Monica Huggett is the leading lady of the baroque violin. She'll be playing with and conducting the Columbus Symphony in this weekend's concerts at the Southern Theater. We'll hear Vivaldi's Four Seasons, plus music of il prete rosso's contemporaries. The latter means read priests. Vivaldi was famous for his red hair, and he took holy orders. Monica was born in England in 1953. She maintains a busy schedule as a soloist, conductor, chamber musician and teacher. Her discography runs to well over 100 titles. Monica is a star in Europe and the states and she's long been a star on Classical 101. Our music library is filled with her performances of music by Bach, Biber, Mozart, Locatelli and Vivaldi. What is a baroque violin? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWQKNKw4J8Y I'm hoping Monica Huggett will participate in this weekend pre-concert talks at the Southern. She plays the fiddle in a different way, and on a different type instrument, than many of us are used to. It's easy to say, okay, baroque violin: no vibrato, glassy straight tone, hard to tune, gut strings, etc. I know enough to know there's a lot more to this instrument and this repertoire. Not forgetting the reward of hearing a world-class artist and orchestra in glorious music. Huggett will perform with the Columbus Symphony, on Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and on Sunday at 3 pm, in the Southern Theater. Pre-concert talks with your truly take place a hour before every concert in the theater. Remember: The Columbus Symphony concerts will be heard on Classical 101 on Sunday afternoons, beginning in March as a part of our Concerts in Columbus Series.
Christopher Purdy is Classical 101's early morning host, 7-10 a.m. weekdays. He is host and producer of Front Row Center – Classical 101’s weekly celebration of Opera and more – as well as Music in Mid-Ohio, Concerts at Ohio State, and the Columbus Symphony broadcast series. He is the regular pre-concert speaker for Columbus Symphony performances in the Ohio Theater.