SFSU Public Affairs Press Release Published by the Public Affairs Office at San Francisco State University, Diag Center.

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Contact: Ariane Bicho
phone: (415) 338-1442

SAN FRANCISCO- French violinist Gilles Apap's striking talent and bohemian persona is perfectly matched by the standout playing of The Colors of Invention, a trio featuring accordion, cymbalum and double bass; the quartet is presented by the Morrison Artists' Series, 3 pm, Sunday, December 2 at McKenna Theatre on the San Francisco State University campus. While this collaborative ensemble performs music rooted mainly in the classical tradition, the folkloric qualities of the accordion and cymbalum coupled with the tremendous flexibility of the string players leads the group to an extensive range of styles from American bluegrass and Irish fiddle tunes to traditional Romanian music. A partial program includes Vivaldi's Four Seasons; Gluck's Melodie; Sarasate's Ziguenerweisen and Zapateado; Kreisler's Praeldium & Allegro and Schon Rosmarin as well as folk tunes, swing and solos by each instrumentalist.

Called "the violinist of the 21st Century" by Lord Yehudi Menuhin, California-based Gilles Apap is known around the world for his distinct talent of incorporating diverse styles of music. In addition to touring internationally and serving as concertmaster of the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Apap recently formed a record label, Apapaziz Productions, which released No Piano On That One with The Colors of Invention, Mr. Apap and other artists.

The Colors of Invention features three standout players. French accordionist Myriam Lafar has won numerous awards for her performances and is currently a recording artist with Philips/Universal label. Originally from Slovakie, Ludovit Kovac is widely sought after as one of the best young cymbalum players in Europe, performing as soloist with such orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic. Philippe Noharet is a contrabass soloist with the Paris Opera Orchestra and has performed on tour with Ute Lemper and recorded for a variety of artists from Aznavour to Zazie.

Recent engagements for the quartet, Gilles Apap and The Colors of Invention, include La Cigale and the Chatelet, Paris; the Lille Mozart Festival, and the WOMADelaide Festival, Australia.

Bringing Bay Area audiences the world's finest chamber music since 1952, the Morrison Artists' Series is "indispensable," says the San Francisco Chronicle. The series was created as part of the Morrison Chamber Music Center. The center exists in two parts: the artists' series or concert program and the instructional program. The Morrison Artists' Series concert program, under the command of Artistic Director Saul Gropman, presents six free Sunday afternoon performances each year by acclaimed chamber music ensembles in the 700seat McKenna Theatre on the San Francisco State University campus. The instructional program of the Morrison Chamber Music Center features the Alexander String Quartet, SFSU's quartetinresidence, coaching chamber musicians from the university's Music Department. In cooperation with San Francisco Performances, the Alexander String Quartet provides educational outreach to aspiring young musicians in local schools and community groups.

In addition to presenting the visual, electronic and performing arts, the College of Creative Arts offers the only academic program primarily devoted to the arts in Northern California. Under the direction of Dean Keith Morrison, an internationally acclaimed faculty directs 3,185 undergraduate and graduate students in eight departments: Art, Cinema, Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts, Music, Dance, Theatre Arts, Design and Industry, and Inter-Arts. The College of Creative Arts is part of San Francisco State University, one of the 23 member universities comprising the California State University, the largest system of higher education in the nation. SFSU is a highly diverse, comprehensive, public and urban university. For more information about the College of Creative Arts, please visit www.sfsu.edu/~allarts. Applications are available by calling the SFSU Admissions Office at 415/338-1113.

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Last modified April 24, 2007, by Office of Public Affairs