Prestigious American music group in Paraguay

November 30, 2009

Trio Chicago & Friends, official photograph.

The prestigious American music group, Trio Chicago & Friends (www.triochicago.com), is in Paraguay until December 3, 2009.  During their tour of Paraguay, the group will perform several public concerts in Villa Hayes, Ciudad del Este, and Coronel Oviedo.  Acclaimed in their annual tours around the world, the members of this group are considered true cultural ambassadors. The group has been recognized for its versatility of style on the piano, flute, violin, viola, and singing in concerts, master classes, and educational exchanges with students from host countries.

The presence of this renowned American ensemble visiting Paraguay for the first time is possible thanks to the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay and the Paraguayan-American Cultural Center (CCPA).  Other sponsors include: The Hotel Villa Morra Suites, Citibank, Cooperativa Universitaria Ltda. and Radio FM Concert de la Holding de Radio.     

Trio Chicago & Friends plays American music by composers such as Gershwin, Ellington, Bernstein, Copland, Pat Metheny, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.  See the following program, which is free and open to the public:

Monday, November 30:

• 10:00 pm - Master Class at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música, Complejo Cultural Emilio Biggi (Pte. Franco esq. Yegros, Asunción)

• 15:00 pm - Master Class in Centro Vy’a Renda de Fé y Alegría, Bañado Sur

Tuesday, December 1st:

• 10:00 pm - Master Class at the Conservatorio de Música de la Ciudad de Luque

• 20:00 pm - Concert in Villa Hayes, Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Victoria

Wednesday, 2 December, 20:00

• Concert in Colegio Sembrador, Ciudad del Este

Thursday, 3 December, 20:00

• Concert at the Centro Cultural Gobau, Coronel Oviedo

About the group:

The group is led by one of Chicago’s most distinguished violinists, Elliott Golub, who served as concertmaster of Chicago’s Music of the Baroque since its inception in 1972 to 2006. Mr. Golub was formerly concertmaster of the Contemporary Chamber Players of the University of Chicago. In Washington, D.C., he was invited to play at the Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, and the White House.

Co-founder Marlou Johnston, who plays the viola and violin, has been concertmaster and soloist with the Kankakee (Illinois) Symphony Orchestra since 1982. She was formerly the concertmaster of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

Pianist Kay Kim is a lecturer in the collaborative piano department at Northwestern University, and serves on the faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago. As a collaborative pianist, she has performed with violinist Itzhak Perlman. She holds a doctoral degree in piano performance from Northwestern University.

Flutist Laura Hamm has studied with Jean Pierre Rampal and James Galway, and received a master of music degree and a certificate in flute performance from Northwestern University. She has participated in numerous music festivals throughout the world. Ms. Hamm is on the faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago.

Soprano Katherine Keberlein has performed with Chicago’s Music of the Baroque and as a soloist in the University of Chicago’s Noontime Concert Series.  Her extensive theatre resume includes, most recently, Don’t Dress for Dinner at the Royal George Theatre (director John Tillinger) and Cyrano de Bergerac with Oak Park Festival Theatre.  Ms. Keberlein is a member of SAG, with national film and commercial credits.