The New River Orchestra: Summer Serenade 2015 will present a 10th anniversary benefit concert entitled “Rhythms of the Americas,” on July 26 at 4 p.m. at Sunrise Cathedral (1480 SW 9th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale) in recognition of Poverello’s 27 years of service to the community. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales and concessions will directly benefit Poverello, a non-profit organization that provides life-saving food and basic living essentials to as many as 2,500 individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Broward County.
The “Rhythm of the Americas” program will feature compositions such as “Danzon” (Marquez), “Adagio for Winds” (Rodrigo), “Oblivion and Libertango” (Piazzola), “Rhapsody in Blue” (Gershwin), and the “World Premiere” of a composition written by Maestro Peter Fuchs.
“The New River Orchestra has a true passion for music and community, so it’s an honor for us at Poverello to be selected as the beneficiary for this year’s summer showcase,” said Tom Smith, CEO of Poverello. “Support from organizations like the New River Orchestra makes it possible for us to continue our mission of lightening the burden for those living with HIV/AIDS.”
The concert will be conducted by two renowned South Florida-based maestros. They include:
Peter P. Fuchs, a musical director and conductor for over 70 Broadway musicals, has performed throughout the United States and Europe. He has worked with Robert Goulet, Van Johnson, Shari Lewis, Nancy Walker, Alan Alda, Theodore Bikel and Dorothy Dandridge, to name a few. Fuchs was the conductor of the South Florida Youth Orchestra, the Miami Ballet, and the Miami Symphonic Society Orchestra. He has composed and arranged music for ballets and motion pictures. He currently is the conductor and music director of the Sugar Pops Orchestra in Coconut Creek.
Dr. Christopher Cicconi has been conducting and teaching in the greater Phoenix and Miami areas for the past 14 years. He has worked with many college ensembles including directing a full-scale opera with the ASU Lyric Opera Theater. He was an associate conductor at the University of South Carolina’s Conductor’s Institute where he studied with Donald Portnoy. As a guest conductor, he has directed both students and professional orchestras in Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Ohio, Colorado, New York and South Carolina. He studied with Andrew Kurtz, Charles Peltz and Maurice Kaplow from the New York City Ballet. His experience led him to conduct internationally in countries including Romania, Argentina and China. He earned a Master in Music Education degree from Arizona State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami. He serves as the resident conductor for the Broward Symphony Orchestra, the associate conductor of the Ars Flores Orchestra and is the band director at the Pine Crest School.
Guest pianist will be Dr. Sofiya Uryvayeva who will perform Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” She will be performing without remuneration as her contribution to the mission ofPoverello. Uryvayeva was born in Siberia into a musical family. She graduated from the Odessa Stolyarsky Music School for highly talented children. While in Germany, she earned both a master’s and a doctoral degree in music performance. Her American debut at the Steinway Gallery in Miami was broadcast on national television. Her YouTube channel featuring more than 40 videos of her live classical performances boasts an audience of over one million views from around the world. Modern global composers have dedicated their music to her and she has performed at numerous world premieres in Switzerland, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Italy, and Austria. Her concerts have been described by critics as “a festival for all the senses, for the soul and for life,” “a magic ride on the witch’s broom” and “brilliant technique with soul.” The State Department of the U.S. granted her citizenship in 2014, honoring her as “the best of the best.”
“We respect, value, and honor the diversity in our lives, our musical expression, and our audience,” said Dr. Bill Bryan, NRO Board member and cellist. “We are pleased to support Poverello and we welcome the community to do the same by enjoying a soulful evening out set to the multicultural “Rhythms of the Americas.”
Tickets are $18 each and will be sold at Poverello at www.poverello.org, or by contacting Kevin Clevenger at kclevenger@poverello.org or at (954) 561-3663, ext. 106.