Sarasota Orchestra finds last-minute replacement for Masterworks III

The week that falls between Christmas day and New Year’s day is one of almost universal celebration. Businesses of nearly every nature are closed at some point as employees partake of the season’s festivities and good cheer.

However, the Sarasota Orchestra’s winter holiday season was interrupted by the often times unexpected and chaotic nature of live performance. On Dec. 29, the Sarasota Orchestra was informed that due to illness trumpet and flugelhorn virtuoso Sergei Nakariakov could not make the trip to Sarasota for the upcoming Masterworks III concert on Jan. 9 through 11 at the Neel Perfomring Arts Center in Bradenton and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Nakariakov’s unfortunate announcement sparked a chain reaction within the orchestra. Maestro and music director Anu Tali would have to change the concert's musical program, the orchestra’s music library would have to print new sheet music, the musicians in the orchestra would have to change and rehearse the new potential music, and the public relations and marketing staff would have to spread the news to subscribers, ticket buyers and the general public of this quick performance change. And with a mere 10 days to find a replacement, Tali and the artistic administration staff hurried to find an equally respected and talented soloist.

“I can’t remember something like this happening in the past eight years that I’ve been a part of this organization,” says Godron Greenfield, vice president of marketing, sales and public relations. “It was rather unusual, but everyone in the orchestra jumped in to help.”

Fortunately, Tali and the orchestra are bringing in a world-class piano talent to usher in the Sarasota’s new year of classical music. Grammy-nominated pianist Tamara Stefanovich will perform with the Sarasota Orchestra Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467” in addition to the orchestra’s previously announced repertoire of classical love songs.

Hailing from Yugoslavia, Stefanovich is one of the most arresting piano talents in the classical music world. She has been playing the piano since the age of five and performing publically since the age of seven. After earning her master’s degree in piano performance at the University of Belgrade at the age of 19, Stefanovich has traversed the globe performing at some of the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Royal Albert Hall in London, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, and Philharmonie in Berlin.

“We expected to present Tamara in the future but that has been moved up due to Sergei’s illness,” says Tali in a press release. “ Given her busy international performing schedule, we are thrilled to welcome this celebrated artist and to feature her on our opening concert for 2015.”

Though Sarasota will miss the loss of Nakariakov’s harmonious horn playing, Tali plans on brining the Russian trumpeter back to Sarasota at the earliest opportunity. “It is a high priority for me to include Sergei on a Masterworks program in an upcoming season,” says Tali.