Donald E. Osborne,  Director California Artists Management 564 Market Street, Suite 420, San Francisco, CA  94104-5412 415 362-2787 / fax: 415 362-2838 / Skype: calartistsdon  / Email

Susan Endrizzi Morris,  Director California Artists Management P.O. Box  2479, Mendocino, CA  95460-2479 707-937-4787 / cell: 415-302-1083 / Skype: sueendrizzi / Email

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Our warmest greetings to you with best wishes for peace and prosperity in the coming year. We look forward to seeing many of you at Arts Presenters (Americas Hall I, Booth 527) and Chamber Music America, both in New York City this month.

- The remarkable SAN FRANCISCO GIRLS CHORUS starts its New Year as part of a stellar lineup performing at the Inauguration of President Barack Obama in Washington, DC on January 20th. They join Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman and Aretha Franklin, among others, to honor the incoming President.

The Girls Chorus was honored in the San Francisco Chronicle's "Top Ten" performances of 2008 as part of the San Francisco Symphony's Mahler 8th: "This was one of the most arresting Mahler performances we've heard in years. Around here, that's saying something." San Francisco Chronicle - Dec. 27

- RAGNAR BOHLIN, who leads the SWEDISH RADIO CHOIR on it upcoming US tour, shares "Top Ten" honors for his San Francisco Symphony Chorus:  "MOST IMPROVED: The group continues to boast its characteristically robust sound and emotional responsiveness, but Director Ragnar Bohlin has added a new measure of clarity and rhythmic bite to the mix." San Francisco Chronicle - Dec. 27

The Swedish Radio Choir will tour in February 2010.

Also earning "Best Performances" honors:

- The PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA for its performances with Isabel Bayrakdarian.

- The BORODIN QUARTET "Proved its world-class status at the Sage." Newcastle Journal - Dec. 24

Our condolences to the Borodin Quartet on the death last month of its founding cellist, longtime colleague and friend, Valentin Berlinsky.

- An exceptionally busy MARTIN HASELBOCK made an outstanding debut with the National Symphony Orchestra conducting Handel's "Messiah:"

Headline: “NSO 'Messiah': Sounds So Fine”

"What was offered, was sprightly and fluid enough to gladden the heart of any serious music lover. Last night was the NSO debut of Martin Haselböck, an Austrian conductor known for his work in what is now known as historically informed performance, and he presented a cogent reading that had the verve and scale of a period orchestra, but with modern instruments. His tempos were brisk and bouncy, and the piece moved along, with a few cuts, at breakneck speed. He, however, made no concessions to the audience in terms of showmanship. This was a serious reading, not a play to the crowd; the drama lay in the musical line rather than in any artificially forced sense of theater. An engaging performance."  Washington Post - Dec. 19

Martin Haselböck's performances of Bach's "Christmas Oratorio" in Vienna and Los Angeles likewise earned critical acclaim.

"The fatigue of getting there dissipated quickly once Haselböck, his period-performance ensemble and the imported Tölzer Knabenchor from Munich launched into the opening chorus. Haselböck could scarcely contain his enthusiasm in harnessing its energy." Los Angeles Times - Dec 15

"Joyful Adoration. And adore him they did last Sunday evening. The orchestra was a factory of colorful sounds. Conductor Martin Haselböck knew just when to move the whole procession

along - his general penchant was for briskness - and when to take a deep-breathed moment in the familiar chorales to reflect on the meaning of it all. In an evening filled with joyous music-making, those reassuring chorales somehow managed to both seal the message and steal the show.." LA OPUS - Dec. 16

“What could be more thrilling than hearing authentic performances of Bach’s ‘Christmas Oratorio.’ Los Angeles’s own Musica Angelica, as skilled and musical a collection of expertise as exists today, all under the richly informed leadership of the Viennese maestro Martin Haselböck, who has directed a parallel orchestra in Vienna, the renowned Wiener Akademie Orchester, for the past 23 years.” ClassicalVoice.org – Dec. 15

- STEVE DAVISLIM was the tenor soloist for the National Symphony's "Messiah":

"Steve Davislim was the night's standout; his voice was light and richly colored, and he used it with impressive finesse (including some fun ornamental touches in 'Comfort Ye')." Washington Post - Dec. 19

- Soprano KIRSTEN BLAISE sang Bach's "Christmas Oratorio" with Helmuth Rilling in the Beethovensaal in Stuttgart:

"There were many affecting moments now and again which enraptured the listeners. For example the heavenly soprano aria 'Süsser Trost.' Kirsten Blaise gave a moving, beautiful performance overfilled with viruosity, while maintaining a balance of simple gestures to interact with the flautist to provide the high point of the evening, brilliantly accompanied by the Collegium Stuttgart." Stuttgarter Zeitung December 15, 2008

"There was a high plateau among the vocal soloists with a joyful undertone.  Soprano Kirsten Blaise was particularly moving, singing with sincere intensity in the aria 'Sußer Trost." Esslinger Zeitung - Dec. 15

- Soprano ELLEN HARGIS, received a terrific mention in a review of her recording” “Boston Camerata Christmas” on Warner Classics: "The marvelous Ellen Hargis." Musicalcriticism.com - Dec .23

- Baritone CHRISTOPHEREN NOMURA received a rave for the "Christmas Oratorio" with the North Carolina Symphony:

"The soloists were all outstanding, yet each very different in sound and approach. As good as these were, it was when bass Nomura first sang that you could sense a collective 'wow' creep through the auditorium. Although he held his score at his side, he never looked at the music and the power and depth of his voice was tornadic in its effect." Classical Voice of North Carolina- Dec. 7

Nomura performs January 12 (during Arts Presenters) at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater with Rob Kapilow in a lecture performance: "What Makes It Great?" on the Lieder of Robert Schumann. Also during Arts Presenters, the SHANGHAI QUARTET performs Brahms sextets January 10-11 at Bargemusic joining Clive Greensmith (Tokyo String Quartet) and Mark Peskanov.

- The IVES QUARTET received an excellent notice for their performance on the Slee Beethoven Cycle. University of Buffalo:

Headline: "Ives Quartet's undeniable talent on display"

“Based upon their work Friday night, it is apparent that the Ives Quartet is an undeniably talented group of musicians. The earliest work on the program, Beethoven is a tricky thing to get right, to manage that transition between the seemingly lightweight to something with more gravitas. Luckily the Ives String Quartet had the measure of the piece, literally from the get-go. The bracing-yet-approachable op. 59 quartet closed off the evening, and here the ensemble came through with considerable aplomb, matching the quality of insight that they brought to the earlier op. 18 quartet.” Buffalo News - Dec. 6

- Conductor RALF GOTHONI's performance with violinist Elina Vähälä at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony last moth can be heard online: http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/12/11/nobel.show.long.chunk.cnn?iref=videosearch

Best regards,

Don Osborne

California Artists Management

tel: 415-362-2787 / fax: 415-362-2838 / Skype: calartistsdon

Susan Endrizzi

tel: 707-937-4787 / cell:415-302-1083

www.calartists.com

in association with Mariedi Anders

tel: 415-752-4404 / fax: 415-752-7451