THE IRVINE CLASSICAL PLAYERS ORCHESTRA

Here is the best impression I had, hearing this so beautiful orchestra in the crypt of Fourvière basilique: Precision, faith and enlightment !

Thank you very much for this, too short, moment of grace...

I'm sure that the Virgin statue had appreciate too.

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (August 12, 1644 – May 3, 1704) was a Bohemian-Austrian composer and violinist.

Biber was born in Wartenberg (now Stráž pod Ralskem, Czech Republic). He received his first position in 1668 as musician in the court of Archbishop Karl Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn at Olmutz. But Biber failed to return from a visit to Innsbruck without permission. On this visit he met the at the time famous violin maker Jakob Stainer, who mentioned him in a later document as "the outstanding virtuoso Herr Biber". He was first a violinist at the castle of Kroměříž and the Salzburg court. In 1684 he became Kapellmeister in Salzburg, where he died twenty years later.

His prolific works show a predilection for canonic use and harmonic diapason that pre-date the later Baroque works of Johann Pachelbel and Johann Sebastian Bach. He was known as a violin virtuoso and is best known for his violin works, many of which employ scordatura (unconventional tunings of the open strings), a technique introduced by the Italian composer Marco Uccellini.

The music of Biber has enjoyed a renaissance, in part, because of The Rosary Sonatas. This remarkable set of 16 sonatas is also known as The Mystery Sonatas (in reference to key events in the lives of the Virgin Mary and Christ) and The Copper-Engraving Sonatas (because of the engravings at the head of the sonatas). Each sonata employs a different tuning of the violin. This use of scordatura transforms the violin's expressivity from the pleasures of the Five Joyful Mysteries (the Annunciation, etc.) through the trauma of the Five Sorrowful Mysteries (the Crucifixion, etc.) to the ethereal nature of the Six Glorious Mysteries. The Glorious Mysteries start with the Resurrection Sonata—where the two middle strings are symbolically crossed over—and end with a passacaglia for solo violin using standard tuning (Sonata No 16), thereby completing the cycle of scordaturas. Remarkably, in Sonata No 15 Biber anticipates the theme of Paganini's Capriccio No 24 almost exactly. We can assume that Paganini took his inspiration from Biber (just as Liszt, Brahms and Rachmaninov were later inspired by Paganini's famous Caprice).

Biber wrote abundant choral and chamber music, concertos, operas, as well as several more popular pieces such as the Nightwatchman Serenade and Harmonia Artificiosa. The Missa Salisburgensis is an astonishing polyphonic setting of the mass for 53 independent voices which is currently attributed to Biber (it was previously thought to be the work of Orazio Benevoli).

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Ignaz_Biber


The violonist and composer originating from Bohemia Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704) is one of the most outstanding composer of the 17th century. Arrived at Salzburg in 1670, Biber works at the service of the Emperor of Austria Leopold Ier, impassioned music; he is named in 1670 vice-Kapellmeister Vault of Salzburg and Kapellmeister in 1684. his reputation of violonist is propagated quickly through Europe and his compositions - in particular of many sonatas for violin, two operas and of the sacred music written especially as from 1684 - do of him one of the founders of the German school for violin. He will finish his life at the court of Munich.
“Causes and consequences”, such could be the subtitle of this disc. Composed in 1673, probably for the celebrations of the Carnival at the Court, Battalia is a “drama put in music”. 
Work is composed of small musical tables - whose complete title in is: The Battle: The horde dissolved of the musketeers, Mars, the combat, and lamentations of the casualties, imitated with airs, and dedicated to Bacchus - bound between them by an action, told thanks to very original musical means. Indeed, just Biber of the sound effects, noted very precisely such as displacements, the use of the collar legno (notes played with the wood of the bow), the dissonances, etc Battalia is rich in popular influences, traditional songs and musics which surrounded Biber at the time of his childhood in Bohemia.

source : http://www.alia-vox.com/cataleg.php?id=13
(hope that the translation is good and understandable... If not, it's my fault... apologizes)

Né le 12 août 1644 à Wartenberg (aujourd'hui Stráz pod Ralskem, en République tchèque), mort le 3 mai 1704 à Salzbourg — est un violoniste et compositeur autrichien.

Il reçoit sa formation principale de Johann Heinrich Schmelzer. Avant d'être nommé maître de chapelle auprès du prince évêque de Salzbourg en 1684, il occupe des postes à Olmütz et Kremsier, en Autriche. Violoniste virtuose, il est aussi un grand compositeur de toutes sortes d'œuvres. Il est anobli par l'empereur Leopold Ier « von Bibern » pour son mérite de violoniste et compositeur. Son fils est le compositeur Carl Heinrich Biber (1681-1749), qui succèda le père au poste du maître de chapelle à Salzbourg.

Dans certaines de ses œuvres, il utilise la scordatura (technique du violon désaccordé). On baisse, ou on hausse, une ou plusieurs cordes, afin de pouvoir jouer avec une technique seulement développée aux XIX^e siècle, sur deux, trois ou quatre cordes. De plus, cela donne des effets sonores étranges, un effet recherché pour donner du caractère à une œuvre. Aucun autre violoniste avant lui n'a autant utilisé le jeu sur deux ou plusieurs cordes. Il parvenait avec facilité à jouer en septième position, une technique que Arcangelo Corelli considérait comme impossible.

Plus que tout autre violoniste, il a composé de nombreuses messes, deux opéras, des musiques pour instruments à vent.

Source : http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Ignaz_Franz_Biber

Le violoniste et compositeur originaire de Bohême Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704) est un des compositeurs les plus marquants du 17ème siècle. Arrivé à Salzbourg en 1670, Biber travaille au service de l’Empereur d’Autriche Leopold Ier, passionné de musique ; il est nommé en 1670 vice-Kapellmeister de la Chapelle de Salzbourg et Kapellmeister en 1684. Sa réputation de violoniste se propage rapidement à travers l’Europe et ses compositions – notamment de nombreuses sonates pour violon, deux opéras et de la musique sacrée écrite surtout à partir de 1684 – font de lui un des fondateurs de l’école allemande pour violon. Il terminera sa vie à la cour de Munich.
« Causes et conséquences », tel pourrait être le sous-titre de ce disque. Composée en 1673, probablement pour les célébrations du Carnaval à la Cour, la Battalia est un «drame mis en musique ».
L’œuvre se compose de petits tableaux musicaux – dont le titre complet en est : La Bataille : La horde dissoute des mousquetaires, Mars, le combat, et lamentations des blessés, imités avec des airs, et dédiée à Bacchus – liés entre eux par une action, racontée grâce à des moyens musicaux très originaux. En effet, Biber intègre des effets sonores, notés très précisément tels que les déplacements, l’usage du col legno (notes jouées avec le bois de l’archet), les dissonances, etc. La Battalia est riche en influences populaires, chansons et musiques traditionnelles qui ont entouré Biber lors de son enfance en Bohême.

Source : http://www.alia-vox.com/cataleg.php?id=13

1.  PARIS

Concert: Saterday, july 5 at 9pm

Église Roumaine de Paris
9bis, rue Jean de Beauvais - Paris 5e

2. Saint Père sous Vézelay

Concert: Sunday, july 6 at 8.30pm

Église Notre Dame
Rue de la Mairie

Announcement of the concert on the Saint-Père sous Vézelay's website

3.  Lyon

Concert: wednesday, july 9 at 8.30pm

Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière
8 Place de Fourvière

Note : due to "Les Nuits de Fourvière" festival, parking will be forbidden around the church. Please, park down the hill and use the funicular.

4.  Arles

Concert:  friday, july 11 at 8.30pm

Église Saint-Trophime
Place de la République

1.  PARIS

Concert: Samedi 5 Juillet - 21 h

Église Roumaine de Paris
9bis, rue Jean de Beauvais - Paris 5e

2. Saint Père sous Vézelay

Concert: Dimanche 6 juillet - 20h30

Église Notre Dame
Rue de la Mairie

Annonce du concert sur le site web de Saint-Père sous Vézelay

3.  Lyon

Concert: Mercredi 9 juillet - 20h30

Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière
8 Place de Fourvière

Attention, en raison des "Nuits de Fourvière", il est fortement recommandé de se garer parking St Georges ou Gorge de Loup puis de prendre le funiculaire.

4.  Arles

Concert:  Vendredi 11 juillet - 20h30

Église Saint-Trophime
Place de la République

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Conductor/Educator

Dr. Mark Laycock is an Associate Professor of Music at Wichita State University, where he holds the Ann Walenta Faculty of Distinction Endowed Professorship. In 2007, he was recognized with the College of Fine Arts Excellence in Teaching Award. In addition to serving as Director of Orchestras, he is Coordinator of Instrumental Conducting. Under his direction, the WSU Symphony Orchestra performed at the 2008 International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Zaragoza, Spain, as well as the 2008 Kansas Music Educators Association In-Service Workshop. 

His work as guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator spans 16 states, including the leadership of all-state orchestras in Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, and Washington; upcoming engagements include the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Maryland All-State Orchestra, Oklahoma Youth Orchestra, Kansas Junior High State Orchestra, Northeast Kansas Ninth Grade Honor Orchestra, and Hastings (NE) College High School Honor Festival. 

He has conducted professional orchestras in Europe and Canada. Dr. Laycock recently presented clinic sessions for the Kansas Chapter of the American String Teachers Association, the Oklahoma Music Educators Association, the Arizona Music Educators Association, and the Midwest Clinic. He served as Director of Orchestras and Instrumental Music at Chapman University in Orange, California, where he led invited performances for the California Music Educators Association and at Disneyland. He was also Principal Conductor of the Irvine (CA) Chamber Players, leading the youth orchestra on a two-week concert tour to Italy in June 2006. 

From 1998-2003, Dr. Laycock served as Director of Orchestral Activities at Iowa State University and was Music Director of the Central Iowa Symphony. Under his leadership, the ISU Symphony Orchestra performed at the North Central Division Convention of the Music Educators National Association and collaborated with such artists as bass-baritone Simon Estes and pianist-composer Marvin Hamlisch. 

He earned a Doctor of Arts degree in orchestral conducting from the University of Northern Colorado. Dr. Laycock holds a Master of Music degree in instrumental conducting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music history and literature from the University of Southern California. An experienced educator, he was an instructor of strings and orchestra at the middle and high school levels in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Chef d’orchestre, enseignant, Mark est professeur agrégé de musique à l'université d'État de Wichita, où il a reçu la distinction de Professeur Emérite de la faculté Ann Walenta.  En 2007, il a été honoré par un « Excellence in Teaching Award » de l'université des beaux-arts d’Irvine.
En plus de sa fonction de chef d’orchestre, il est coordonnateur de la conduite instrumentale. Sous sa direction, l'orchestre symphonique de WSU a joué au festival international 2008 des orchestres de la jeunesse à Zaragoza, Espagne.
Son travail couvre 16 états, y compris la conduite des orchestres d’État, en Alabama, en Iowa, au Nébraska, et à Washington. Ses prochains engagements concernent l'orchestre symphonique de Wichita, ainsi qu’un grand nombre d’orchestres d’État du Maryland, de l'Oklahoma, du Kansas et du Nebraska. Il a conduit des orchestres professionnels en Europe et au Canada. Il fut également le chef d'orchestre principal des joueurs d'Irvine, menant l'orchestre pendant la tournée de deux semaines en Italie en juin 2006.
Le Dr. Laycock détient un doctorat de conduite orchestrale, une maîtrise de musique dans la conduite instrumentale et une licence d'arts dans l'histoire de la musique et de la littérature.

Irvine Classical Players Orchestra Founder and Music Director Georgette Popa has maintained a private violin studio in Irvine, California for 24 years and is a former professor of violin at the Superior Conservatory of Music in Lyon France. She has taught violin for the University of California at Irvine, Saddleback College, California State University at Fullerton and Concordia University. Her teaching career includes numerous requests for international master classes in France, Switzerland, Germany and Holland.

In addition to her teaching credits she has performed extensively in Europe and the United States.

Her active performance career has included numerous studio recordings for film and television.

She holds a Masters Degree in Performance from the Conservatory of Music G. Dima in Cluj- Napoca, Romania and completed a three-year PhD. program at the Conservatory of Music in Paris, France.