Rocky Ridge Music Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Erik Peterson as Artistic Director of Solisti Rossi, a new youth chamber orchestra based on Antonio Vivaldi’s music ensemble of the Ospedale della Pietà of the eighteenth century. Vivaldi, nicknamed il Prete Rosso, ‘The Red Priest,’ wrote many of his 500 concertos for the all-female musicians of the Pietà, the figlie di coro. The choice of the title, Solisti Rossi or ‘Red Soloists,’ gives a nod to not only the color of Vivaldi’s hair but also to the reddish color of the Colorado River, the word ‘Colorado’ meaning ‘colored red.’
A significant feature of Vivaldi’s ensemble was the importance of the individual for the greater good. The same holds true for Solisti Rossi. All players will rotate within sections (this includes violinists rotating between 1st and 2nd violin sections); and when feasible, concerts will be performed without a conductor, being led by the rotating student concertmaster. The majority of the ensemble’s repertoire will focus on concertos — musicians from the orchestra will be selected to perform as soloists at each concert. An important component will be the opportunity to perform in chamber ensembles, the repertoire being expanded from Vivaldi to the present. Each semester will include five rehearsals culminating in a final performance.
Solisti Rossi is open to string players of all ages up through high school. For information on auditions and schedule click here!