provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The six-member cello ensemble, comprised of first- and second-year students, wowed the audience at the Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ during a Sanibel Music Festival performance the night of Luminary, Dec. 3, with selections by Shostakovich, Casals, and Goltermann.
Pianist Enzo Ortiz deftly accompanied many of the pieces. Soloist Isabel Sanchez Riverio delivered a passionate presentation of Kol Nidrei. The Bower String Quartet closed the performance with Haydn String Quartet Op 76 No 1.
The leadership of these musicians includes Dr. Krzysztof Biernacki, Director of the Bower School of Music & the Arts, and Professors Courtney Filner and Si-Cheng Liu.
“Performing at the Sanibel Music Festival is always a true highlight for our students and faculty,” said Dr. Krzysztof K. Biernacki, Director of the Bower School of Music & the Arts at FGCU.
“We deeply value our partnership with the Sanibel Music Festival, which provides an inspiring platform for young artists to share their work with an engaged and exceptionally warm audience,” said Dr. Biernacki.
“The hospitality and enthusiasm we receive each year remind us how meaningful this collaboration is for our community and for the next generation of musicians. We look forward to continuing this wonderful tradition for many seasons to come,” concluded Dr. Biernacki.
On a lighter note, the audience delighted in a Peter, Paul, and Mary selection and a Hanukkah selection well sung by Soprano Kelly Johnson, Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer, and Steve Garrett.
An audience sing-along led by UCC Music director MacKenzie Albert began the afternoon. Co-President of Sanibel Music Festival, Shirley Witte, emceed the event.
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