Violinist Ray Chen to Perform at Hannaford Hall, 2/4

Portland Ovations presents internationally acclaimed violinist Ray Chen accompanied by pianist Julio Elizalde on Wednesday, February 4th - 7:30pm at Hannaford Hall, USM Portland.

Born in Taiwan and raised in Australia, Ray Chen was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music at the age of 15. He is the winner of the Queen Elisabeth (2009) and Yehudi Menuhin Competitions (2008) and is lauded as one of the most compelling young violinists today. Ray Chen continues to win admiration of fans and fellow musicians worldwide with The Strad stating, "From the first notes there was no doubt of being in the presence of something special." In 2012 he became the youngest soloist ever to perform for the Swedish Royal Family and Nobel Laureates during the televised Nobel Prize Concert and he plays one of only five 1715 "Joachim" Stradivarius violins on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation. His Carnegie Hall debut with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic as well as his sold-out Musikverein concert with the Gewandhaus Orchestra were both met with standing ovations. Maine audiences know him from the Bowdoin International Music Festival's Virtuosi program. In his Portland Ovations debut, Chen will be joined by pianist Julio Elizalde performing the following program:

Schubert: Rondo in B minor, D 895

Brahms: Violin Sonata no. 2 in A Major

Intermission

Part: Fratres for Violin and Piano

Stravinsky: Divertimento for Violin and Piano

Ravel: Tzigane

While in residence with Portland Ovations Ray Chen will lead two Masterclasses one a Teen Master Class at the Portland Conservatory of Music (202 Woodford St, Portland) on Tuesday, Feb. 3rd between 6:00-8:00pm and the other a University Master Class with Ray Chen at the USM School of Music, Gorham on Thursday, Feb. 5th between 10:00am-12:00pm

One hour prior to the performance at 6:30pm at Hannaford Hall, Ovations Offstage offers a pre-performance lecture with Daniel Stein, the first violinist of the Portland String Quartet, who will discuss the evening's program of Schubert, Stravinsky, Part, Brahms and Ravel.

Tickets for Ray Chen are $37.80 for Ovations Members and $42 for the general public with a limited amount of $10 student tickets also available. To purchase tickets, visit www.portlandovations.org, call PortTix at 207-842-0800 or visit the box office window at Merrill Auditorium. WBACH generously provides media support for the Ray Chen performance.