The Virtuoso Series is here again, this time with professional cellist Colin Carr as its main attraction.
Tonight, Carr will take audiences in the Libby Gardner Concert Hall by storm. How, you ask? Well, there was once a composer named Beethoven. He wrote extraordinarily passionate music including a series of works for cello and piano. A chamber music “tour de force,” this piece by Beethoven is a challenge for any musician. However, we can rest assured that the music is in good hands with this performer.
Carr began performing at the age of 5, studying with Maurice Gendron, a Frenchman widely considered to be one of the best cellists of the 20th century. He also attended the Yehudi Menuhin School. Currently a cello professor at the Royal Academy of Music, Carr has held professorships at the New England Conservatory in Boston and is affiliated with the State University of New York. Music students and connoisseurs should be bowled over by at least three of those schools — all of them are extremely prestigious. These credentials are to say that Carr is really, really good, and that proves itself in the instrument he plays.
Carr plays a cello, yes, but not just any old cello. He uses the “Marquis de Coboron” Stradivari cello, which is owned by the Royal Academy of Music. If you aren’t impressed yet, you should be, because Stradivari created the best stringed instruments in the world, period, end of discussion.
This cello, the Marquis de Coboron (they are all named), was built in 1726 by Antonio Stradivari himself. As with all of his instruments, Stradivari used techniques that still confuse modern scientists, and he is widely recognized in the musical world as the ultimate master. To play a Stradivari is the dream of every professional string musician out there. Each instrument — whether it is a violin, cello, mandolin, whatever — is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars simply because of the quality of music produced with it and the rarity of each instrument. So, if you’re not bowled over by the musician, at least be bowled over by what he plays.
Carr will perform tonight at the Libby Gardner Hall, right behind the David Gardner School of Music. For tickets, call the School of Music at 801-581-6762 or go to the box office outside. Adult prices are $25, and students pay $10. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m., and don’t be late. This is a rare opportunity to hear a master play music by a master. And don’t forget to look at that cello.