Sundays With SAMF: The Most Beautiful Music for Cello

Join us for an extraordinary concert where Alexei Romanenko, principal cellist of the Jacksonville Symphony, will take you on a musical journey through some of the most iconic and emotionally stirring pieces ever composed for the cello. Accompanied by pianist Chi-Yin Chen, this performance will explore the depths of the cello’s expressive range, showcasing its ability to convey both profound beauty and intense passion.

Program Highlights:

J.S. Bach’s Prelude from Suite BWV1011: Experience the pure, transcendent beauty of one of Bach’s solo cello suites, where every note carries a sense of meditative depth and elegance.

Saint-Saëns’ “The Swan” from Carnival of the Animals: A piece known for its grace and lyricism, “The Swan” paints a delicate, flowing image, capturing the cello’s ability to evoke a sense of serene beauty.

Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B Minor: In this monumental work, Romanenko will present the powerful and emotional narrative of Dvořák’s composition, featuring movements such as the fiery Allegro and the soulful Adagio ma non troppo, showcasing the dynamic range of both cello and piano.

Chopin’s Cello Sonata, Op. 65, “Largo”: This introspective and lyrical movement from Chopin’s sonata reveals the more tender, poetic side of the cello, enveloping listeners in its warmth and delicate phrasing.

Massenet’s “Meditation” from Thaïs: A true gem of the Romantic period, this piece highlights the cello’s ability to sing with a voice full of longing and passion, creating an atmosphere of ethereal beauty.

Beethoven’s Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 102, No. 2: Romanenko will conclude the concert with this profound work, blending Beethoven’s classical rigor with moments of lyrical beauty and emotional intensity.

This concert is a celebration of the cello’s rich history and its power to connect with audiences on a deeply emotional level. Each piece has been carefully chosen to demonstrate the cello’s versatility, from the intricate solo lines of Bach to the sweeping melodies of Dvořák and the expressive romanticism of Chopin.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience a performance that brings together technical mastery and heartfelt interpretation in an unforgettable afternoon of music.

Alexei Romanenko, Cellist

An artist of classical refinement, sterling musicianship, and blazing virtuosity, Russian-born cellist Alexei Romanenko has graced the international stages as one of the most compelling and electrifying artists of today. T.J. Medrek of the Boston Herald hailed his performance stating, “The times when music and musician and musical instrument combine to form an almost mystical union are rare. One such occasion came when Alexei Romanenko dazzled with his playing of Zoltan Kodaly’s Sonata for solo cello.”

The Russian-born cellist Alexei Romanenko has performed in such venues as Boston’s Jordan Hall, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., Chicago’s Preston Bradley Hall among many others. He has been heard on the international broadcast of “Voice of America” in Russia, broadcast live on Chicago’s WFMT Fine Arts Radio, Atlanta’s WABE, Boston’s WGBH Radio “Classical Performances”, including “Musical Offering” on September 11, 2002. His performances were also broadcast on Chicago’s TV Channel 25 as well as radio stations in San Francisco, Atlanta, Florida, Maine, and Alabama.

Mr. Romanenko is the author of cadenzas for a number of cello concerti as well as unaccompanied cello compositions and arrangements for cello, such as J.S. Bach’s Chaconne from Partita No. 2 for violin, which he performed in Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C., Moscow, and St. Petersburg. In recent years, he appeared in cello concerti of Boccherini, Haydn, Dvorak, Schumann, Schostakovich, and Tchaikovsky as soloist with Jacksonville Symphony, Kensington Symphony, Nashua Symphony, Montgomery Symphony, Bar Harbor Music Festival Orchestra, Moscow Youth Chamber Orchestra, the Far Eastern TV and Radio orchestra, and Udmurtia Philharmonic in a “Virtuosos of the 21st century” concert among others. He has also performed Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 cellos with cellist Matt Haimovitz in the “Cellobration” concert presented by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra in 2009. In 2005, he was featured in a cello quartet arrangement of the Rococo-Variations during the “Greenhouse Celebration” dedicated to Bernard Greenhouse’s 90th birthday in Greensboro, NC.

Romanenko’s repertoire includes most major works written for cello as well as chamber music literature. He has recently performed Beethoven’s 5 Sonatas cycle as well as Bach’s 6 Cello Suites.

Born in Vladivostok, Russia, Alexei Romanenko began playing the cello at the age of six and won First Prize in the Far-Eastern Competition when he was twelve. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory with professor Valentin Feygin and in 1993 became a Laureate of the international program known as “New Names” and concertized extensively throughout Russia. In 1993 he was awarded top prize in the Gnesina College Cello Competition. Mr. Romanenko has completed his studies with Bernard Greenhouse and Laurence Lesser at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he received his Artist Diploma. In 1999, he was the recipient of the Presser Music Award in Boston and in the same year won First Prize at the 8th International Music Competition in Vienna, Austria. He was also awarded first prize at the 2nd Web Concert Hall International Auditions in the year 2000. Romanenko is currently Principal Cellist with Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.

Chi-Yin Chen, Pianist

A Taiwan native, Chi-Yin Chen has enjoyed a diverse musical career as both a pianist and a violinist. Ms. Chen is the primary collaborative pianist for Choral Union at the Jacksonville University. She is also currently serving as a collaborative pianist at the Jacksonville University and University of North Florida, and on several occasions with students of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. As a collaborative pianist, she assists rising students with their recitals and professors with their lessons, one of the more memorable experiences being a duo recital performance with Dr. Scott Watkins in 2023 at Jacksonville University’s Terry Concert Hall. Ms. Chen devotes her own free time to serve at Chinese Christian Church of Jacksonville as a worship pianist for church worship songs and programs.

As a violinist, Ms. Chen is currently a member of The Coastal Symphony of Georgia and Jacksonville Symphony, and has performed with the Charleston Symphony and Richmond Symphony. Her previous musical journey has also allowed her to be a former member of the Annapolis Symphony.

Chi-Yin Chen received her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from the National Taiwan Normal University in 2011 and her Master of Music degree in Violin Performance from the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 2013. In 2015, Ms. Chen finished her music study when she received the Graduate Performance Diploma in Violin Performance at the Peabody Institute, under the tutelage of Herbert Greenberg.

To purchase tickets and secure your spot at this unforgettable concert, please visit this link. We look forward to sharing this extraordinary musical experience with you!