Yevgeny in Prague

Yevgeny Kutik has just completed a concert tour in Europe which included three performances of the Tschaikowzky violin concerto with the Norddeutsche Philharmonic Orchestra  in Rostock, Germany and a solo recital at the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle, Czech Republic. He has received rave reviews in both locations.

Headline- 'Exzellente show von virtuosem Geiger Kutik'

Review- 'The young soloist presented a violin show par excellence with his breathtaking virtuosity, fine dymanic shadings, as well as melodic and rhythmic agility. After the final movement, he received,-now as appropriate- thunderous final applause'
-Ostsee-Zeitung

Thanks to Andrea Winzer for the translation.

This tour was made possible in part by a grant from the Ferris Burtis Music Foundation.

William Lobkowicz and Herbert Burtis

When I was in Prague visiting Will Lobkowicz and his family last spring, I brought up the possibility of having Yevgeny perform in the magnificent Lobkowicz Palace which sits atop the butte which is Prague Castle in the center of the city. Will is the thirteenth Prince Lobkowicz. His family has been involved sponsoring musicians for several hundred years, including Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven.

The Lobkowicz Palace is the light colored building on the right and in the center of the photograph.

Will and I discussed the idea of having Yevgeny perform there and I told him that the Ferris Burtis Music Foundation would help fund Yevgeny's visit. This is the sort of thing the Foundation does with the five extraordinary young musicians we are helping at the moment.

Yevgeny will be joined by Julian Müller, 'cellist, Morwena Boyd, guitarist, Kathleen Callahan, soprano and Timothy Bozarth and Anne Chamberlain, pianists in the Benefit Concert being held to raise money for the Foundation on June 10th at the Sandisfield Arts Center. 

For more information contact Herbert Burtis at roodhill@verizon.net

Ferris Burtis Benefit Concert

The Ferris Burtis Music Foundation will present its second annual Benefit Concert on Sunday, June 10th at 4:00 p.m. at the Sandisfield Arts Center on Hammertown Road in Sandisfield, MA. The Foundation, established through the Berkshire Taconic Foundation of Sheffield, MA in 1987 by the late John Ferris and by Herbert Burtis, provides grants to worthy young classical musicians to help in their education and care

Last year the Foundation granted over $9,000.00 to five wonderful young performers, Yevgeny Kutik, violinist, The Elektra Ensemble, Jullian Müller, and Morwena Body. Jullian and Morwena are each finishing their first year in Music Schools in Indiana and Michigan. Yevgeny is performing internationally, including concerts this Spring with the Rostock Germany Symphony and at the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague, Czech Republic. The Elektra Ensemble is taking some time off while the 'cellist, Melissa Morgan, recovers from an arm injury.

                                              The performers from last year's Benefit Concert
They will all be performing at the concert on June 10th. reservations are $20.00 each. Make checks payable to 'Ferris Burtis Foundation', and send them to Herbert Burtis, 53 Rood Hill Road, Sandisfield, MA 01255. Any gift over the cost of the reservation is tax-exempt. Please include your email address for my to respond to your gift.

If you would like to make a gift of $100.00 or more, your name will be included in the program. Here are suggested categories:
Friend: $100.00-$299.00
Sponsor: $300.00-$499.00
Benefactor: $500.00-$699.00
Angel: $700.00-$999.00
Founder: $1000.00 or more

Any amount over the cost of the reservation is tax-exempt. We encourage you to give generously to help the Foundation continue their work with talented young musicians.

Gala Concert

The Ferris Burtis Music Foundation is pleased to announce that plans are under way for the second annual Gala Benefit Concert which will take place at the Sandisfield Arts Center in Sandisfield, MA on Sunday, June 10th at 4:00 p.m. The concert is co-sponsored by the Berkshire Taconic Foundation which manages the Ferris Burtis Foundation, and by the Sandisfield Arts Center. Last year's concert raised much needed funds to help with the work of the Foundation which gave $9,000.00 to aid five young musicians in their education and careers.

Performing again this year will be the brilliant young violinist, Yevgeny Kutik who will perform with the remarkable pianist Timothy Bozarth. Yevgeny has had a busy year appearing at the Phillips Gallery in Washington, DC, Alice Tully Hall in New York City, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, the Rostock Symphony in Germany, and the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague.

Also returning after a busy season with their new pianist, the Elektra Ensemble will appear in the concert. The members of the group are Brunilda Myftaraj, violinist, Melissa Morgan, 'cellist, and Anastasia Seifetdinova, pianist, who joined the group last fall. Brunilda will be performing in Poland this spring as well as at Central Connecticut University.

This year's concert will also feature the two young musicians whose education is being aided by funds from the Foundation. Julian Muller is a gifted 'cellist who is completing his first year at Indiana University. Morwenna Boyd is a fine guitarist who has spent her first year at the Academy of the Arts at Interlochen, Michigan.


Guest artist Kathleen Callahan, soprano will also be heard accompanied by Herbert Burtis, pianist

Reservations for the concert may be made by sending a check for $20.00 made out to 'Ferris Burtis Foundation' to Herbert Burtis, 53 Rood Hill Road, Sandisfield, MA 01255. For those wishing to make a more generous gift to the Foundation, any gift of $100.00 or more will receive two reservations and the name will appear in the program. Here are the gift categories:
Friend- $100.00-$299.00
Sponsor- $300.00-$499.00
Benefactor- $500.00- $699.00
Angel- $700.00-$999.00
Founder- $1000.00 or more

These gifts are tax deductible. Please give generously.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to one and all! This has been a busy year for the Ferris Burtis Music Foundation. We have allocated $9,000.00 to help six talented young artists throughout the year. Yevgeny Kutik, The Elektra Ensemble, Julian Müller, and Morwenna Boyd have all received educational or career help from the Foundation.

We have been receiving end-of-year gifts from a number of people, including one very generous gift of $5,000.00. My thanks to these generous donors. I encourage you, if you are interested in helping the Foundation continue its work, to consider sending a tax-free gift to Ferris Burtis Foundation, %Berkshire Taconic Foundation, 800 North Main Street, Sheffield, MA 01257, before January 1st.

On June 10th, 2012, we will present our second gala Fund raising concert at the Sandisfield Arts Center with all of the above-mentioned artists performing. Save the date and plan to attend.

Thank you for any gift you may wish to make.

Herb

Morwenna Boyd, guitarist

The Ferris Burtis Music Foundation is happy to announce the latest young performer whom they are aiding in her education. Morwenna Boyd is a classical guitarist who is studying at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan.



She is studying with Michael Kudirka, a former student of William Kanengiser. While solo work is the core of the program, she is also taking part in an excellent guitar ensemble.

The Foundation has given her a grant to help with her tuition and plans to continue this help throughout her college years.

This year the Ferris Burtis has given $9000.00 to several young musicians for their study and for their careers.

Julian Müller is a 'cellist at Indiana University who is also a part of the Foundation. He is in his first year there.

Yevgeny Kutik is in the midst of a brilliant career. He makes his début at Alice Tully Hall on December 7th  playing the Mendelssohn Concerto with the Riverside Symphony. For tickets http://www.riversidesymphony.org/

The Elektra Ensemble is also having a busy season with concerts throughout the United States. http://www.elektraensemble.org/

In June, all of these fine musicians will come together to present the Second Annual Ferris Burtis Music Foundation Concert to raise funds to continue the work of the Foundation. More will be announced closer to the date of the concert.

Gifts to the Foundation are appreciated. If you wish to help support these young artists, please send a check made out to Ferris Burtis Foundation, %Berkshire Taconic Foundation, 800 North Main Street, Sheffield, CT 01257.

You may contact Mr. Burtis at http://www.hburtis.com/ ,
roodhill@verizon.net or 413 258 4456 for more information.

Yevgeny at Alice Tully Hall

The Ferris Burtis Music Foundation is proud to announce the debut of brilliant, young violinist Yevgeny Kutik at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. He will perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in D Minor  with the Riverside Symphony under the direction of George Rothman.

To order tickets for this concert go to:
http://www.riversidesymphony.org/

Yevgeny is represented by Parker Artists:
http://www.parkerartists.com/

Yevgeny has been aided in his education and career by the Ferris Burtis Music Foundation whose goal is to help young classical artists. They are also helping the Elektra Ensemble, http://www.elektraensemble.org/ , Jullian Muller, 'cellist, who is in his first year at Indiana University and Morwena Moore-Boyd, guitarist, who is studying at the Interlochen School of Music in Michigan.

If you would like to help this Foundation continue its work with young musicians, gifts may be sent to:
Ferris Burtis Foundation, 800 Main Street, Sheffield, MA 01257. Or for information, contact me at roodhill@verizon.net

Future engagements for Yevgeny include October 30, 2011, Benefit Concert for MOTL, Greensboro, SC, November 5, 2011, Mozart 3rd Concerto, East Texas Symphony, February 7, 2012, Concert for JFNA, Sarasota, FL, March 5, 2012, Concert for The Bohemians, New York City, March 18, 2012, The Hammond Series, Hingham, MA, March 28, 2012, Solo Concert, UMass, Amherst, MA, March 30, 2012, Mendelssohn Concerto, UMass Symphony, UMass Amherst, MA, April 10, 2012, Concert/Presentation, Boston, MA, April 16, 2012, Project in Europe, April 25, 2012, Totenberg Celebration, Boston, MA, May 5, 2012, Saint-Saens Concerto, Ludwig Symphony, Atlanta, GA, May 19 and 20, 2012, Norddeusche Philharmonic. Rostock, Germany,Tchaikovsky Concerto, May 23, 2012, Solo concert at the Lobkowicz Palace, Prague Castle, Czech Republic, June 8, 2012, Polish Embassy, Washington, DC, August 15-17, touring in Europe.

Julian Müller

I have just heard from Julian Müller who is now studying at Indiana University. Julian is the recipient of a scholarship from the Ferris Burtis Foundation this year.

Here are some quotes from his message: 'My teacher here is excellent. I am discovering many things about my body and how it relates to the cello. My sound has opened up and things seem as if they are going in the right direction.

I did very well on a screened orchestra audition and got into one of the two top ensembles of the University's five orchestras. I am in a Chamber Orchestra, one of four cellos which is very exposed and really exciting. I am in two chamber groups. So I am very busy and learning a lot, taking other classes, theory, piano, and a pedagogy class.'

Bravo, Julian! We cheer you on to greater heights.

Julian will play a recital for us here at Rood Hill Farm in the spring or summer when he returns from Indiana.

The Ferris Burtis Foundation welcomes your gifts to help us continue our work with young classical musicians. Checks made out to 'Ferris Burtis Foundation' may be sent to:
Berkshire Taconic Foundation, 800 North Main Street, Sheffield, MA 01257.