Concert in the Gallery: Friends in Harmony with Ani Aznavoorian, April Amante, Brian Hotchkin, & Armen Guzelimian

Ani Aznavoorian, Cello
April Amante, Soprano
Brian Hotchkin, Baritone
Armen Guzelimian, Piano

From love songs to comedy, from Broadway top the Met. This evening of sublime music includes Cole Porter, Astor Piazzola, and Ruggero Leoncavallo among others.

ANI AZNAVOORIAN is a cellist described by The Strad magazine as having “scorchingly committed performances that wring every last drop of emotion out of the music. Her technique is well-nigh immaculate, she has a natural sense of theater, and her tone is astonishingly responsive.”

APRIL AMANTE is a vocal artist described as "heavenly to listen to" by the Daily Nexus, her strong musicianship draws her toward contemporary and modern music.

BRIAN HOTCHKIN is a baritone praised for his "strong and effortless voice" and his "unerring, witty sense of theater.” His recent engagements including role debuts as Leporello (Don Giovanni) and Zuniga (Carmen) with the Mediterranean Opera Festival in Sicily, and as Filippo Maria Visconti in Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda with the London Bel Canto Festival.

ARMEN GUZELIMIAN is pianist celebrated for his versatility as a world class collaborative artist, a brilliant soloist and first-rate chamber musician not only in Southern California, but all over the world.

Cole Porter, Astor Piazzolla, and Ruggero Leoncavallo were influential composers in distinct genres. They all created works that defined their eras and helped to shape the musical landscape that we enjoy today. Porter was a master of the American songbook, Piazzolla revolutionized Argentine tango and was the creator of nuevo tango (new tango), a style that transformed traditional tango into a concert music form. Leoncavallo was an Italian opera composer known for the verismo style with dramatic intensity and memorable melodies, including the famous aria 'Vesti la giubba.'