The Cavatina Duo, Eugenia Moliner and Denis Azabagic, will present “Sephardic Journey” as part of the UA Presents series on Friday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. at Crowder Hall, 1017 Olive Road (in the music building).
Moliner, a flutist from Spain, and Azabagic, a guitarist from Bosnia, together have performed at venues and festivals from Da Camera Society (Los Angeles) to the Aix-en-Provence Summer Festival (France) to the National Concert Hall of Taipei (Taiwan) and beyond.
Moliner has been acclaimed as “brilliant” by the British Flute Society magazine. She has performed with principal musicians from the Chicago Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic and Toronto Symphony as well with many chamber ensembles.
A prize-winner in 24 international competitions, Azabagic has been described as a “virtuoso with flawless technique” by Soundboard Magazine. He has appeared as soloist with the Chicago and Madrid Symphonies and has collaborated with the Chicago Chamber Musicians, the Civitas Ensemble and the Cuarteto Casals.
Both Moliner and Azabagic have extensive discographies.
After hearing family stories from a Bosnian great-aunt the duo discovered that Moliner was a descendant of Sephardic Jews who had left Spain at the end of the 15th century. Always on the lookout for music from their native countries, they created “Sephardic Journey,” commissioning new works based on Sephardic melodies from five leading composers who work in a variety of styles, from jazz to Brazilian and Cuban-Latin. The world premiere was held at the Ravinia Festival with the Avalon Quartet in March 2016.
Tickets start at $20 and are available from UAPresents.org or the Centennial Hall box office at 621-3341. Senior, military and student/alumni discounts are available.
