March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Harpist, flutist to play at Machias concert

MACHIAS — The second concert of the Machias Bay Chamber Concerts will present Thomas Wolf, flute, and Yolanda Kondonassis, harp, at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, at the Center Street Congregational Church.

Wolf, with his late brother, Andrew, founded the Machias Bay Chamber Concerts in 1970, and has performed here at least once each year since then. This will be the third consecutive year that Kondonassis has appeared in Machias.

Both sections of the program will open with early 18th century works, one by George Frederick Handel, the other by Bernardini Marcello. The balance of the performance will be devoted to 20th century composers, Michio Miyagi, Jean-Michel Damase, Norman Dello Joio and Vincent Persichetti.

Shortly after finishing his studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in 1961, Wolf debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Several months later he and his brother founded the Bay Chamber Concerts in Rockport, where he still performs and manages the organization. Still active as a teacher, author and arts administrator, he is listed in the “International Who’s Who in Music.” He also served on several panels and arts foundations that administer grants to arts organizations.

Kondonassis received a bachelor of performance degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1986, where she has been on the faculty since 1987. After her debut with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 18, she continued her solo appearances with numerous other orchestras such as the Detroit and Houston symphonies and the Cleveland Philharmonic.

As a winner in many major competitions, she was the first harpist ever chosen as first-prize winner of the Ima Hogg National Instrumentalist Competition in 1987. In the same year she was awarded the Darius Milhaud Prize by the Darius Milhaud Society. Marlboro, Tanglewood, Spoleto and Pensacola Chamber Music Festival are some the major festivals at which she has performed.

The post-concert reception downstairs in the vestry will feature landscapes in oils by Kathleen Coletti of Jonesboro; watercolors by Philip Harvey of Dennysville; and a bronze sculpture of a human figure by Helen Simkovich of Machias. Patrons may meet the performing artists and enjoy light refreshments.

Tickets, which may be purchased at the door, are $7 each, except for students, who pay $4.

The concerts are made possible by grants from the Machias Savings Bank, R.H. Foster Inc., and contributions from many local businesses and interested residents.


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