Toledo, OH (Top40 Charts/ Toledo Symphony) The Toledo Symphony, violin soloists Kirk Toth and Merwin Siu, and celebrated Argentine Tango dancers will collaborate for a special classics concert on the 15th and 16th of November.
The concert, called "The Four Seasons with a Twist," features two compositions--the much beloved Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi and a tango setting of the Seasons in South
America by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla.
Brad Cresswell of WGTE Public Media will serve as narrator, and read the poems that inspired the Vivaldi composition.
During the South American seasons, dancers Gil Aromas, Jacki Myrice, Erin Myrice,
Nicole Nieves, and
David McVicker will join the orchestra to illustrate the music through tango.
Tickets are available by calling the TSO box office at 419-246-8000 or by visiting https://www.ToledoSymphony.com .
What: The Four Seasons with a Twist
When: November 15th and 16th at 8pm
Where: Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle
Tickets: ToledoSymphony.com or 419-246-8000.
About the Soloists - Kirk Toth and Merwin Siu
Concertmaster Kirk Toth earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in violin performance at University of Michigan where he was a student of the renowned violinist Paul Makanowitzky and was the recipient of the School of Music' highest award, the Stanley Medal.
Prior to joining the Toledo Symphony in 1983, Mr. Toth was a member of the Richmond Sinfonia and subsequently held the position of Assistant Principal with the Rochester Philharmonic in New York. He has held guest concertmaster positions with several orchestras, including the Halifax Symphony in Nova Scotia, Canada. Mr. Toth also was a founding member of the Stetson Piano Trio while serving as a faculty member at Stetson University (Florida).
While on leave from the Toledo Symphony, Mr. Toth was a member of the first violin section of the Cincinnati Symphony, performing at the Blossom
Music Festival and in New York City.
Mr. Toth has been a member of The University of Toledo Department of
Music and was a member of The Toledo Trio. The Trio recorded trios of Charles Ives, Beach, and Parker on the Musical Heritage label.
Mr. Toth appears frequently as a soloist on the Toledo Symphony "Mozart and More" and Classics series. Solo performances have included Brahms
Double Concerto for Violin and Cello, Stravinsky's Violin Concerto, Mozart Violin Concerti as well as his Sinfonia Concertante, Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons", the 1st Violin Concerto of Shostakovich, and the Concerto for Violin and Viola of Max Bruch.
While maintaining a private teaching studio, Mr. Toth has taught as an adjunct faculty member in the music departments of Ohio Northern University and Hillsdale College.
Merwin Siu holds the
David W. Robinson Chair as the Toledo Symphony's Principal Second Violin, and also serves as the TSO's Artistic Administrator.
As a soloist with the TSO, Merwin enjoys introducing audiences to twentieth and twenty-first century compositions. He made his Classics Series debut in 2008, performing Karl Amadeus Hartmann's Concerto funèbre. Other recent highlights include the North American premiere of Fazil Say's concerto 1001 Nights in a Harem, and performances of works by Alban Berg, Chen Yi, John Corigliano, Lou Harrison, Keith Jarrett, DBR, and Bright Sheng. In 2007, Merwin appeared with former TSO music director Andrew Massey, premiering Massey's new violin concerto with the Racine Symphony. Merwin frequently appears on performing arts series throughout the Midwest, and performs with the Zin String Quartet and the Bezonian Piano Trio. He is featured on the MSR Records CD, Deep River, with pianist
Phoenix Park-Kim.
Merwin holds a Masters in
Music from
Indiana University and degrees in English and
Music from Montreal's McGill University. He is a recipient of the Toledo Business Journal's 20 Under 40 award in 2004, recognizing young leaders in
Lucas County. An enthusiastic teacher, avid reader and hockey fan, he lives in Ann Arbor, with his wife Kimberly, stepson Dylan, and son Kai.
Merwin wrote this biography all by himself, in the third person.
About the Dancers - The Ballroom Company
The Ballroom Company was founded in 1993 by
David and Jacki Myrice. The studio opened its doors with one goal, to offer quality instruction at an affordable rate. For the last 21 years they have done just that, all while maintaining a fun, family friendly environment to learn in, you feel at home the minute you walk through the doors .The Ballroom Company offers all types of partnership dance instruction, formal dances like the Waltz or Foxtrot, or more sassy dances like Salsa or Cha Cha. They have taught wedding couples, parents of brides and grooms, or just plain hobby dancers.
Jacki Myrice started dancing at the young age of 14 and decided early on that this is what she wanted to pursue as a lifelong career.
Nicole Nieves joined the staff in 2002. It was her love for Salsa that brought her to ballroom dancing. Gil Aromas joined in 2004. He first took up ballroom dancing when he joined the team at The University of Toledo. Erin Myrice joined the teaching staff in 2012, as the owner's daughter, she had been dancing her entire life.
David McVicker rejoined the teaching staff here earlier this year after moving away for more than a decade.
