Abu-Ghazaleh: The soloists’ soiree is a Special Concert to Introduce JOrchetsra’s Main Musicians

 
AMMAN – December 8, 2015- Under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Noor Al-Hussein, the Jordanian National Orchestra Association (JOrchestra) dedicated a musical soloists soiree to introduce its main musicians.

In a special concert attended by high ranking diplomats including US Ambassador to Amman HE Ms. Alice Wells, Italian Ambassador to Jordan HE Mr. Giovanni Brauzzi, HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman of the Board of Trustees of JOrchestra, stressed: “The concert introduced the most prominent musicians of JOrchestra. They are from different countries and they are all valuable members of this remarkable national association”.

Viola player Mr. Vardan Pertossian started the concert with a beautiful piece. He completed his education in Armenia at Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, St. Petersburg, Russia. He joined several prominent orchestras in both countries.  In 2009, he moved to Jordan after being a principal Viola player in the Lebanese National Orchestra for seven years. 

Ghadeer Obeido performed the Prelude in G. Minor by Rachmaninoff. She is a multi-talent musician. Her activities include playing solos, performing with the companion of the piano, composing and writing movie music. She grew up in a musical family and learnt music by her father; Oud player Naser Obiedo. She passed LRSM test with excellence. Currently, she is completing her BA at the National Music Conservatory. 

Angelica Zamfir is the principal bassoon player in the Orchestra. She studied at the National University of Music in Bucharest, Romania and soon became the principal player in the orchestra of her native city of Craiova. As fate, she came to play in Jordan five years ago when invited by her colleagues. 

Obeida Madi is the leader of the second section of the violin in the Orchestra and a full time lecturer at the Department of Music at the University of Jordan, started to learn music in her early childhood; influenced by her late father musician Amer Madi. She got the MA in playing violin from Kingston University, London. She is also a player of eastern violin and a member in several ensembles such as AWJ and Amman Arab Music ensembles. Through the concert, she played Vocalize track of Author Rachmaninoff accompanied by Rania Ejeelat on the piano.

The trumpet player Hend Sapanikh began her musical career at the age of eleven when she joined the musical band at the Baptist School under the supervision of Ms. Barbara Johnson. Now, after eighteen years, she heads the Department of Music at that School. She had completed her education at the National Music Conservatory and had her MA in music performance from the University of South Florida, United States. She is a member in both the JOrchestra and the Palestine National Orchestra. She is one of the few women who play Arabic musical instruments. Accompanied by Ghadeer Obiedo on the piano, she performed a track of Modern French Author Eugene Bozza called “Caprice”.

The youngest twelve-year-old player, Issa Al-bla, grew up in a musical family. He followed Issa Al-bal’s, his grandfather, footsteps. He began learning violin at the age of seven at the National Music Conservatory under the supervision of Mr. Vardan Petrossian. He participated in many festivals and school concerts. At the age of ten, he won the first prize in the First Creative Festival for Children for the musical composition category. He played the “Elve's Dance” Track by English Author Jenkinson, accompanied by Rania Ejeelat.

Baciu Laurentiu is the principal oboe player in the Orchestra. He graduated from the National University of Music in Bucharest, Romania. He served as the principal player in Timisoara Orchestra for three decades. In addition to oboe and his recorded tracks for the Romanian television and radio, he plays piano and accordion. For twenty years, he was a member in the Italian Strauss Orchestra as a player of three instruments. He played Caprice in A minor by the Italian Author Niccolo’ Paganini.

Anna Maria Matuszczak-Nazzal is the principal violin player in the Orchestra. She started her education in a private school for gifted children in Poland. She got her MA in playing violin from the University of Lodz. After years of playing around Europe. She performed in various countries of the region and for the Royal Family with her string quartet. In the musical soiree, she performed the track “Meditation” by Tchaikovsky, accompanied by Maestro Mohammad Othman Sidiq on the piano. 

Fadi Hattar is the cello main player in JOrchestra. He started his education at the National Music Conservatory in Amman. Later, he moved to Damascus where he graduated from the Higher Institute of Music and was a member in the Syrian Symphony Orchestra. For years, he was a permanent member in the West Eastern Divan Orchestra under the leadership of Maestro Daniel Barenboim. He also performed a track for the Armenian author Alexander Arutunian, entitled “Impromptu” (revelation of the moment).

The string ensemble of the JOrchestra concluded the concert with “Oblivion” and “Libertango” by the Argentinian Author Astor Piazzolla.