In Friday’s (4/24) Washington Post, Anne Midgette writes about three National Symphony Orchestra cellists—David Teie, James Lee, and Steven Honigberg—who will perform Penderecki’s Concerto Grosso for three cellos with the orchestra this week, led by Christoph Eschenbach. “Most orchestras are communities of educated, talented and quirky individuals whose individuality is seldom publicly acknowledged. It’s relatively rare for an orchestra to feature its own, and it’s even more unusual for solos to go to position players, rather than the principal players of a section. The Concerto Grosso performances, therefore, are a useful reminder of the talent and depth and range of the so-called everyday players.” Teie does scientific research on tamarin monkeys relating to rhythms, pulses, and pitches, and is working on a CD of music for cats. Honigsberg “spent six years writing a biography of Leonard Rose, the cellist who was his most important teacher…. He is working on a series of YouTube videos of artists talking about his other major influence, Rostropovich…. Lee, too, has a musical refuge: the National Chamber Players, a series of four concerts a year featuring other NSO players and friends…. Lee’s wife, Teri, a violinist, also is with the NSO.”
Posted April 27, 2015
