The Pleasanton Chamber Players in Concert:
"The French Touch"

The Pleasanton Chamber Players will present their one and only 2008 concert on Sunday, February 24 at 3:00 p.m. under the auspices of "Pleasanton Civic Arts Presents" at the Amador Theatre, 1155 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton, CA. Admission is $15, $20 and $25 and the Amador Theater box office will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each day for phone and walk-up ticket sales. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/community/arts/civic-arts.html or call 925-931-3444.

The main narrative of this event, entitled The French Touch, will take the audience on a musical voyage from the Baroque era to modern times, revisiting well-known composers while also unveiling less recognized characteristics of the French repertoire and style. Strings, flute, clarinet, voice, harp and piano will gather in various intimate groupings of 2, 3 or 4 giving each performer the opportunity to sing and soar.

The French Suite, arranged from a 1729 collection of Chansons by British composer William Alwyn, will open the program, followed by the Trio of the Young Ishmaelites, an interlude from Berlioz's Cantata L'Enfance du Christ. Liszt's symphonic poem Orpheus will be performed in a trio version by Camille Saint-Saëns and the piano solo Ballade by Claude Debussy in a trio arrangement by Dominique Piana. The other works, from the Three Water Colors by Philippe Gaubert , the Terzettino by Théodore Dubois, Une Flûte Invisible by Saint-Saëns, Portrait by Cécile Chaminade, the famous Habanera by Maurice Ravel, the wondrous Elégie by Gabriel Fauré and to the brilliant Finale from a Trio by Vincent d'Indy, promise each to charm and enlighten.

Performers featured are Cecilia Huang (violin), Melissa Huang (viola), Gay Dunn (cello), Lawrence Granger (cello), Karen Veca (flute), Joseph Bonfiglio (clarinet), Dominique Piana (harp), Priscilla Granger (piano) and Alison Collins, our guest soprano, a former student of Pleasanton's own renowned Erie Mills, who is now herself on the faculty of San Jose State and Chabot College.

For information about the Pleasanton Chamber Players, call 925-600-1331 or e-mail dominiquepiana@comcast.net.

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