Sunday, December 19, 2021- 4pm
$20 youth, $25 Senior/Student, $30 general admission
Tickets available through Eventbrite.
Soprano Maya Kherani presents Une Fête Baroque, offering patrons a rich bouquet of early music, ranging from the late Renaissance to the high Baroque, with selections both tender and virtuosic.
During this 45-minute program, which includes works from Purcell, Handel, Charpentier, Monteverdi, and more, Ms. Kherani will be accompanied by acclaimed period instrumentalists, Caitlyn Koester (Harpsichord) and Jon Mendle (Lute and Theorbo), and David Morris on Baroque Cello and Viola da Gamba, delivering an immersive musical experience.
A Calliope: East Bay Music & Arts Special Event
AVAILABLE BOTH IN-PERSON AND AS A LIVE-STREAM
YOUR SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT TO OUR OFFERING THIS SHOW: Proof of full vaccination is required to attend, and a properly-worn mask is required at all times. Admission will be limited to 50% of capacity. All performers and staff are fully vaccinated.
Artist Profiles:
Maya Kherani, Soprano: Praised for her "rich, soaring soprano" and “crystalline tone” (Opera News) in repertoire from the Baroque to the modern, Maya Kherani is currently a Resident Artist at Opera San José. Career highlights include starring in the title role of Handel’s Partenope with Opera NEO; Beatrice in Three Decembers opposite Susan Graham at Opera San José, and Meera in the premiere of Jack Perla’s The River of Light, commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera. Upcoming role and house debuts include Belinda in Dido and Aeneas at Opera San José, Drusilla/Fortuna (Poppea cover) in L’incoronazione di Poppea at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Handel's Messiah with Boston Baroque, and to be announced engagements with Portland Baroque Orchestra and Vancouver Symphony. She received Third Place at the Handel Aria Competition, First Place and Audience Favorite at the James Toland Vocal Competition (Tier II), the McGlone Award from Central City Opera, two Encouragement Awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and last year, was the only American soprano to compete as a Semifinalist in the international Glyndebourne Opera Cup. Prior to her singing career, Ms. Kherani graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with a BSE in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Caitlyn Koester , harpsichord: Hailing from the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Caitlyn is a harpsichordist active in the performance communities of the Bay Area and New York City. She holds degrees from the Juilliard School, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and the University of Michigan. She is currently on faculty in the history and theory departments at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has been featured in concerts for various presenters including the Princeton Festival, Gotham Early Music Scene, Music Before 1800, Salon Sanctuary, and Ars Musica Chorale, and has held Assistant Music Director positions for productions with dell’Arte Opera and Bard College. Caitlyn looks forward to recording the complete obligato sonatas of Graupner with violinist Naomi Dumas on Montréal’s ATMA label in 2022. Finding music of the 17th and 18th centuries to exemplify genuine humanity, Caitlyn aspires to maintain a musical life as a harpsichordist and educator who exposes and nurtures a love of this repertoire among wider audiences in the United States.
Jon Mendle, theorbo/lute: Jon has toured with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble and made his Carnegie Hall debut while still a student at the age of 19. He received his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Professional Studies degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where his teachers included Judicael Perroy, Sergio Assad, David Tanenbaum, Lawrence Ferrara, Marc Teicholz, and Dusan Bogdanovic. While at the Conservatory, Jon also studied lute and historical guitars with Richard Savino. Jon continues to take lute lessons and masterclasses with players such as Nigel North, Ronn McFarlane and Paul O’Dette whenever possible. His first album, entitled L’infidele, was produced by his teacher, Latin Grammy winner Sergio Assad. Soundboard magazine called L’infidele “a beautiful disc,” adding “Mendle’s playing is a wonder.” Recently, Jon was awarded second prize in the 2021 Concorso di Musica Antica “Maurizio Pratola” international lute competition in L’Aquila, Italy. Jon performs on a variety of instruments, including 19th century guitar, Renaissance and baroque lutes, vihuela and theorbo. When away from his arsenal of plucked instruments, he enjoys hiking in the beautiful California redwoods and attempting to pull the perfect espresso shot.
David Morris
