"Rita D'Arcangelo plays with a beautiful tone and remarkable technique. Added to this is a musical poise and sensitivity that touches the listener when she plays." — Sir James Galway

Biography

Rita D'Arcangelo began her flute studies at the State Conservatory of Music in Pescara, Italy, where she graduated with distinction, studying with Sandro Carbone. She holds degrees from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, the International Academy of Music in Milan, where she studied with Raffaele Trevisani, and the Hochschule für Musik in Mannheim (Master in Orchestral Studies and Soloist Diploma), where she studied with Jean-Michel Tanguy.

It was her privilege to participate in the first Italian masterclass held by Sir James Galway, and has since attended masterclasses with Galway in Italy and Switzerland, where in Weggis (2008) she was awarded both the Marc Rich Foundation Scholarship for Artistic Achievement and as winner of 1st prize selected by popular vote, the 14k gold Nagahara flute headjoint. In other competitions she has won 1st prize at the flute competition of the Rotary Club of Pescara, 2nd prize at the 11th International Flute Competition "A. Ponchielli" in Cremona (no 1st prize was awarded), 1st place in the flute solo section and 2nd prize overall at the International Flute Competition "F. Kuhlau" in Uelzen (Germany) and a 1st prize at the Alexander and Buono International Flute Competition for 2011 in New York City. Ms. D'Arcangelo gave her Carnegie Hall debut recital in October, 2011.

Ms. D'Arcangelo got her first orchestral experiences with the Youth Orchestra of Abruzzo (Italy) and has since served as first flute with several orchestras in Italy and abroad, including the the orchestral academy of the Orchestra Sinfonica "A. Toscanini" in Parma, L'Orchestre des Jeunes de l'Union Européenne, the University Orchestra of Milan, Kurpfaelzische Kammer Orchester, and with the Philharmonie der Nationen, with whom she toured in Germany, Holland, Italy, England, Poland, Spain and China.

In 2008 she was selected, after an international competition, to be a member of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra (Japan) under the artistic direction of Yutaka Sado. She was principal flautist with the Hyogo orchestra from September 2008 to March 2011, during which time she played more than 300 concerts in the most prestigious concert halls in Japan and participated in recordings for Japanese National Radio and Television (NHK). During this period she also served as guest principal flautist with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.

From May of 2011 to November 2013 she held the position of principal flautist with the CEA Filharmonia Gorzowska-Gorzow Orchestra (Poland) under the artistic direction of Piotr Borkowski and since October 2013 she is principal flautist with the United Chamber Orchestra and flute soloist with Motion String Orchestra in Berlin.

As soloist, she has recorded for the German radios SR2, SWR and WDR and the Vatican Radio. In 2006 she was invited to perform W. A. Mozart's "Concerto in D-major" (K314) for the opening of the Mozart Year in the City of Mannheim in the prestigious Rosengarten Theater. She performed the Joaquin Rodrigo "Concierto Pastoral" with the Baden- Badener Philharmonie in 2008, and in 2009 she performed the Saverio Mercadante "Concerto in e-minor" and the Rodrigo "Concierto" with the Hyogo (Japan) Performing Arts Center Orchestra. In October 2009, she premiered Rodrigo's "Concierto Pastoral" in Slovenia, where she was invited for a concert tour of the country with the Festine Orchestra, conducted by Ziva Ploj Persuh. The concert in Ljubljana was recorded and broadcast by Slovenian National Television. She has performed as soloist on several occasions with the Filharmonia Gorzowska, with the United Chamber Orchestra at the Oldenburger Festival Promenaden in Germany and in her regular Concerts Tours in Japan. In July 2016 und 2019 she was invited as Guest Artist at the Sir James Galway Weggis Flute Festival.

As a chamber musician she has collaborated with a variety of ensembles, in Europe, Asia and USA. She regularly plays with the Italian pianist Giuliano Mazzoccante and the polish guitarist Jakub Kościuszko.

She is guest flute teacher at the Kansai International Music Academy (Japan) and has given master classes in prestigious music schools in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malta, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain and U.S.A.

Rita is currently Flute Lecturer at the Department of Music at the State German University BTU – Cottbus and at the private University “Akademie für Musik” in Berlin.

The published discography includes: Chedeville: The Pastor Fido, 6 sonatas for flute and continuo (Wide Classique 2010); Allegro con Brio (Wide Classique 2012) in duo with Giuliano Mazzoccante, winner of the Award of Excellence in the Instrumental Performance Solo category of the Global Music Awards, Los Angeles, U.S.A; A Virtuoso Journey, (2015 Centaur) winner of the "Gold Medal Winner - Award of Excellence" of the Global Music Awards, Los Angeles, U.S.A; Rita D'Arcangelo - Jakub Kościuszko (QBK - 2016); Solo Bach (Centaur 2017) dedicated to solo flute music by J. S. Bach and C. Ph. E. Bach with also some transcriptions, made by Rita D’Arcangelo, from the repertoire for violin and cello by J.S. Bach. Inspired by Rita D´Arcangelo (QBK- 2019) world-premiere recordings of pieces inspired by her art.

Rita D'Arcangelo is a Nagahara Flutes Artist and plays on a beautiful instrument crafted expressly for her by Kanichi Nagahara.

ChamberMusicBox was founded in 2016, when a group of leading international musicians came together from across Europe to perform a series of chamber music concerts in London.

Its founders, violinist Yuri Kalnits and cellist Julia Morneweg, have a vision to perform and explore exciting repertoire with their like-minded and exceptionally talented friends, to promote mutual respect and empathy in the community through music-making of rare generosity and passion, and for audiences to be part of that shared experience.

With countless appearances on the big international stages, dozens of prizes at some of the world’s most prestigious competitions, and a host of acclaimed recordings between them, this ever-growing community of outstanding European musicians thrives on creating concert programmes as diverse as they are unique.

From intimate duos and trios to large scale octets, each ChamberMusicBox concert is a fascinating journey of discovery presented by an international group of players with a common musical language.

Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Luciné Aproyan Da Silva entered the National Conservatory of Yerevan in 1997 and completed her training in singing, acting, directing, dance, chamber music, polyphony, music history, poetry, philosophy, psychology (adult/child), etc., and obtained the Superior Diploma of Concert Artist and singing teacher.

During her studies at the Yerevan Opera Studio Luciné played several roles including the mother of Anush in "Anush" by A.Tigranian, Olga in "Eugene Onegin" by Tchaikovsky, Tatiana in "The Queen of Spades” by Tchaikovsky, Marfa in "The Khovantchina” by Mussorgsky, Cherubino in "The Nozze di Figaro” by Mozart, and Zerlina in "Don Giovanni” by Mozart.

In November 2005 Luciné moved to France where she obtained the Performance Diploma, the Superior Diploma of Lyric Art and the Superior Diploma of Concert Artist from the Ecole Normal de Musique de Paris Alfred Cortot.

Luciné was invited to Germany (Bad Wildbad) to interpret Boabdil "Boabdil Re di Granata", Balducci and to Armenia (Yerevan) to interpret Cenerentola "La Cenerentola", Rossini at the National Opera of Yerevan

Luciné interpreted Juditha in "Juditha Triumphans", Vivaldi - directed by Marie-Paule Nounou, Montpellier, France

Luciné participated in a series of concerts at the Nice Opera and the Côte d'Azur region, as part of the "Great Voices of Tomorrow" program.

She is a soloist in the show "Three sublimes" in the Garden of St. Adrien, Servian, with the musicians of the National Orchestra of Montpellier, musical director Chris Hainsworth

Participated in the presentation of the 30th anniversary season of the Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing, under the direction of Jean-Claude Malgoire, at the Raymond Devos Theater in Tourcoing.

"La Petite Messe Solennelle", Rossini - directed by Jean-Philippe Delavault, musical direction by Jean-Claude Malgoire, at the Raymond Devos theater in Tourcoing.

“The Sins of Youth", Rossini - quartet of the Academy Sainte Cécile, under the direction of Philippe Couvert, musical direction Jean-Claude Malgoire, Tourcoing, Paris

“La Petite Messe Solennelle", Rossini - conducted by Michel Piquemal, as part of the festival Pézenas Enchantée, Pézenas, Balaruc les Bains and Montpellier

Luciné has performed Magnificat, Gloria and Motet "Longe mala" by Vivaldi; and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Liszt’s Psalm 137, Handel’s Cantata "Mi Palpita Il Cor.”

Luciné appeared in Les Grands Airs du Baroque Brésilien - conducted by Ivonete Rigot-Muller, at the Passage vers les Étoiles theater and at the Saint-Germain des Prés church, Paris. She performed a Duo concert, with Ivonete Rigot-Muller (soprano) and Maria Hélèna Elias (piano) at the Passage vers les Étoiles theater, Paris. She sang in concerts in the framework of the Pic Saint Loup vineyard festival in the Hérault, and she participated in the festival of Russian culture in France, TMM theater, Moëlan-sur-Mer, France.

Recitals:

"Rencontre" at the theater le Passage vers les Étoiles, organized by ABC,Paris

L'espace Georges Bernanos, organized by ENDMP, Paris

Café Lyrique Enchanté as part of the festival Pézenas Enchantée, at L'Illustre Théâtre de Pézenas.

Luciné performs throughout the year in recitals, concerts, shows and festivals in France, Armenia, Russia, Ukraine...

Alcor Duo

The Alcor Duo was born in France in 2002 from a very special musical complicity of two complementary instrumentalists :

Cordelia Palm, a german born violinist (a graduate of the Karlsruhe Musikhochschule in Germany and of the Julliard School in New York (USA) where she worked with Ivan Galamian), whose rich career has led her to become the solo violinist and concertmaster of the National Avignon Provence Orchestra in France, as well as a member of several french Chamber Music Ensembles. During her career, Cordelia has performed alongside many great artists including Henri Demarquette, Bruno Rigutto, Gary Hoffman, Vahan Mardirossian, Olivier Charlier, Patrice Fontanarosa, Jean-Claude Pennetier, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Philippe Bary, and Blandine Dumay. Amongst her beautiful discography, she is the very first violinist to have recorded french composer Charlotte Sohy's music for violin and orchestra ; a highly praised album released by french label "La boîte à pépites" in 2022.

Aliénor Girard-Guigas, a french harpist (a graduate with TB honors from the National Superior Conservatory of Music of Lyon in France), who has performed under the baton of many prestigious conductors including Michel Plasson , Gilbert Amy, Jean-Claude Casadesus, Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Leonard Slatkin, Jun Märkl, Kent Nagano, Evelino Pido, Rolf Reuter, Emmanuel Krivine, Mikko Franck, and Kazushi Ono. She has also performed in many important and well-known Festivals.

Over the years, Cordelia and Aliénor have worked together on many occasions and for diverse projects, as soloists and for concerts with orchestra at important venues and main festivals of the classical music scene (Festival La Roque d'Anthéron, Chorégies d’Orange,...)

In 2002, being both interested in exploring new styles of music and new repertoires, and being united by a beautiful friendship and a common passion for chamber music, Cordelia and Aliénor created the Alcor Duo.

Alcor...a Duo, and what a symbol too !

Indeed, the Duo Alcor's name is not only combining the first syllables of their first names, it is also related to the name of an actual star ;  one of the 7 stars (sacred number of union between earth and sky) of the brightest Arctic constellation of the North, nicknamed the “Chariot of David”,...a harpist King in search of harmony. 

Zacharias Tarpagkos (Zach Tarpagos) is a permanent flutist of the Greek National Opera.  His activity includes appearances as a soloist in concert venues around the world, such as Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Boston Symphony Hall, Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Seine Musical in Paris, Teatro Real in Madrid, the Concert Hall of Athens and Thessaloniki, the Onassis Foundation Concert Hall, and the Stavros Niarchos hall.

Collaborating with the Armonia Atenea/Kamerata Orchestra of Friends of Music, Zacharias has recorded with period instruments for Deutsche Grammophone and Decca Classics and has appeared at international festivals such as the BBC Proms in London and the Salzburg Festival in Austria.

His activity in chamber music has brought him invitations to different parts of the world including the International Flute Festival in Aveiro, Portugal; the International Chamber Music Festival in Ohrid, North Macedonia; and the Blue Rose Hall of the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Zacharias organizes and supports musical education platforms for children who live in extremely unfavorable conditions in Greece and abroad, aiming to improve the quality of their lives through musical interaction.

Renowned soloists and chamber musicians, UmbriaEnsemble presents itself as an ensemble of high artistic quality and constant musical research, defined by critics as the "spearhead" of the current Italian chamber music production, modular and agile in the organic - from Trio to Octet, up to the Chamber Orchestra "i Solisti dell'Umbria" - which makes the Ensemble poly-functional and always competitive in every situation. The repertoire approach of UmbriaEnsemble is characterized by a vital dynamism open to comparison and synergy with other Arts.

UmbriaEnsemble was invited to represent Italy with a Concert in Brussels, Cercle Royale Gaulois on the occasion of the Italian Presidency Semester of the Council of the European Union and to perform in a concert for the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

UmbriaEnsemble is a member of the Associazione Musica e Grande Guerra (Music and the Great War Association), which works in the field of research and promotion of Music written during the war period under the high patronage of the Mission Structure for the Commemoration of the Centenary of the First World War.

UmbriaEnsemble participated in the musical and environmental training and education project "The Nature of Art" in collaboration with Master Luthiers from Umbria and Cremona;

UmbriaEnsemble’s CD "Heaven" resulting from research in RockProg was elected "CD of the Month and among the best of the year 2013" by the magazine "SUONO"

UmbriaEnsemble toured China and presented concerts in Cyprus, France, Switzerland, Belgium and England. They recorded a CD for "Camerata Tokyo" with music by Brahms and Schubert and a they produced a large recording project dedicated to Paganini's Chamber Music. Their production of "Stories of the Last Days," an original performance inspired by Renaissance painter Luca Signorelli, was presented in various European capitals and released on DVD.

UmbriaEnsemble's "Fratres" an original work of Music, Dance, Lyrical Singing and Poetry dedicated to the great figures of Saints, Heroes and Artists was aired by RAI national television channels on the occasion of the 2014 Franciscan festivities.

The Emerald Duo explores the unusual repertoire of original compositions for violin and violoncello and is always interested in discovering new pieces for this unusual musical combination, often commissioning and premiering pieces by American composers. Since 1986 the duo has played in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and performs to critical acclaim in Europe on a regular basis. In addition, the duo has been featuring music of the Holocaust for many years and has given lecture recitals throughout the U.S. and Canada on the music and conditions of the concentration camps during the Holocaust. 

The duo are co-directors of the Musica Viva chamber music series in California’s Central Valley. They spend their summers teaching and performing in Europe and participating in the Victoria (TX) Bach Festival and Durango (CO) Chamber Music Festival.

Both members of the Emerald Duo have taught at numerous universities and have had great success as active performers, pedagogues, competition jurors, and recording artists in the United States, Europe, and the Far East. The couple has been residing in Auberry, CA since 2001. The name “The Emerald Duo” was chosen as both musicians were born in the month of May. The birthstone for May is the Emerald.

The Emerald Duo is available for concerts, masterclasses and workshops, adjudications, residencies, and school presentations. Please visit their website for further information.

Violinist Susan Doering enjoys a multi-faceted life as a solo performer, chamber musician, orchestral player, and conductor. She also teaches, does clinics, and adjudicates competitions around the USA.  She has lived in, traveled to, or performed in 48 out of 50 states (the exceptions being Alaska and Florida) and Washington DC and also in many parts of Mexico and Canada. She has recorded many CDs for a variety of labels, including Albany, Centaur, harmonia mundi, and Artisie4.

Susan received her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Southern California, also playing in five regional orchestras and a variety of studios.  At the University of Michigan she received her Master of Music degree and played in the regional orchestras of Toledo, Lansing, Flint, Saginaw, and Adrian (as concertmaster).  In addition to playing chamber music at many embassies in Washington DC and performing with local orchestras she received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Susan was a tenured associate professor at Missouri State University, was on the faculty at Arizona State University, and also taught at Fresno State University. She plays on a violin made for her by Robert Clemens of St. Louis, modeled after a 1742 Guarneri del Gesu (built in Cremona, Italy).

Currently Dr. Doering travels extensively in the USA and Europe, playing a diversity of chamber music concerts, and performing in many regional orchestras (Sequoia Symphony as concertmaster, Fresno Philharmonic, Stockton, Monterey and others).  She teaches violin and viola at Fresno Pacific University and also has a private violin/viola studio.

Also a board-certified Music Therapist, she maintains a private practice in the Central Valley, working with a variety of clients, including stroke victims, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients, pain management clients, and issues regarding health and wellness.

Dieter Wulfhorst, violoncellist, has performed extensively in more than twenty states in the United States, and in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Australia as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. After holding faculty positions at various universities in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and California, Dr. Wulfhorst is now a member of the “Freeway Philharmonic”, every week playing with a different orchestra. He is a member of the Santa Rosa Symphony; principal cellist of the Bakersfield Symphony; and performs regularly with numerous other professional orchestras, including Sacramento, Monterey, Fresno, Modesto, and Stockton.

Dieter is the co-director (with Susan Doering) of Musica Viva, an organization that offers free chamber music concerts throughout California’s Central Valley. He spends his summers performing and teaching at music festivals in Texas, Colorado, and Germany.

Born and raised in Germany, Dieter studied with Friedrich-Jürgen Sellheim in Hannover. As a prize-winner in the nationwide youth competition "Jugend musiziert," he was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Germany from 1976 to 1979. Wulfhorst played in the professional orchestras of Hannover (State Opera and Radio), Göttingen, and Hildesheim before coming to the U.S. to continue his studies with Evelyn Elsing and the Guarneri Quartet at the University of Maryland at College Park where he earned both his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees.

Among Dieter’s compact discs are cello duets by Jacques Offenbach, Bruch’s Kol Nidrei, Ernest Bloch’s Three Nocturnes, and compositions by Thomas Bramel.  Dieter has also recorded chamber works by Clara Kathleen Rogers, Handel Sonatas arranged for saxophone and basso continuo, and music by Tarik O’Regan with the professional vocal ensemble “Conspirare” (nominated for two Grammy® awards).

Dieter plays a cello crafted by Giovanni Battista Rogeri (Brescia, 1693).  For further information on his recordings, concerts, and other activities visit his website.