Mahler and More

October 16
5:00pm, Atlas Performing Arts Center

Pre-concert lecture for ticket-holders at 4:35pm (in the Concert Hall) by Jason McCool.

Lalo, Symphonie Espagnole, 1^st movement ~ with Arec Jamgochian, Violin ~ Levine Cogen Concerto Winner
Mahler, Two Songs from Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen ~ with Andrew McLaughlin, Baritone; John Devlin, Conductor
Mahler, Symphony No. 1 ~ Victoria Gau, Conductor

Jason McCool (yes, it's his real last name) is a DC-based actor, musicologist, professor, and social media advocate who is passionate about helping both new and traditional audiences get inside great music. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the University of Maryland, he recently spoke on Mahler at Ignite Baltimore and at the Baltimore Symphony, and will be presenting on Mahler at Ignite DC on October 20. Jason is so pleased to work with both Knowledge Commons DC and the Capital City Symphony on this great symphony, and he hopes to gain company in this dreadfully pleasurable condition of "Mahleria!"

Arec L. Jamgochian, 16 years old, has been playing violin since the age of 8. Since spring 2004, he has been a scholarship recipient student at the Levine School of Music, where he has studied under Christof Richter and currently under Margaret Wright. A scholarship recipient from 2005-10 at Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO), Jamgochian played for various orchestras, being seated as principal 2nd violin for Young Artists and Symphony.

Prizes to his credit: 1st place 2011 Cogen Concerto Competition Senior Division, 2nd place 2010 Marlin-Engel Competition Senior Division, 2nd place 2009 Cogen Concerto Competition Senior Division (underage), 1st place 2007 Cogen Concerto Competition Intermediate Division (all at Levine School of Music), 1st place MSMTA Strings Plus Festival. During 2008-2009, he participated in MasterClasses with world-renowned violinists Vadim Repin, Jonathan Carney, and Igor Yuzefovich. In 2011 and 2009, he was one of the solo performers in the Waterford Concert Series “Next Generation” concert in Lucketts, Virginia.

In February 2011, he featured in his own concert locally at Glenview Mansion in Rockville, performing a half-hour show and attracting a crowd of about 250. He has performed twice under the baton of Maestro Gajewski, in the National Philharmonic Summer Strings Institute. Jamgochian has also performed on a few occasions with the Landon Symphonette. As a part of his Levine School scholarship, his violin is 1912 Joseph Gorretelli, Grade 3 copy of STRADIVARI. A 2009 Gazette feature article said “the violin and the student make a good team”. He is currently an AP Scholar senior in the Montgomery Blair HS Magnet program.

Andrew McLaughlin (Canton, PA), baritone, is making his debut performance with the Capital City Symphony. Andrew received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from West Chester University and a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the University of Maryland as part of the Maryland Opera Studio. As a member of the West Chester University Opera Theatre, he performed baritone roles from Penhorwood’s Too Many Sopranos, Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, and Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. With the Maryland Opera Studio, Andrew recently performed Figaro in the Spring 2011 production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, was a Reporter in the world premier of Proto’s Shadowboxer, and performed the role of Alvaro in last year’s production of Florencia en el Amazonas. In addition, Andrew was a recent semi-finalist in the Joy in Singing, Florida Grand Opera and Annapolis Opera Vocal Competitions and won second prize in the Kennett Symphony Young Artist Competition. He has been a member of the Aspen Music Festival and an apprentice at Central City Opera in Central City, CO where he joined the company for a second season this summer and was the recipient of the Joshua Psuik Apprentice Artist Award. Andrew has studied with celebrated baritones Randall Scarlata and Dominic Cossa.