Homestead Chamber Orchestra Concert at Christ Church on Nov. 19

Posted: Nov. 2, 2009

An annual Homestead orchestra tradition takes place in an exciting new location this November. Homestead High School’s critically-acclaimed Chamber Orchestra will perform for the first time in Christ Church’s brand new facility, located on North Port Washington Road. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend this very special concert in an exciting new venue.

 

This year the orchestra will perform with a very special guest artist, Homestead 2002 Alumnus harpist Kelsey Erdahl. Kelsey began studying harp at the age of eleven and quickly became an in-demand artist. She recently completed a one-year position as Acting Principal Harpist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During her appointment, she toured with the orchestra to Carnegie Hall and worked with maestros Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink, Michael Tilson Thomas, among others. Erdahl’s performances have drawn critical acclaim. The Chicago Tribune described her as “a splendid harpist.” The Chicago Sun-Times dubbed her an “outstanding soloist.” From 2005-2008, Erdahl was a member of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland, touring the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. She worked with some of today’s leading conductors, including James Levine, Paavo Järvi, Valery Gergiev, and several others. In May 2008, she completed her Masters of Music at the Chicago College of Performing Arts of Roosevelt University with Sarah Bullen, principal harpist of the Chicago Symphony.

 

"It is really exciting for me to have the opportunity to work with Kelsey again at Homestead,” says John Emanuelson, HHS Orchestra Director. “I have performed with her regularly in the Racine Symphony since her graduation from Homestead in 2002, but she has had a number of wonderful, high-level orchestral experiences all around the world in those intervening years, including her tenure with the Chicago Symphony last year. She is a talent of the absolute highest level, and this collaboration will be a tremendous chance for the current HHS students to be inspired by an amazing young musician who was just a few years ago a member of our Symphony Orchestra here at Homestead!"”

 

"We are very honored to be the first visiting musical ensemble to perform at new Christ Church,” notes Emanuelson. “This is a wonderful new facility in the Mequon-Thiensville community, and it is a privilege for us to share our music with the parishioners there, as well as members of the community who are able to visit this beautiful new church for our performance. I know Christ Church is eager to invite the community to enjoy their new building, and we hope this will be the start of a long-term partnership between the HHS Chamber Orchestra and Christ Church."

 

Also on the program will be Schubert Symphony No. 5 for strings and winds, Sibelius Valse Triste, a medley of Beatles songs including “I want to Hold your Hand”, “Yesterday”, “Eleanor Rigby”, and “Let it Be”, featuring Nikhil Ramnarayan, piano, Mac Sellars, percussion, and Ilan Blanck, guitar, and the Chamber Orchestra’s traditional concert finale - Bluegrass Country, with Ilan on guitar and Ben Petersen on banjo.

 

The public is encouraged to attend the concert at Christ Church, 13460 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, Thursday, November 19, at 7:30 PM. Admission is free.