CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) — Sinfonia da Camera will welcome internationally renowned violinist Andrés Cárdenes this week as a featured soloist, who looks to bring dazzling technique and expressive warmth to a program rich in seasonal color and musical storytelling.

The show will take place on Saturday, December 13, at 7 p.m.

Cárdenes is featured in Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, presenting a sultry, tango-infused counterpart to Vivaldi’s iconic concertos. Piazzolla’s Summer is paired with Vivaldi’s Winter, highlighting the seasonal reversal between hemispheres. A clever quote from Vivaldi’s Winter emerges in Piazzolla’s music, drawing a witty and evocative connection across time and climate. Cárdenes also performs Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, a virtuosic showpiece brimming with fiery elegance and lyrical charm. 

Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 showcases Sinfonia’s principal hornist, Bernhard Scully, in a work that transforms the traditional hunting horn into a vehicle of melodic grace. Its lively finale radiates joy and lightness, while the tender slow movement evokes the hush of a snowy evening. Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Greensleeves offers a moment of serene beauty. Built on the beloved English folk tune often associated with the Christmas season, its gentle harmonies and flowing textures create a nostalgic and peaceful atmosphere. The program concludes with Mendelssohn’s exuberant “Italian” Symphony. Its radiant themes and buoyant rhythms provide an uplifting close to a concert that captures the season’s spirit of celebration, reflection, and warmth.

Sinfonia da Camera is comprised of U of I faculty, staff, and students, as well as distinguished regional and national freelance musicians. In residence at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, this professional chamber orchestra is led by world-renowned pianist, conductor, and educator Maestro Ian Hobson.

Founded in 1984, Sinfonia has welcomed world-class soloists, commissioned new works, and presented beloved orchestra favorites and hidden gems to local audiences for over 30 years.

Tickets for this week’s event, on Saturday, December 13, can be purchased through the Virginia Theatre.

The program for the show is as follows:

  • Vivaldi, Winter Concerto from Four Seasons
    • Andrés Cardenes, violin
  • Piazzolla, Summer Concerto from Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
    • Andrés Cardenes, violin
  • Saint-Saëns, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
    • Andrés Cardenes, violin
  • Mozart, Horn Concerto No. 4, K. 495
    • Bernhard Scully, horn
  • Vaughan Williams, Fantasia on Greensleeves
  • Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
  • Kreisler, orch. Stephen Taylor, Praeludium and Allegro