Violinist joins for ‘Firebird’ concerts

HARTFORD — The Hartford Symphony Orchestra will present “Firebird,” opening Feb. 11 and running through Feb. 13 in the Belding Theater at The Bushnell. The concerts will feature HSO Music Director Carolyn Kuan and guest violinist Sirena Huang. “Firebird” is part of the 2021-22 Masterworks Series.

“There is a picture of me in college dressed as the risqué gypsy Carmen,” said Kuan. “Bizet’s music is simply irresistible with Carmen’s sultry melodies and the passion and bravado of bullfighters. To celebrate love, we juxtapose the Russian prince and princesses in Stravinsky’s glorious and magnificent ‘Firebird’ with my favorite Chinese love story, The Butterfly Lovers, our Chinese Romeo and Juliet.

“We are thrilled to welcome back violinist Sirena Huang to the HSO to share this 1,000-year-old legend, which journeys from the joyful pentatonic youthful friendship to the final scene of two lovers turning into butterflies to be together forever,” she said.

Huang has been the recipient of numerous accolades and awards. In 2017, she was awarded First Prize at the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition and later that year, she was the winner of the New York Concert Artist Worldwide Debut Audition. In 2009, she won First Prize Gold Medalist of the 6th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians. She won First Prize and the Audience Award at the Cooper International Competition in 2011.

That same year, she was also named the first Artist-in-Residence of Hartford Symphony Orchestra. In 2013, she was awarded the Hannloser Prize for Violin at the Verbier Music Festival in Switzerland. She is also a top prize winner at Singapore International Violin Competition as well as the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition.

Huang made her solo debut with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra in 2004 at the age of nine and has performed in twenty countries across three continents. She has been featured as a soloist with more than fifty prestigious ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Russian Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and the Staatskapelle Weimar in Germany. She has performed in leading venues, including Berliner Philharmonie, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Kravis Center, Esplanade -Theaters on the Bay, Shanghai Concert Hall, and the Taiwan National Concert Hall, among many others. She has appeared as a guest artist at the Verbier Music Festival, Marlboro Music Festival, Ravinia Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Newport Music Festival, Music in the Mountains Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Sarasota Arts Series, “The Great Music for a Great City” series in New York City, and many others.

She is performing on a violin by the Brothers Amati, c. 1624 courtesy of Guarneri Hall NFP and Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins, Chicago.

Because the health and safety of our HSO patrons, volunteers, musicians, and staff is our number one priority, we are abiding by The Bushnell’s current policy that proof of vaccination, as well as a valid ID, is required for all entering The Bushnell through Feb. 28. Masks will also be required for all, regardless of vaccination status. For more information and tickets, visit hartfordsymphony.org/ covid19updates, or call 860-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org

Contributed photo Violinist joins for ‘Firebird’ concerts