Classical Music from The Juilliard School – May 19, 2013

May 19, 2013 Performers

Double bassist and composer Rémy Yulzari is reinventing the role of the double bass in solo and collaborative settings in a wide range of musical styles from a very broad geographical and historical spectrum. Strongly committed to inventing a personal style that features improvisation and creativity, he also frequently performs on the accordion, melodica and piano. Mr. Yulzari has performed in major concert halls worldwide including venues throughout Europe and in the United States, Israel, Japan and Taiwan, notably Taiwan National Concert Hall, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan and Ekaterinburg Philharmonic Hall. Music festivals credits include the Festival d’Auvers-sur-Oise, Festival de Prades Pablo Casals, Rencontres Internationales Musicales des Graves and the Festival du Périgord Noir.

In New York City During the 2012-2013 season, Mr. Yulzari explored the world of dance in live performances with Ballet Next and afroTANGO. He performed at a Sephardic Music Festival at the Portuguese Synagogue, a recital in Alice Tully Hall, and in May, 2013 in the Bedford Chamber Concert Series in Bedford, NY. In January 2013, Mr. Yulzari made his NYC soloist debut with orchestra in a world premiere of French composer Jules Matton’s double bass concerto written specially for him, along with Rémy’s original orchestral transcriptions of works by classical French composers. The season also included several European engagements.

Rémy Yulzari is a founding member of several ensembles dedicated to various musical genres including chamber music, gypsy-jazz, Klezmer and Spanish/Latin music: a trio with Grammy Award-winning violinist Lisa Gutkin from The Klezmatics and world-renown tsimblist Pete Rushefsky; Trio Olam (with Israeli clarinetist Moran Katz and Bosnian accordionist Merima Kljuco); Duo Lev-Yulzari (with guitarist Nadav Lev); Ioan Streba Trio (gypsy-jazz); Trio Klezele (performing throughout Europe, including the Philharmonie du Luxembourg in June, 2013); Duo Tazoïsh (Spanish and Latin music duo with guitar) and the former Quintette Monsolo (classical string quintet).

Trio Klezele has released two albums: Freylekh From Vladivostok (recorded live during their Russian tour along the Trans-Siberian Railway), and Mosaique (traditional and classical Jewish music). Mr. Yulzari also recorded the soundtrack for the French film L’Empreinte (“Angel of Mine”) directed by Safy Nebbou with Quintette Monsolo, as well as two albums of chamber music works by G. Onslow and J. S. Bach on the Polynmie label.

As a composer, Mr. Yulzari wrote the soundtrack for the French film Aux Marches du Palais directed by Bastien Ferré. Rémy’s compositions and arrangements have been described by the New York Times as “imaginative” and “painterly” and are now published by Editions Combre. His composition “Errance” for double bass and piano was the required performance piece in the French double bass competition “Bass ’2008.”

Mr. Yulzari has written several articles for the French literary magazine SEZIM, and as an actor, has appeared in various theatre productions in France, including “les Étourdis du Bateau” in 2008-2010, based on the French writer Marivaux. He also appears on-screen as a double bassist in L’autre Dumas (“The Other Dumas”), a 2010 French period film directed by Safy Nebbou about Alexandre Dumas, starring Gérard Depardieu. Rémy is a frequent contributor to radio broadcasts, including Radio France’s “Le Cabaret Classique” with host Jean-François Zygel, as well as on “La Cour des Grands,” Radio Judaica’s “Klezmer Attitude,” and Sirius XM’s “Seth Speaks” with host Seth Rudetsky.

In competitions, Rémy Yulzari’s talent was acknowledged in 2007 at the Forum de Normandie (Grand Prix), the Illzach International Competition (Third Prize) and in 2008 at the Verona International Music Tournament (First Prize).

Born in Dôle, France, Rémy began studying music on his own at age 11. He studied accordion, violin, piano, composition and musical analysis at École Nationale de Musique (ENM) in Oyonnax, France while in high school. At age 18, he continued violin studies at ENM in Villeurbanne, and simultaneously began studies on the double bass at the Lyon Conservatoire National de Région. He was then awarded a “Premier Prix” in double bass (equivalent to a U.S. Master’s degree) from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. On double bass, he has worked with Eugene Levinson, Bernard Cazauran, Thomas Martin, Bozo Paradzik and Tony Araque. He has also studied orchestration with Guillaume Connesson, composition with Alain Weber and conducting with Nicolas Brochot.

Rémy Yulzari is the first ever double bassist to be invited into The Juilliard School’s prestigious Artist Diploma program. He earned a Master of Education (Certificat d’Aptitude) from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon. He was invited to teach master classes for double bass, chamber music and klezmer music in Japan and throughout France including Koshin RKC Hall, Oyonnax’s ENM or Rencontres Musicales Internationales des Graves.

Mr. Yulzari plays a custom designed double bass made by French luthier Patrick Charton.

In his spare time, Rémy enjoys skiing in the Jura mountains in the Franche-Comté région of France where he learned to ski at the age of two.
Visit Rémy Yulzari’s Web site at www.yulzari.com to hear some of his work, including a beautifully filmed clip of the recording of the film soundtrack he composed.

Ground-breaking flutist Zara Lawler, “an engaging, fluent, mellifluous soloist,” (Houston Chronicle) made her concerto debut with the Houston Symphony and her recital debut at New York’s Merkin Concert Hall. Highlights of the 2012-2013 season include the US premiere of Il Cerchio Tagliato dei Suoni, Salvatore Sciarrino’s work for 104 flutists directed by Lawler at the Guggenheim Museum; the debut of her family show Break it Down! at the Kennedy Center with percussionist Paul J. Fadoul; and Lawler & Fadoul’s CD release Prelude Cocktail, featuring world premieres by Katherine Hoover and Roshanne Etezady. The critically acclaimed Lawler & Fadoul duo has been in residence at Yellow Barn (Vermont), and performs educational programs for the National Symphony Orchestra.

For the past ten years, Zara Lawler has integrated dance and theater into her performances with the innovative ensemble Tales & Scales, in collaboration with choreographer C. Neil Parsons. She also creates large-scale choreographies for flutes including E Pluribus Flutum, Lawler’s work for sixty dancing flutists.

Ms. Lawler has given solo recitals in New York, Santa Barbara and in Hong Kong. She has appeared as a soloist with the Atlanta, Utah, Indianapolis, and Oregon Symphonies and with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, in venues including the Kennedy Center, the Kravis Center, and Lincoln Center. She has won many competitions including the Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition and Artists’ International, and earned her Masters Degree from the Juilliard School where she studied with Carol Wincenc and Sam Baron. Her summer festival credits include Marlboro, Tanglewood, Banff (Canada), Bach Aria Festival, and Schleswig-Holstein (Germany).

Zara Lawler writes a blog on practice techniques at www.thepracticenotebook.com, which has some fascinating posts that will be of interest to non-musicians as well. Hear and see more of her work at her Web site www.zaralawler.com.

Having made his New York debut to a sold out audience in Alice Tully Hall in 2009, violist Luke Fleming has established himself as an exceptional solo and chamber recitalist. Mr. Fleming joined the internationally acclaimed Attacca Quartet in November of 2009 and is currently an Artist Diploma Candidate at the Juilliard School, where he studies with Samuel Rhodes.

Recent concert appearances include performances at the Marlboro Music School and Festival, the Steans Institute at Ravinia, and the Norfolk and Sarasota Chamber Music Festivals, as well as concerts and festivals in Japan, Korea, Australia, England, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Germany, Austria, and Mexico. He has performed as a guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Sejong Soloists, Ensemble ACJW, Continuum, and AXIOM, among others.

In 2011, Luke Fleming was featured on a Live from Marlboro CD release on the Archiv Music label, and his recording with the Attacca Quartet of Fellow Traveler – The Complete String Quartet Works of John Adams for Azica records was released in March 2013.

A native of New Orleans, Mr. Fleming holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts and Masters of Music from the Juilliard School, a Graduate Diploma with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music in London, and a Bachelor of Music summa cum laude from Louisiana State University. He is represented by Arts Global, Inc. and with the Attacca Quartet by Columbia Artists Management, Inc.