A local prodigy of the violin joins a masterful conductor for an unforgettable event.

Currently in its 19^th season and past recipient of the ArtsWestchester Arts Organization of the Year Award, Taconic Opera will be hosting its annual chamber program – Concert in A: Works by Mozart and Holst - on April 22, 2017 at the Presbyterian Church of Mount Kisco, 605 Millwood Rd, Mt. Kisco. Maestro Jun Nakabayashi, Taconic Opera’s Conductor and Music Director, will once again emerge from the orchestra pit to conduct the concert which features the Taconic Opera Orchestra and the winner of the company’s November 2016 Young Virtuosi competition as well as the 2014 Juilliard Concerto Competition, violinist Hahnsol Kim. The program will consist of Mozart’s Synphony No. 2 and also his Violin Concerto No. 5, along with Gustav Holst’s St. Paul's Suite.

Maestro Nakabayashi has chosen the title of Concert in A since both of the Mozart pieces are written in that key, and while the original Holst piece is written in the key of C, it has a strong association with the note of A. According to the conductor, “Some people believe that a certain pitch and its scale will cause a particular sensation. The scale in A is supposed to produce an uninterrupted joy in the minds of the listener. Whether it is true or not, I have no doubt that these three wonderful masterpieces will most assuredly bring enormous joy and fascinate all the listeners.”

Jun Nakabayashi has been active in both the symphonic and operatic fields for almost three decades, and his total repertoire consists of over 100 symphonic works and 30 operas. He currently serves on the staff of the acclaimed Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale where he conducts the Festival Orchestra, which was selected by the New York Philharmonic for a unique a teaching partnership, and gives classes in conducting. Hahnsol Kim began his formal violin studies at the age of five, and over the subsequent twenty years studied under highly acclaimed teachers and was a prizewinner in numerous competitions both in the US and abroad. He has performed all over the world as both a recitalist and a member of a chamber ensemble.

Tickets for this event are $27, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and can be purchased at the door, in advance online at www.taconicopera.org, or by calling Taconic Opera’s toll-free number (855) 886-7372.