Vol. 8 No. 4 March 2014
NEXT FRIENDS MEETING
UPCOMING EVENTS
at the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center
located on Van Wezel Way at Blvd. of the Arts & 10th Street
FRIENDS Annual Meeting
Thursday, April 24, 2-4 p.m.
at Artist Series Concerts Office
1226 N. Tamiami Trail
941-306-1202
Scholarship Finals
Saturday, March 29, 7:30 p.m.
Neel Performing Arts Center
State College of Florida
Bldg. 11 East
Bayshore Gardens
End of Season Party
Thursday, May 22, 6:00 p.m.
at Jane Riggin’s home
8311 Cypress Hollow Drive
Sarasota, FL 34238
941-924-4489
OFFICERS
Jane Riggin, President
Lee Holden, 1st Vice-President
Yvonne Sultan, 2nd Vice-President
Donald Dorsey, Treasurer
Helen Beljean, Recording Secretary
Christine Schlapfer, Corr. Sec’y
Jean Kinnamon, Membership Co-Chair
Joan Zacchini, Membership Co-Chair
Don Britt, Member Communications Chair
John Halstead, Member-at-Large
Julia Dadekian, Member-at-Large
Pat Anderson, Past President
Editor, Linda Heller
[email protected]
THURSDAY MARCH 13th at 2 p.m.
JAMIE DAY, an Illinois native, graduated Summa Cum
Laude with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre
Performance. After graduation, she moved to New York
City where she worked consistently as an actress and
singer. Jamie is a member of both the Actor’s Equity
Association and the Screen Actor’s Guild. Since moving to
Sarasota in the Summer of 2005, Jamie has shifted her
focus from the professional theatre to the therapeutic world. She has two Master of
Science Degrees, one in Education and one in Marriage and Family Therapy. Jamie
performs regularly in the Sarasota area.
ALEX DILAN, born in the Philippines, immigrated to the United
States at the age of 7 when he began taking piano lessons. At the
age of 9, he started reading orchestration books and as a teenager,
his parents bought him an organ and a synthesizer. He received his
Bachelors degree in Composition from DePaul University and his
Masters in Composition from the prestigious Northwestern
University where he studied under Harvard composer Dr. Jay Alan
Yim. Alex is the exclusive composer, lyricist, arranger and
keyboardist for Katherine Alexandra. He is currently working on an
epic musical based on the Russian Czar Nicholas Romanov and wife Alexandra. He is
also an accomplished organist who can play “Flight of the Bumblebee” with his feet,
thanks to his current studies with renowned organist Maestro Hector Olivera. He is the
Music Director at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Sarasota, conducting four choirs
and playing for all services.
We are so lucky to have them in our midst!
Come and enjoy the entertainment at our next FRIENDS meeting.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
from Jane Riggin
STUDENT OUTREACH
Dear FRIENDS,
I truly believe that the “happiest
place on earth” was Michael’s
On East Ballroom at our Gala,
All That Jazz. Daises swayed,
music played, dancers danced,
singers sang,
bidders bid and everywhere
there were the sounds of laughter and the buzz
of excitement. Many thanks to our Co-Chairs
Karen Iezzi and Mary Cook and their volunteer
army of FRIENDS who set up, checked in,
greeted attendees, waved pompoms, sold
everything possible and then tore it all down.
Kudos to the fabulous duo of Lee Dougherty
Ross and John Fischer—thanks for the
stunning room and the unbelievable
entertainment which, as one guest said to me
“the best party ever seen in Sarasota.”
Additionally, very special thanks to Donna Fisk
who quietly keeps us all on track. Now on to our
next event—the Scholarship Competition on
March 29th. Joy McIntyre is organizing all of
the details and many of you will be asked to
assist in some way. Julia Dadekian is
arranging the housing for our students, so if you
have extra room and would like to host a
student competitor, contact her at
j u l i a @ s o u n d s i g h t . c o m .
Check your calendars for upcoming concerts
and events and be sure to attend our March
13th FRIENDS meeting.
There will be
wonderful entertainment and good food along
with a presentation of the recommended
By
-Laws amendments, a report from the
Nominating Committee and a full report on the
Gala. We are so lucky to belong to such a
vibrant, caring and FUN loving organization.
We are truly FRIENDS. Warmly, Jane
BAY HAVEN STUDENTS are treated to a concert by the
RASTRELLI CELLO QUARTET after their performance at
the Historic Asolo Theater
BAY HAVEN STUDENTS get a close up look at a cello
THE TEMPEST TRIO performed at the STATE COLLEGE OF
FLORIDA and inspired the students in attendance, many of
whom came to the Trio’s concert performance afterwards at
the Historic Asolo Theater
SCHOLARSHIP & PERFORMANCE PROGRAM—PIANO FINALS
SATURDAY MARCH 29th at 7:30 p.m.
at the NEEL Performing Arts Center on the campus of the State College of Florida
One of the primary goals of Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota is to provide support to promising young
Florida musicians. Now in its 12th year, the Scholarship Program is a statewide Scholarship and
Performance Awards Competition, under the expert direction of Coordinator, Joy McIntyre. Each year,
the focus of the competition changes, rotating in turn between strings, voice and piano. This year,
aspiring pianists will compete for scholarships and awards on this important day in their musical lives.
Join us on Saturday March 29th, when these talented musicians, ages 14 through 25, compete in two
divisions for $22,500 in scholarships and awards before three prominent judges, Julian Martin (Juilliard
faculty), Robert Sherman (music critic, adjudicator and broadcaster) and Derek Han (concert and
recording artist.) No reservations needed—come and support them with your presence!
UPCOMING CONCERTS
CLASSICAL SERIES
at the Historic Asolo
April 12 & April 13, 7:30 p.m.
ALEXANDER SCHIMPF, piano
May 31 & June 1, 7:30 p.m.
JEFFREY HILL, tenor
RICHARD OLLARSABA,
bass-baritone
POPS SERIES
at the Historic Asolo
March 15, 7:30 p.m.
March 16, 2:00 & 7:30 p.m.
JENNIFER SHEEHAN, cabaret/
theater singer
JAMES FOLLOWELL, piano
TICKETS for above concerts
Historic Asolo
941-360-7399
ONLINE at artistseriesconcerts.org
SOIREE SERIES
Performances with food & wine at
the Fischer/Weisenborne residence
April 20, 2:00 p.m.
April 21, 7:30 p.m.
JASON STEARNS, baritone
LEE DOUGHERTY ROSS, piano
LUNCH, LOOK & LISTEN SERIES
Luncheon Performances
at Michael’s On East ballroom
March 20, 11 a.m.
LEO ADAMOV & ELIOT LAWSON,
violin duo
April 17, 11 a.m.
VIVALDI & VERDI performed byMICHELLE GIGLIO, soprano,
MARGOT ZARZYCKA, violin and
LEE DOUGHERTY ROSS, piano
TICKETS for above concerts and
Group & Student Discounts
941-306-1202
END OF
SEASON PARTY
Thursday
May 22nd
6:00 p.m.
SAVE THE DATE
WELCOME
NEW MEMBERS
DAVID AND JOANNE BYRNE
JULIA DADEKIAN
Julia Dadekian, a native Rhode Islander,
moved to Venice, Florida with her husband
Robert in 2005. They chose Venice
because of its close proximity to Sarasota,
with
its many artistic venues.
She
graduated college with a degree in
music and art, and then continued her
vocal studies at Brown University. Julia's
music career included concert work as well as solo positions in
several churches and synagogues. She was a featured soloist
with the Gomidas Choral Society at Alice Tully Hall.
For 25 years Julia had her own art consulting and interior design
business, acquiring fine art for corporate and personal
collections. For several years she has served on the FRIENDS
board as Vice President and member-at-large. In addition, she
has worked with Joy McIntyre as backstage manager at the
Historic Asolo Theater for our productions of The Student Prince
and Porgy and Bess. Most importantly, Julia has assisted Lee
Dougherty Ross with sing-a-longs at the Center for Building
Hope. This years end of the season show will be on April 8th.
Julia and Robert have two sons and five granddaughters and
love to travel.
A
N O T E
F R O M
V I C K I
To all the FRIENDS who provided mouthwatering treats
for our January meeting - Thank you very much to Rose
Sim, Faith Simolari, Bogadona Tchakarova, Lee
Holden, Lorraine Murphy,
Joan Zacchini, Vlatka
Ivanisevic, Yvonne Sultan, Julia Dadekian, Dee Forsyth, Diane
Weeghman and Belinda Bencin. If you would like to get to know
more FRIENDS members, let me know and you can join us at the
office when programs need assembling for an upcoming concert.
It’s fun! Contact me - Vicki Thompson-Jones, Hospitality &
Volunteer Chair at 941-309-3926 or [email protected]
RALPH AND NITA FRANCIA
If you know someone who
would like to be a FRIENDS
member or to renew your
membership go to:
artistseriesconcerts.org
or contact us and we’ll mail you
an application.
Individual -$25 or
Household - $40
Jean Kinnamon
[email protected]
941- 309-3428
and
Joan Zacchini
[email protected]
941-927-8141
Membership Co-Chairs
IN MEMORY OF
BOB IEZZI
We will miss our very dear
friend, Bob Iezzi, who died on
January 9th. We will always
remember his humor, his
obvious and profound love of
his beautiful wife, Karen, his
talents in making yummy treats
for our FRIENDS meetings, his
dog , Sir Gumby and his love of
music. Karen is so very
grateful for the many
expressions of condolence.