The ARCO Chamber Orchestra, under the artistic direction of its founder, Franklin Professor of Violin Levon Ambartsumian, is one the gems of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and the university. Ambartsumain brought the ensemble with him from Moscow years ago and has, over the years, tranformed it into a first-rate student and faculty ensemble, exhibiting the utmost professionalism in repertoire and performance. A true teacher as well as a conductor and gifted violinist, Ambartsumian and ARCO offer the rare opportunity for chamber music fans. Normally one would have to live in a major city to enjoy an ensemble like this; but right here in Athens, we have ARCO.
And this week they present a concert at Hodgson Hall on Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. with guest conductor Daniel Kaplunas:
Kaplunas will lead the orchestra in the world premiere performance of Efrem Podgaits’ new arrangement for violin and orchestra of Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major. ARCO artistic director Levon Ambartsumian, UGA’s Franklin Professor of Violin, will perform as violinist for the Beethoven sonata.
Ambartsumian will conduct the remainder of the program, which includes Schubert’s Five Minuets with Six Trios and three Bach piano concertos featuring pianists Evgeny Rivkin, professor of piano, and Anatoly Sheludyakov, resident accompanist, both from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.