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Rosengren to Premiere Frank Ticheli’s
Clarinet Concerto in April 2010
October 1, 2009
Frank Ticheli’s new Concerto for Clarinet is a beautiful, dramatic and virtuosic
work filled with contrasting expressions. It is written in two versions—one for
clarinet solo with orchestra and the other for clarinet solo with wind symphony.
A magnificent work in an American voice, the Clarinet Concerto will be premiered
by Rosengren in Europe on April 17, 2010 with Robertas Servenikas leading the
Lithuanian National Symphony and in the U.S. on July 11, 2010 with JoAnn Falletta
conducting the Texas Festival Orchestra. Rosengren will premiere the wind symphony
version in November 2010. |
Breathtaking and Imaginative Weber in
Los Angeles at the L’Eremitage
September 15, 2009
Rosengren’s performance with Russian pianist Mikhail Korzhev at the L’Eremitage
Foundation chamber series was met by seemingly endless applause. The duo performed
a breathtaking rendition of Weber’s Grand Duo Concertant—a melodically imaginative
and virtuosic performance of a difficult work. And Brahms’ Sonata no. 1 was given
a reading of unique musical depth and tonal quality. The encore, Canzonetta by
Gabriel Pierne, was completely charming. |
Spellbinding Performance in Houston
August 30, 2009
Rosengren and pianist Rick Rowley presented a memorable performance in Houston’s
Jones Symphony Hall in front of a large and appreciative audience. The Rosengren-Rowley
Duo played Messager’s Solo de Concours and Weber’s Duo Concertant with imaginative
conviction, strongly personable musical style, and virtuosic instrumental prowess. |
Rosengren’s 13th year at Festival Hill
July 20, 2009
In his thirteenth year at Festival Hill in Round Top, clarinetist Rosengren was
featured in music by Bernstein and Brahms, among other works, and mentored three
uniquely talented clarinet students, all with a bright futures: Portuguese Hugo
Azenha and Americans Jason Shaefer and Alana Alexander. |
Ravishing chamber music performances
May 20, 2009
The third annual Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival took place May 5-17, during
which Artistic Director Håkan Rosengren was joined by pianists Phillip Bush and
Rick Rowley, Polish cello virtuoso Andrzej Bauer and the New York based Biava
Quartet. The Festival presented nine concerts; seven in the Moravian room at
the Country Place Hotel, a Children’s Concert, and a celebrated concert at the
Hobby Center in downtown Houston, on May 13 attended by the Swedish Consul Jan
Dryselius. The Festival musicians were featured twice on Houston’s KUHF Radio’s
live “Front Row” and also on KMFA and KUT Radio in Austin, and KAMU Radio in
College Station. |
Standing Ovations
for Rosengren’s Mozart Concerto
April 21, 2009
Hakan Rosengren’s two performances of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the
Santa Barbara Symphony, Nir Kabaretti conducting, received standing ovations
from a capacity audience at the Granada Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara.
The Santa Barbara News Press wrote:
“The spotlight went both tight and wide to clarinetist Hakan Rosengren’s stately
star turn on Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. Mr. Rosengren knows this popular concerto
intimately and he lends it a masterful reading. That is to say, his performance
Sunday was one of technical finesse, dynamic nuances and a certain emotional
vibrancy, as if he is still uncovering hidden virtues in the score. Mr. Rosengren’s
approach is anything but glib or facile, but rather, is imbued with the control
of and wonder at the music before him. What’s not to love when the performer
is this duly engaged and gifted?”
The Santa Barbara Independent added:
“The extent to which the well-regarded Rosengren’s technique shone in the latter
piece [Mozart Concerto] came as no surprise, but only the most jaded viewers
could fail to be impressed by the man’s presence as well. The Swedish clarinetist’s
confidence, up front and center without the safety net of a score, bordered the
unnatural. The familiar piece’s remarkable clarity made for a seductive follow-up
to the operatic burst that opened the performance.” |
Ravishing Presentation of Weber’s Concerto
no. 1
March 15, 2009
Hakan Rosengren’s performance of Weber’s Concerto in Orange County’s Meng Hall
with Kimo Furumoto and CSUF Symphony received ovations that wanted never to stop.
The soloist played with an incomparable emotional charge, tonal beauty, technical
virtuosity and deep musical understanding of the score. |
Beautiful Recital
by Rosengren and Schumann
February 25. 2009
Håkan Rosengren’s collaboration with pianist Michelle Schumann, Artistic Director
of Austin Chamber Music Center, was inspiring in the Hillman Series at Mary Hardin
Baylor University. The program included outstanding interpretations of Brahms’
Sonata in E flat Major, op. 120 no. 2, Schumann’s Fantasy Pieces, and Debussy’s
Premiere rhapsodie. Rosengren/Schumann is a vibrant duo that will continue to
enrich the chamber music scene in the Austin area. |
Frank Ticheli starts work on Clarinet
Concerto for Håkan Rosengren
December 20, 2008
The Los Angeles-based composer Frank Ticheli, perhaps the most performed American
composer, announced that he is now ready to begin his work on this commission.
This is a collaboration that has already attracted a lot of interest from orchestras
and conductors around the globe and is likely to produce a work of tremendous
beauty and excitement. |
Sparkling success
with the National Symphony
November 15, 2008
“Silk isn’t as smooth as Håkan Rosengren’s clarinet sound” is what one critic
exclaimed after Rosengren’s performance in Vilnius, Lithuania with the Lithuanian
National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Robertas Servenikas. Debussy’s Premiere
rhapsodie and Martin Willert’s Hallucination were exquisitely performed and drew
overwhelming ovations. Rosengren’s performance of Debussy was called “shimmering
and very beautiful,” and Willert’s work—written for Rosengren—was described as
“just, wow” and “tailor-made for Rosengren.” |
Rosengren Opens New Theater in Houston
October 15, 2008
In October, Håkan Rosengren, in collaboration with pianist Michelle Schumann,
Artistic Director of Austin Chamber Music Center, inaugurated the new Owen Theatre
in Conroe Texas, outside Houston, in a performance met with tremendous accolades.
Rosengren and Schumann mesmerized the capacity audience with a program of delightful
treats by Schumann, Brahms, Messager, Pierne and Saint-Saens for the opening
performance, celebrating the new theater. |
Rosengren in Weber’s
Concertos and Concertino on SMS Classical: Stunning
September 15, 2008
The latest recording of Weber’s Concertos and the Concertino for clarinet and
orchestra featuring Rosengren with the North Czech Philharmonic, Charles Olivieri-Munroe
conducting, has been called “stunning” and “a lively, expressive performance.”
Just released on SMS Classical, it represents Rosengren’s deep affinity with
and long love of Weber’s music for clarinet. Coupled with Rosengren’s innate
understanding of the early Romantic idiom, the recording inspires a fresh, virtuosic,
expressive performance. Soloist and orchestra sound with one voice, bringing
passionate high points and drama in the music. |
Rosengren’s 12th Year in Residence at
Festival Hill
July 20, 2008
Year 2008 was Rosengren’s 12th consecutive year performing on the artist-faculty
at the International Festival-Institute at Round Top, a six-week summer orchestra
and chamber music program for young professional musicians in south-central Texas.
This year, Rosengren was soloist with the Texas Festival Chamber Orchestra in
an acclaimed performance of Richard Strauss’ Duet Concertino. Messian’s sublime
Quartet for the End of Time, Beethoven’s Quintetfor Piano and Winds, and Beethoven’s
Sextet all featured Rosengren |
Fayetteville Chamber
Music Festival: a Texas Triumph for Rosengren
June 1, 2008
The 2nd Annual Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival presented outstanding performances
by a sensational line-up of artists. Artistic Director Håkan Rosengren had assembled
a cast of the kind of quality rarely seen in any chamber music festival. |
Ohio audience in ecstasy over Brahms
and Mozart
May 17, 2008
After performances of the quintets by Brahms and Mozart in Cleveland’s Rocky
River Chamber Music Society and Wooster’s Chamber Music Society Håkan Rosengren
and Chiara Quartet were celebrated with applauses and ovations that would never
want to stop. |
Swedish Tour a Huge Success for Rosengren and Chiara
Quartet
May 16, 2008
During the spring tour 2008 in Sweden with concerts in Falkenberg, Lund (Malmö),
Stockholm, Ljusdal, Kilafors, Sandviken, Hudiksvall, and Söderhamn Håkan Rosengren
and Chiara Quartet received standing ovations and rave reviews in every concert
for their performances of Brahms and Mozart quintets. And seven of eight organizers
increased their audience numbers with between 50 to 100 percent compared to their
normal concert attendance.Camilla Dal in Gefle Dagblad calls it a “Brilliant
performance”. Ljusdals-Posten verdict is that it was“Wonderful”. Hudiksvalls
Tidning exclaims “A complete musical success” and continues “The musicians play
as pure as the Italian word chiara (clear and pure) promises, with a complete
control in all areas: tonal balance, timing, agogic, expression, and technical
virtuosity”. Söderhamns Kuriren adds: “Chiara and Håkan Rosengren possess the
most subtle five-some unity imaginable, in which the clarinet with its different
timbre has somewhat of a starring role”. Ljusnan is no less impressed and states:
“With his beautiful sound, virtuoso technique, and musical presentation, Håkan
Rosengren was in symbiosis with the Chiara Quartet”. |
A Sublime Mozart Interpretation by Rosengren, BVSO,
and
March 5, 2008
Håkan Rosengren’s performance with Brazos Valley Symphony and Brazilian conductor
Marcelo Bussiki was a sublime and spellbounding presentation of this 1791 masterpiece
with a quality rarely heard anywhere in the world. After the final note the capacity
audience flew to their feet and gave Rosengren a standing ovation of a length
never experienced before in College Station. |
Rosengren and Epperson in Stunning Collaboration
February 28, 2008
Håkan Rosengren’s performance and masterclass with collaborative piano phenomenon
Anne Epperson at University of Colorado, Boulder was met by reverence by the
large audience of students, faculty and other music lovers. The Saint Saens’
Sonata was a revelation of particular notice as well as the teaching demonstration
on the Carl Nielsen Clarinet Concerto. |
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