The Erato Chamber Orchestra began in November 2007 as a dream, which has now come true! The orchestra is comprised of Chicago’s finest musicians who have a common affection for making and sharing music. The ensemble's programs are devoted to both classical and contemporary repertoire that is not ordinarily played by large symphony orchestras. Their name is inspired by the Greek goddess Erato, who is the Muse of Lyric Poetry. The orchestra's style is characterized by a warm sound and virtuosic talent combined with an infectious enjoyment of the pleasure of making music. Richard Haglund An engaging communicator of exceptional warmth and energy, conductor Richard A. Haglund is the founder and Music Director of the Erato Chamber Orchestra in Chicago. He is often in demand as a guest conductor, performer and clinician. As a guest conductor, Maestro Haglund has lead professional ensembles in America and around the globe. These include the Camerata Chamber Orchestra in Cluj, Romania, the St. Petersburg Hermitage Orchestra in Russia, the Varna Philharmonic and Grabovo Chamber Orchestra in Bulgaria, Cappella Orchestra in St. Petersburg Russia and the National Chamber Orchestra of Moldova in Chişinău. Recently, he was invited for a second appearance with the Bantul Philharmonic Orchestra in Romania. This summer, he led performances in the Southern Tuscany Festival of Music in Italy Haglund's diverse experience includes Pops Conductor for the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra's summer season, Assistant Conductor of the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra and the Bard Community Chorus. This past summer he conducted the Broadway reading preview of “Song of Solomon” in New York City. A native of Minnesota, Maestro Haglund received his musical training on Percussion and Piano. Haglund holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Minnesota and a Masters degree in Orchestral Conducting from Bard College Conservatory of Music where he studied with Harold Farberman and Leon Botstein. In addition to his conducting degree, Haglund studied composition with world-renowned composer Joan Tower at Bard Conservatory in New York. Maestro Haglund has studied conducting throughout the world with numerous teachers, most notably Gustav Meier, Paul Vermel, Larry Rachleff, William Jones, Emil Aluas and Philip Greenberg. His previous appointments include Music Director and conductor of the Heartland Symphony (MN), Northeast Orchestra (MN), and Sangamon Valley Youth and Community Orchestra (IL). He served as assistant conductor of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra for several seasons and visited thousands of elementary students every year in his outreach activities. Erato Chamber Orchestra Richard A. Haglund, Conductor/Music Director Sopranos Kirsten Hedegaard Hannah Swimmer Flute Emma Hospelhorn Oboe Jennet Ingle Harpsichord Robert McConnell Violin 1 Maria Storm, Concertmaster Matthew Cataldi Corina Lobont Yuri Gueyer Violin 2 Lena Gaetz Amanda Grimm Zara Zaharieva Alin Cernaianu Agnieszka Kozlowska Viola Ana Simonovska Desi Tantcheva Cello Kyra Saltman Emily Hu Bass Phillip Serna (Soloists) Michael Antonello trained at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and in Bloomington, Indiana with distinguished violinist Franco Gulli. Antonello was concertmaster of the Grand Rapids Symphony in Michigan and the Rochester Symphony in Minnesota, and has performed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra. The Grand Rapids Press described him as a violinist who can “...elicit tears, laughter, and a standing ovation.” He has become a specialist on composer Fritz Kreisler, and is well on his way to recording Kreisler’s complete works. Recently Mr. Antonello has been recording the St. Saens and Sibelius violin concertos in collaboration with Philip Greenberg and the Kiev Ukraine Radio Orchestra. His international concert appearances have included performances in Italy, Russia, Romania, Moldova, and Bulgaria. Ruggero Allifranchini was born into a musical household in Milan, Italy, and raised on a diverse musical diet, ranging from Beethoven to John Coltrane. He studied at the New School in Philadelphia with Jascha Brodsky and later at the Curtis Institute of Music with Szymon Goldberg and, for chamber music, Felix Galimir. He was the recipient of the Diploma d’Onore from the Chigiana Academy in Siena, Italy. In 1989, he cofounded the Borromeo String Quartet, with which he played exclusively for eleven years. As a chamber musician of diverse repertoire and styles, Allifranchini is a frequent guest artist of the Chamber Music Societies of Boston and Lincoln Center, as well as chamber music festivals in Seattle, Vancouver, and El Paso, and he is currently Concertmaster of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra in New York. He is the violinist of the trio Nobilis, with pianist and former SPCO Artistic Partner Stephen Prutsman and cellist Suren Bagratuni. Over the past few seasons he has played as Guest Concertmaster with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, and the Minnesota Orchestra. Allifranchini plays on the “Fetzer” violin made by Antonio Stradivari in 1694, which is on loan to him from the Stradivari Society of Chicago Kirsten Hedegaard has enjoyed a duel career as a singer and conductor. As a soloist, she has been praised for her voice that “blends beautifully” (Chicago Tribune) and “soars perfectly in the upper registers” (Barrington Quintessential). She has performed numerous Bach cantatas and baroque chamber music and has been a soloist with many early music specialists including Nicholas McGegan, Paul Hillier, Ivars Taurins, Kenneth Slowik, Paul Hillier and John Butt. Ms. Hedegaard has sung with Tafelmusik, Philharmonia Baroque, the Newberry Consort, Ars Antiqua, the Opera Company and Bella Voce, among other ensembles. Also interested in contemporary music, Ms. Hedegaard has performed numerous new works, including an international tour of Louis Andriessens’s The Odyssey with the Beppie Blankert Dance Company. This past winter she made her debut with the Grammy-award winning new music ensemble, eighth blackbird. Currently on faculty at Loyola University, Ms. Hedegaard has taught conducting at Concordia University, River Forest and has conducted choirs and orchestras for various institutions including Chicago Choral Artists, Eastman House, Chicago Children’s Choir, Gallery 37, Loyola Academy, and the University of California. Emma Hospelhorn, native of Chicago, plays flute and piccolo for the New Millennium Orchestra and is principal flute of the Southern Illinois Music Festival. She was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2007-2009. She has been the top prizewinner at several festivals and competitions, including the 2007 Great Southwest Flute Festival, the Aaron Copland School of Music concerto competition, and the Society of American Musicians annual competition. She is also a multi-instrumentalist working in many genres, from orchestral to pop to folk music, and has recorded and performed with a wide variety of artists, including Mikal Cronin, Stephen Paul Smoker, the Marble Vanity, the Future Hits, and the Irish folk group Character Fleadh. She plays bass and sings for the garage-pop group Hollows, which will release its second LP in April of 2012. Emma holds degrees from Columbia University and Queens College, and is working towards a PhD in Learning Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago. A Bit of Bach Erato Chamber Orchestra Richard A. Haglund, Conductor Selections Recorded LIVE in Concert December 10th, 2011 The Arts Center of Oak Park, Lora Aborn Auditorium 200 North Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, IL 60302