Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg

The Vail Series at Denison University will present a very special performance by internationally renowned violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and the New Century Chamber Orchestra at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3, in Denison's Swasey Chapel (200 Chapel Road). Tickets are offered for public sale at $15 as capacity allows. Remaining tickets may be released at the door if space permits. Doors open approximately 45 minutes before the performance. For more information, call Mary Frazell at 740-587-6611 or visit www.vailseries.org.

Electrifying performances and fearless interpretations have defined the career of violin virtuoso Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg ever since 1981, when she began her professional career and became the youngest person to win the Walter W. Naumberg Award. For the last two years, she has served as music director of San Francisco’s New Century Chamber Orchestra, with whom she will appear on Swasey Chapel’s stage.

“Her talent is legendary,” says Lorraine Wales, director of the Vail Series. “Her personality creates the kind of dynamism that takes a great performance and puts it right over the top. We are thrilled to have this remarkable ensemble with us.”

Salerno-Sonnenberg was the subject of the 2000 Academy Award-nominated film, “Speaking in Strings,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She also has had an exceptionally strong presence in American culture, having appeared on “60 Minutes,” “The Tonight Show,” “Sesame Street,” “The Charlie Rose Show,” “Life from Lincoln Center,” and many others.

New Century was founded in 1992 with an unusual premise—it performs without a conductor. Musical decisions are made collaboratively, with each of the 19 members contributing to the whole. The result is a performance that is remarkable for its precision, passion and power.

The evening’s romantic and globally provocative musical program will begin with the lilting “Italian Serenade” by Austrian composer Hugo Wolf, before entering into a series of “Romanian Folk Dances” by Béla Bartók. The playful pieces are based on Romanian fiddle tunes, and were originally composed by Bartok for the piano. The first part of the evening’s performance ends with “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires,” by Astor Piazzolla, whose musical style, the “nuevo tango,” incorporates elements of jazz into traditional tango.

Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings in C major, Opus 48” will conclude the evening. The lyricism of the piece reflects Tchaikovsky’s reverence for Mozart and is quite a departure from the 1812 Overture for which he is so well known.

In anticipation of the upcoming Denison performance by Salerno-Sonnenberg and New Century, Christopher Purdy, executive producer and program host at WOSU-FM in Columbus, interviewed the violinist. He has filed a report, complete with audio excerpts of the interview on his featured blog on the WOSU website. Link to that story at www.wosu.org.

The Vail Series was endowed by a generous gift from the late Mary and Foster McGaw in honor of Jeanne Vail, class of 1946. The Series has enriched the artistic experience of the entire Denison community by featuring performances of Renée Fleming, Yoyo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell and many other luminaries.

Depending upon demand, a limited number of tickets released for sale may be ordered as follows: Make your check payable to Denison University, noting event on memo line. Mail it, together with a self-addressed stamped envelope, to the Vail Series, Box 716, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023. Requests filled in order received. Checks for unfulfilled orders will be returned by mail.