Program
Valentin Martchev and Friends
Valentin Martchev, bassoon
Andrea Overturf, oboe
Yao Zhao, cello
Ines Irawati, piano, harpsichord
Sonata in G Minor, BWV1029 for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Andante
Largo e dolce
Presto
Allegro
Sonata in F Minor TWV 41; f1 for Bassoon, Harpsichord and Cello
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Triste
Allegro
Andante
Vivace
Sonata for Oboe and Piano
Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)
Andantino
Ad libitum - Allegretto - ad libitum
Molto allegro
Intermission
Sonata in B-flat K. 292 for Bassoon and Cello
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Allegro
Andante
Rondo: Allegro
Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano
André Previn (1929-2019)
Lively
Slow
Jaunty
Valentin Martchev, bassoon
Valentin Martchev was born in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, and started playing the bassoon at age 10. He went to the State Academy of Music in Sofia and Duquesne University, studying with Yordan Metodiev, Tony Komitoff and Nancy Goeres. During his student years in the states he attended the Aspen, Tanglewood, Music Academy of the West and Marlboro Music Festivals. Valentin was a tenured member of the Bulgarian State Radio Orchestra and the Charlottesville Symphony in Virginia, where he was also on the university faculty.
In 2001 Mr. Martchev joined the San Diego Symphony as their principal bassoonist. The San Diego Union-Tribune said his 2007 performance of John Williams’ bassoon concerto Five Sacred Trees “….made this bassoonist a star.” He has performed multiple times with the Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival, the Mainly Mozart Festival and La Jolla SummerFest.
In 2008 he was Guest Principal Bassoon with the LA Philharmonic under Esa-Pekka Salonen, and in 2010 he was Guest Associate Principal Bassoon with the Cincinnati Symphony under Paavo Järvi. He has performed chamber music concerts at SDSU, Riverside Community College, Lake Mammoth and at UCSD, and has participated in music series such as Jacaranda, Art of Elan, Luscious Noise and Le Salon de Musique. He is on the faculty of Cal State Fullerton, SDSU, and plays on a 1985 Heckel Biebrich.
Andrea Overturf, oboe
Andrea Overturf currently serves as English horn of the San Diego Symphony, a position she previously held with The Florida Orchestra. She holds the Dr. William and Evelyn Lamden English Horn Chair. Equally adept at the oboe, she received second prize in the 2007 International Double Reed Society Gillet-Fox Solo Oboe Competition. Ms. Overturf has appeared as guest English horn with numerous orchestras across the country including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, National and Seattle Symphonies. She has presented solo recitals throughout the United States and Asia and has appeared as guest soloist with the Rochester Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, and Aspen Music Festival, among others. Ms. Overturf has performed with numerous summer festivals including La Jolla SummerFest, the Mainly Mozart Festival, the Tanglewood Music Center, National Repertory Orchestra, and the Aspen Music Festival where she held the English horn fellowship for three years. As a chamber musician she has collaborated with artists such as James Conlon, Lorin Maazel, John Harbison, and James Levine, including the American stage premiere of Elliott Carter’s opera What Next?
Ms. Overturf is the first oboist in the history of the Juilliard School to graduate from the prestigious solo-intensive Artist Diploma Program where she also received her Masters Degree. She received her Bachelors Degree from the Eastman School of Music graduating with the Performer’s Certificate, the highest performance distinction awarded to undergraduates. Her principal teachers include Elaine Douvas, Pedro Diaz, Nathan Hughes, Richard Killmer, Richard Woodhams, and Rebecca Henderson. Originally from Seattle, Ms. Overturf rides and shows American Quarter Horses in her free time. For more information, please visit http://www.andreaoverturf.com.
Yao Zhao, cello
Described by the Los Angeles Times as “…able to handle the most intricate musical works with unblinking ease and expressive zeal,” cellist Yao Zhao has earned a reputation for his dynamism as the Principal Cello for San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and as a faculty member at San Diego State University. He is one of the founding members of the award-winning Great Wall String Quartet, and in 2013 he was honored as one of China’s Ten Extraordinary Cellists of the Generation.
Mr. Zhao began his studies on the cello and piano at age four under the instruction of his father, Xuelian Zhao, a distinguished cellist and teacher. He made his first concert appearance at age five, and his solo debut in the Beijing Concert Hall at age nine. He won second prize at the First Chinese National Cello Competition, going on to win more than 13 competitions, awards and honors. His career has seen him performing in over 40 cities around the world, including a successful solo debut at the Weil Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall) in New York. Some of his many festival appearances include Ojai Music Festival, La Jolla Music Society SummerFest, Mainly Mozart Music Festival, Idyllwild Arts Summer Festival, Great Wall International Music Academy in Beijing, Global Chinese Orchestra in China, the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra in Japan and Korea and the Qingdao International Music Festival. And, since 2018, Mr. Zhao was invited to serve as principal cellist for one of the longest running of all professional orchestra festivals, the Grand Teton Music Festival.
Mr. Zhao is also a dedicated teacher, giving master-classes at universities and conservatories in Beijing, Shanghai, Harbin, Taiyuan, Wuhan, Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei and Jakarta and as well as serving on the faculty at San Diego State University. He has been named Honorary Advisor of the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Ines Irawati, piano/harpsichord
Known for her expressivity, virtuosity, and versatility, Ines Irawati is in demand both as a solo recitalist and a collaborative pianist. Her recent engagements include performances for TEDxSan Diego at Copley Symphony Hall, the Art of Élan, Musikamar chamber concerts, concerts in Centro Cultural Tijuana, and throughout southern California. She is the founding member of the acclaimed Aviara Trio, a piano trio described as the “highest level of instrumental perfection, intensity, passion, and expression.” Ms. Irawati is involved in La Cena e Pronta, a project which explores the nourishing ways food and music enrich our lives through intimate vocal performances. Ms. Irawati recently served as the musical and artistic director of San Diego Opera Young Artist Training Program, where she directed the company’s outreach concert series, Opera Exposed! and its production of Little Red Riding Hood, a children's opera by Seymour Barab. Since the summer of 2008, Ms. Irawati has been invited by renowned dramatic mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick to serve as a coach and vocal pianist at the prestigious Institute for Young Dramatic Voices. She was the vocal coach and collaborative piano faculty at Point Loma Nazarene University from 2004-2017.
Ms. Irawati has won numerous prizes internationally, including the Suburban Concerto Competition, the Cleveland Institute of Music Concerto Competition, the D'angelo International Young Artists Competition, and the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus Competition. She was also invited to perform Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra at Severance Hall.
Ms. Irawati has performed her own compositions throughout Indonesia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. She was accepted to the Junior Original Concert, a prestigious music program where young musicians compose original works and perform them around the world. At the age of 15, she was invited to the International UNICEF Benefit in Japan, where she performed her concerto with the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Her composition teachers include Donald Erb and the late renowned Indonesian composer, Slamat Abdul Syukur. Her work for solo flute, “Flirting Belugas”, was published by the Manduca Music Publication.
Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, she began piano and composition instruction at age six at the Yamaha Music School in Indonesia. At age 12, she made her official debut playing the third Beethoven Piano Concerto and Chopin's first concerto with the Indonesian Youth Symphony.
Ms. Irawati was educated at and awarded full scholarship to the prestigious Young Artists Program at Cleveland Institute of Music, where she continued her studies throughout her undergraduate years. Her teachers and coaches include Olga Radosavljevich, Vivian Weilerstein, Anne Epperson, and Donald Weilerstein. Ms. Irawati holds a Master of Music degree from Yale University, where she studied with Claude Frank, Peter Frankl, and Kikuei Ikeda of the Tokyo String Quartet.
Her education also includes a summer music festival at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where she studied vocal accompanying with Warren Jones and Marilyn Horne.