Program III:
ECCO Visions
Thursday, August 20 | 7:00 PM
Stevens Square Theater | Portland
The East Coast Chamber Orchestra bursts onto the stage with the baroque swagger of Battalia à 10, a vivid musical depiction of the grace and chaos of a military camp. Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks describes his Distant Light as “nostalgia with a touch of tragedy,” with its haunting violin melodies and dreamy expansiveness. Following the Maine premiere of a new solo piano work by Maine’s own Henry Kramer, Béla Bartók's Divertimento closes out the evening with an irresistible folk dance party.
PROGRAM
Franz Biber Battalia à 10 ("Battle for Ten")
Pēteris Vasks Violin Concerto “Distant Light”
Henry Kramer Dirigo (“Dare I Go”)
Béla Bartók Divertimento
Programs and artists subject to change
TICKETS
Early Bird Sale Alert! Purchase your Summer Season Pass in the month of May and save 25% off single tickets. It’s like getting one concert free!
Summer Season Pass holders receive tickets to all four concerts at Stevens Square Theater at a reduced ticket price, plus free exchange privileges.
Single tickets on sale June 1.
VENUE
Stevens Square Theater
Stevens Square Community Center
631 Stevens Ave, Portland ME
PARKING
Free parking on site, click for details.
RUN TIME
Just under two hours including intermission
Meet The Artists
Efe Baltacigil
cello
Maurycy Banaszek
viola
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Nate Farrington
bass
Michael Katz
cello
Min-Young Kim
violin
Henry Kramer
piano
Kobi Malkin
violin
Anthony Marwood
violin
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Tai Murray
violin
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Ayano Ninomiya
violin
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Susie Park
violin
Annaliesa Place
violin
Raman Ramakrishnan
cello
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Melissa Reardon
viola
Jessica Thompson
viola
Meet The Composers
Franz Biber
1644-1704
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber was a Bohemian-Austrian composer and virtuoso violinist of the Baroque era, widely regarded as one of the greatest violin composers of the 17th century. He was born in 1644 in Wartenberg, in the region of Bohemia.
Biber worked for church and court institutions, eventually serving at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg, where he became Kapellmeister (music director). He gained fame for his highly inventive violin music, which expanded the technical possibilities of the instrument.
His best-known compositions include the Rosary Sonatas, celebrated for their use of scordatura (special violin tunings), and the monumental Missa Salisburgensis. His music is admired for its virtuosity, dramatic expression, and rich Baroque style.
Henry Kramer
b. 1987
Henry Kramer is an American classical pianist known for his expressive performances, technical skill, and thoughtful interpretations of both Romantic and contemporary repertoire. Raised in Cape Elizabeth, he began studying piano relatively late, at age 11, but quickly showed exceptional talent.
Kramer studied at Juilliard School, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and later completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Yale School of Music under pianist Boris Berman.
He gained international recognition after winning Second Prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2016. He has also received top awards at the National Chopin Competition, the Montreal International Competition, and the China Shanghai International Piano Competition. In 2019, he was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant, one of the leading honors for young American classical musicians.
Kramer has performed as a soloist with orchestras and in recital halls around the world, including appearances at Concertgebouw and Alice Tully Hall. In addition to performing, he teaches piano and has served on the faculty of the Université de Montréal.
Pēteris Vasks
b. 1946
Pēteris Vasks is a Latvian composer known for his deeply spiritual and emotionally powerful music, often inspired by nature, human suffering, and hope. Vasks first studied double bass at the conservatory in Riga and later worked as a musician in several Latvian orchestras. He eventually turned to composition and studied at the Lithuanian State Conservatory in Vilnius.
His music blends modern techniques with lyrical melodies and strong emotional expression. Many of his works reflect concerns about war, oppression, and environmental destruction, shaped in part by life under Soviet rule. Notable compositions include Cantabile, Musica Dolorosa, and Distant Light.
Vasks became internationally recognized in the late 20th century, and his works are frequently performed by major orchestras and soloists around the world. He is considered one of the most important contemporary composers from the Baltic region.
Béla Bartók
1881-1945
Béla Bartók was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and pioneering ethnomusicologist, widely regarded as one of the most important composers of the 20th century. Bartók studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest in Budapest, where he developed as both a pianist and composer. Early in his career, he was influenced by Romantic composers, but he later developed a highly original musical language.
A major part of Bartók’s legacy comes from his groundbreaking work in ethnomusicology. He traveled extensively across Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and other parts of Eastern Europe, recording and studying folk music. These folk traditions deeply influenced his compositions. His major works include Concerto for Orchestra, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, and Bluebeard's Castle.