: A Conversation with Barry Kolman." The magazine has made several very favorable reports regarding the work of Mr. Kolman. Most recently, the magazine published a review of Kolman's CD, Steiner Film Music, that boasted: "...Conductor Barry Kolman really understands what Max Steiner's music is all about, and he conducts it with spirit and affection."
Also according to Fanfare Magazine (March/April), his book "The Language of Music Revealed" is "a good text that makes the subject anything but dry... useful for adult beginners and suggest that music teachers keep it on hand. Even advanced students sometimes need a few pointers and exercises on music theory."
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Newsletter Editor: Mila Hover
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