"Pieces Of The World:" New CD From Blue Griffin Recording Marks Debut From Young Cellist Marta Bagratuni
Esteemed, young cellist Marta Bagratuni releases her debut album on the Blue Griffin label - "Pieces of the World" - which features a repertoire spanning 300 years, 13 countries, and unveils a world premiere recording of new work rom Armenian composer Vache Sharafyan, written for Marta.
- (1888PressRelease) November 23, 2013 - Blue Griffin Recording announces the release of esteemed, young cellist Marta Bagratuni's debut album - "Pieces of the World." The new CD is a wide-ranged sampler of music for cello that runs the gamut from 18th century Jean Barrier, to the music of today, as the young artist unveils the world premiere recording of a new work written for her by Armenian composer Vache Sharafyan, which features percussion and presents Bagratuni both as a cellist and a soprano, calling upon the performer to sing.
Challenging the traditional concept of a classical music CD, "Pieces of the World" offers an across-borders exploration of the traditional and the groundbreaking, with a track list that offers music from 13 different countries, adhering to its title.
Containing no liner notes and a pop-culture cover designed by a local artist - "Pieces of the World" is in many ways a reflection of today's grassroots-oriented classical artist (the album was funded entirely by an online "kickstarter" campaign), and tries to blur the lines between the classical and the mainstream.
Marta Bagratuni gave her first public appearance at the International Newport Music Festival at the astonishing age of five, making her solo debut with the Leopolis Chamber Orchestra of L'viv at the age of twelve. She has since appeared (among others) with the Lansing Symphony, Detroit Civic Symphony, Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra, Okemos Orchestra and in 2012, gave her Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall, where her performance of her own arrangement of Komitas' "Groong" was praised by Armenian Weekly for a "deeply moving interpretation."
The complete track list is as follows:
1-3. Sonata for Cello Duo in G Major - Jean Barriere
4. Adagio for Two Cellos - Franz Schubert
5. Une Larme/A Tear - Gioacchino Rossini
6. Sentimental Waltz - Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky
7. Elfentanz/Dance of the Elves - David Popper
8. Sérénade - Gaspar Cassadoó
9. Prayer from a Jewish Life - Ernest Bloch
10. Fantasy - Sang Tong
11. Pianissimo from Grāmata Čelam - Pëteris Vasks
12. From Your Loving Kindness - Ihor Sonevytsky
13. Julie-O - Mark Summer
14. Fratres - Arvo Pärt
15. A Gem Rose - Vache Sharafyan World Premiere
For this recording, Bagratuni is joined by Suren Bagratuni, Natalia Khoma, Volodymyr Vynnytsky, Haobing Zhu, Genadi Zagor, Yu-Lien The, Judson Branam IV and Zac Brunell.
"Pieces of the World" was recorded at Blue Griffin's Studio The Ballroom, produced and engineered by Sergei Kvitko, and is available at www.BlueGriffin.com, as well as other online and physical retail outlets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
MARTA BAGRATUNI, Cello
Giving her first public performance the Newport Music Festival at age five, her international debut in St. Gallen International Festival in Switzerland at age nine and her orchestral debut at age twelve performing Haydn's C Major concert with the Leopolis Chamber Orchestra of L'viv, Ukraine; Ukrainian/Armenian/American cellist Marta Bagratuni has since firmly established a multi-faceted career path, as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, extensively performing music that spans from classical to rock to jazz. In 2012, Marta was presented by Musical Armenia in her Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall, where her performance of her own arrangement of Komitas' "Groong" was praised by Armenian Weekly for a "deeply moving interpretation."
With a special affinity for intriguing projects that run the gamut of artistic expression, in 2013 Marta released her debut concept recording, "Pieces of the World" - a 300 year journey of music written for the cello spanning 13 composers from different countries, ending with a piece specifically written for the recording featuring singing and playing. Containing no liner notes and a pop-culture cover, "Pieces of the World" is a bold representation of classical music's new generation of artists. Funded exclusively via a grass-roots Kickstarter funding campaign, Marta's "Pieces of the World" project was chosen as a staff pick for classical music projects and projects made in Michigan, while pre-released tracks from the resulting recording have been featured on Michigan's 90.5 FM Classical Radio.
As a soloist, Marta Bagratuni has performed with such orchestras as the Lansing Symphony, Detroit Civic Symphony, Michigan State Univeristy Symphony Orchestra, Leopolis Chamber Orchestra and Okemos Orchestra, to name a few.
Often lending herself as an orchestral player, Marta has served as principal of the Highline Chamber Orchestra, Michigan State University Symphony, University of Michigan Symphony, Aspen Festival Orchestra and has been a member of CityMusic Cleveland, the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, New York Women's Ensemble and iPalpiti.
In addition to "Pieces of the World", Marta has been featured on numerous recordings, including "Armenian Premieres" (Blue Griffin Recording) and "Watercolors" (Elm Street Recording).
With a rapidly expending reputation, Ms. Bagratuni's artistry has lead to extensive performances at many of today's renowned venues such as: Stern Hall, Weill Hall, Orchestra Hall (Detroit), the Kennedy Center, Wharton Center (East Lansing), Miller Auditorium (Kalamazoo), Hill Auditorium (Ann Arbor), Ichou Hall (Japan), Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy and ZK Matthew's Hall (South Africa), among many other known stages, both large and intimate.
Born into a musical family, Marta received full scholarship degrees from the University of Michigan (high honors) and Michigan State University, regularly performing at Cello Plus Music Festival (East Lansing), Grazhda Center for Music and Art (Hunter, NY) and Charleston Music Fest (South Carolina).
As a singer, Marta has performed with the Kalamazoo Symphony at Miller Auditorium, the Grazhda Center for Music and Art (Hunter, NY), the Old Town Jazz festival (Lansing, MI), Speyer Cathedral (Germany), Ukrainian Institute of Art (Chicago) and has been featured as a vocalist on "Pieces of the World" and "Armenian Premieres" (Blue Griffin Recording).
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