Ana Vidovic
For its March Masterworks concert, the Asheville Symphony welcomes internationally renowned classical guitarist Ana Vidovic for Joaquín Rodrigo’s beloved Concierto de Aranjuez. The program also includes Aleksandra Vrebalov’s Gratitude from The Sea Ranch Songs and Gabriela Lena Frank’s Coqueteos from Leyendas, and closes with Beethoven’s First Symphony. Led by Maestro Darko Butorac, the concert takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, at First Baptist Church of Asheville.
“The opportunity to hear Ana Vidovic perform is something very special,” says Butorac. “She is one of the best classical guitarists in the world, and Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez is the most performed and beloved guitar concerto.”
The program opens with Gratitude, a movement from Vrebalov’s The Sea Ranch Songs. The piece was composed for the Kronos Quartet on commission from Sea Ranch, a planned community in Sonoma County, California, in honor of its fiftieth anniversary. The community was praised for its natural beauty and intentional architectural designs. Vrebalov wrote in the liner notes, “The Sea Ranch idea on a global scale might be utopian, but through music, we praise its beauty and affirm its urgent relevance in our wounded world, so much in need of healing.”
Next, Vidovic joins the ASO to perform Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, inspired by the Royal Palace of Aranjuez outside of Madrid. Vidovic is known for her beautiful tone, precise technique, well-defined phrasing and thoughtful artistry and musicianship. Her international performance career includes frequent recitals, concerto engagements and festival appearances throughout the world. Vidovic has won an impressive number of prizes and international competitions including first prizes in the Albert Augustine International Competition in Bath, England, the Fernando Sor competition in Rome, Italy and the Francisco Tárrega competition in Benicàssim, Spain.
Third on the program is Coqueteos from Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout. An American composer and pianist, Frank has traveled extensively in South America and her compositions are inspired by its folk culture. She composed Leyendas in 2001, inspired by “the idea of mestizaje as envisioned by the Peruvian writer José María Arguedas, where cultures can coexist without the subjugation of one by the other.” The delightful Coqueteos references a love song sung by gallant romanceros.
“I love the juxtaposition of two newer pieces, both written by women composers,” says Butorac. “Ana Vrebalov’s Gratitude is a beautiful meditative work with a powerful ending, and Gabriela Lena Frank’s Coqueteos is a foot-stomping dance inspired by Andean culture.”
Beethoven’s First Symphony rounds out the evening’s program. While its initial critical reception was lukewarm, the symphony soon became a favorite—so much so that it was the object of an anonymous pirated arrangement two years later. It showcases the composer’s admiration for his idol, Franz Joseph Haydn, and his own revolutionary compositional approach.
Tickets are general admission $75 for adults, and $55 for youth (under 25). They can be purchased online at AshevilleSymphony.org, by phone at 828.254.7046 or in person at the Asheville Symphony office at 27 College Place, Suite 100.
