Mozart’s Magical Mystery Tour by Judith Lynn Stillman

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI–The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School hosts Mozart’s Magical Mystery Tour: Judith Lynn Stillman and Friends from the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Pianist Stillman, who lives on the East Side, and RI Philharmonic Orchestra concertmaster and violinist Charles Dimmick, violist Abigail Cross and cellist Steven Laven, present a multimedia experience designed to deliver a closer look at the brilliance of Mozart and his music, in the context of his family, milieu and society, as he travels Europe in the 1760s.

The annual series, Judith Lynn Stillman and Friends from the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, currently starting its third year, kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m., at the RI Philharmonic’s Carter Center, 667 Waterman Ave., East Providence. On Monday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m., an abridged version will be performed at Sapinsley Hall, Rhode Island College. (The series will continue this spring with April in Paris with Poulenc. It will feature Stillman with five members of the RI Philharmonic Orchestra and Trinity Rep’s Curt Columbus.)

“This unique program, with accompanying visuals, includes chamber music from duo, to trio, to quartet—and the musicians will be heard on period as well as modern instruments,” Stillman said. “Timeless in his humanity, Mozart touches our souls. His music is perfect in proportion and consummate in range of expression, from exuberance to melancholy and back again.”

David Beauchesne, Executive Director, RI Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School, added: “We are always looking to connect with and build our audience by performing in diverse, unique and intimate settings, which is difficult to do with the full orchestra. We are thrilled to have Judith and principal players from the Orchestra create exciting musical programs that can be performed at Rhode Island College and the Carter Center and can travel anywhere. The results to date have been remarkable!”

***At a Glance***

Mozart’s Magical Mystery Tour: Judith Lynn Stillman and Friends from the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra
2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 28, RI Philharmonic’s Carter Center for Music Performance & Education, 667 Waterman Ave., East Providence

Judith Lynn Stillman, artistic director and pianist, RI Philharmonic Orchestra members, Charles Dimmick, violin, Abigail Cross, viola, Steven Laven, cello

• Mozart: Sonata for Violin and Piano in B-Flat Major
• Mozart: Piano Trio in C Major
• Mozart: Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major, K. 493

Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for students 18 and under or with a college ID, $10 for RI Philharmonic Music School students and family members. Tickets can be purchased online at tickets.riphil.org, in person from the RI Philharmonic Orchestra Box Office in East Providence, or by phone 401.248.7000 (Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). Day of concert tickets will be available at the Carter Center starting at 1 p.m.

Mozart’s Magical Mystery Tour: Judith Lynn Stillman and Friends from the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, abridged version, 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 29, Sapinsley Hall, Rhode Island College. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $10, and tickets are available at the door.

Judith Lynn Stillman, pianist, composer and filmmaker, who has been hailed as an “artistic visionary,” is the Artist-in-Residence and a Professor of Music at Rhode Island College. She has performed throughout the world, at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Marlboro, Tanglewood, Grand Teton Festival and at the Grammy's celebration in honor of Rostropovich. She has appeared with Wynton Marsalis, Borromeo, Shanghai, Muir, Cassatt and Lydian string quartets, the Beach Boys, in a BOSE commercial with Herbie Hancock, as visiting guest artist at major conservatories in China, Russia and the Czech Republic, and as music director in Rome and Verona, Italy. Winner of 18 piano competitions, the first Pell Award in the Arts, and the Christiana Carteaux Bannister Award for Civil Service in the Arts, Stillman holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from The Juilliard School, where she won the Juilliard concerto competition and the Dethier Prize for Outstanding Pianist. Stillman, as filmmaker-composer-pianist, has garnered awards including Grand Jury Prize: Best Music Video, Best Multimedia Film, Best Music Score and Audience Choice in international film festivals in Los Angeles, Montréal, New York and the United Kingdom. Her iconic duo recording with Wynton Marsalis on Sony Classical was on the Top Ten of the Billboard charts: “Stillman and Marsalis make an impeccable duo. The playing consistently dazzles.”

About RI Philharmonic Orchestra members

Violinist Charles Dimmick is the concertmaster for the RI Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been praised by The Boston Globe for his “cool clarity of expression,” and also has been concertmaster of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project since 2006; Elliott Schwartz's Chamber Concerto VI: Mr. Jefferson marks Mr. Dimmick's debut performance and recording as soloist with the ensemble. In addition to his leadership role in BMOP, Mr. Dimmick is concertmaster of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Boston Pops, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Boston and Chamber Orchestra of Boston.

Born in Syracuse, NY., Violist Abigail Kubert Cross started her musical career studying Suzuki piano at age four and, at age 9, picked up the viola in the public schools. In 1993 and 1995 respectively, Cross received her bachelor’s and master’s from Boston University where she studied with Steven Ansell, principal viola of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She spent her summers at Tanglewood, Kneisel Hall, Sarasota Music Festival, and one summer performing opera in Rome. She is currently principal viola of the Rhode Island Philharmonic, a position she has held for 21 years. In addition, she is a member of the Boston Lyric Opera Orchestra and performs regularly with the Boston Ballet, the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Odyssey Opera, BMOP and the Boston Landmarks Orchestra. As a member of Walt Disney World’s All-American College Orchestra Alumni, Cross performs a yearly concert in Orlando.

Cellist Steven Laven appears with the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra (principal cellist), the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the Handel & Haydn Society, Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. He is also an adjunct instructor of cello and chamber music at Rhode Island College, performing in the faculty Proteus String Quartet. Previously, he has held titled positions in the Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera and Omaha Symphony Orchestra. He has earned cello performance degrees from the Eastman and Manhattan schools of music.