PORT TOWNSEND — For the first time, violinist Claire Martin will perform in the Candlelight Concert Series, showcasing solo violin pieces with a theme of “Violin Heart.”
The concert will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 609 Taylor St.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission is by a suggested $10 donation and children will be admitted free. Refreshments will be served following the performance.
The program will feature salon gems to opera arias and gypsy songs to tangos. Some of the selections the program will include are Bach’s “Arioso,” “La Vie en Rose,” “Meditation,” “Czardas,” theme from “Schindler’s List,” and tango “Por Una Cabeza.”
Proceeds from the concert will support the services of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, East Jefferson, which helps local residents in Jefferson County with financial assistance & referrals.
At her series debut, Martin will perform a wide range of songs to complement the church’s acoustical structure, said organizers.
In addition, one of her song selections will be accompanied by Trinity’s organist emeritus, Terry Reitz, performing “Adagio” by Remo Giazetto on the Gottfried Silbermann baroque organ.
Supporting Martin on the Czechoslovakian Petrof grand piano will be pianists Diane Thompson, Linda Dowdell and Helen Lauritzen. In addition, cellist Maryann Tapiro will perform with “La Vie en Rose.”
Claire-Jeanne Martin started violin studies with her father at the age of 6. She received her Bachelor of Music degree with academic honors from the North Carolina School of the Arts. There she served as teaching assistant to violin teachers Elaine Richey and Steven Shipps.
Awarded the Gianini Scholarship, she performed numerous solos and recitals and played in master classes for such artists as Isaac Stern and Franco Gulli.
Although offered a full scholarship to study with Jaime Laredo at St Louis Conservatory, and invited to study with Kato Havas in Oxford, she chose to pursue her graduate studies with Alice Schoenfeld at the University of Southern California.
She later moved to Philadelphia and established herself in various musical venues from classical to popular, as a core member of the Philadelphia Opera Company, Concerto Soloists (Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra), Pennsylvania Ballet, Delaware Symphony, Opera Delaware, Princeton Opera Festival, Atlantic City shows, and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops — collaborating with such pop stars as Diana Ross, Henry Mancini, Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Sarah Brightman and ELO.
Returning to Los Angeles in 2002, Martin played with the Los Angeles Opera, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, and for musical shows at the Ahmanson (Los Angeles Music Center) and Orange County Performing Arts Center. She also played in various recording studios (including Capitol Records) and in major studios for film and video scoring (including Sony, Warner Brothers, Fox, Todd-AO, Paramount, and Disney).
Now relocated to the Olympic Peninsula, Martin travels for orchestral, choral, and chamber engagements, and continues to perform recitals.
Call 360-774-1644 or email rdanpurnell@msn.com for further information.
