Journey Out of Darkness
Breathing new life into works by composers who suffered oppression
Journey Out of Darkness
Breathing new life into works by composers who suffered oppression
Numi Opera Theatre presented Journey Out of Darkness, on Sunday May 29, 2022, at 7:00 pm at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. The concert featured a collection of works by composers suppressed by fascist regimes of the 20th Century. The composers include Korngold, Schrecker, Schulhoff, Ullman, Weil, and Zemlinsky. The concert featured the string quartet, Melodia Mariposa, led by Irina Voloshina. • E. Korngold String Quartet No.2, Op.26
Irina Voloshina, Violin
Born in Odesa, Ukraine, Irina Voloshina had her first violin lesson at 6 years old. She studied at the Odessa Music School, the famous institution founded by Professor Stolyarsky early in the 20th century that brought to the world some of the greatest violin masters, such as Nathan Milstein and David Oistrakh. From there, Irina advanced into Odessa State Conservatory.
Graduated from the Conservatory with a master’s degree in Violin Performance and Pedagogy, Voloshina played in the Odessa Philharmonic for nine years.
Since moving to Southern California in 1993, Irina has appeared in recitals, chamber music groups, and orchestras such as Pasadena Symphony and Pops, Los Angeles Opera, California Philharmonic, and Hollywood Bowl orchestras.
She has performed in over 600 film scores including those by John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer, to name a few. She performed for “American Idol” and the “MTV Music Awards” and was a member of the Academy Awards orchestra. LA Times has described her playing as “a showcase of brilliant virtuosity.”
During the pandemic, Irina founded the “Melodia Mariposa” music series performing on the driveway of her Altadena home, presenting over 65 free public concerts. On July 24, 2021, she was named Volunteer of the Year and received the Congressional Leadership Awards: Hometown Heroes of the Pandemic in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the People of the 27th Congressional District from Congresswoman Judy Chu.
On December 21, 2022, Kathryn Barger, Supervisor of the 5th District of the County of Los Angeles awarded Irina and Melodia Mariposa with a commendation certificate in recognition of their dedicated service to the affairs of the community and for the civic pride demonstrated by numerous contributions for the benefit of all the residents of Los Angeles County.
Ana Landauer, Violin
Currently, principal 2nd violin of the Los Ageless Opera Orchestra, Ana Landauer has been with the company since 2001. At age six, she began her violin studies at the Tchaikovsky Academy of Music and was a winner of several national violin competitions in her native Armenia. Ana made her debut with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia at 14 and has performed since then in major halls throughout Armenia. In the United States, she attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, completing her Artist Diploma program and later studied with renowned violin professor Robert Lipsett at the University of Southern California earning her Advanced Studies Diploma. Winner of the Elizabeth Harper Vaughn International Competition in Tennessee Ana has also appeared in the Tanglewood Music Festival, the Shady Side Music Festival, the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, and served as Concermistress and Guest Soloist for the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado. She has performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Mozart Camerata, and has been often heard on Classical 105.1 FM. Ana Landauer is an active chamber musician in the greater Los Angeles area.
Erik Rynearson, Viola
Native of Los Angeles, Erik Rynearson has been performing music since the age of three. Now at age forty-three he enjoys leading the viola sections of the Los Angeles Opera Company, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Pacific Jazz Orchestra, and the Santa Barbara Symphony. Erik is in great demand as a freelance recording artist, working with among others Aretha Franklin, John Williams and the Blue Man Group. Occasionally, Erik is featured as a solo horn player in his car.
Musically, Rynearson devoured Haydn, Beethoven and Brubeck in childhood and currently hungers for the sounds of Zemlinsky, Korngold and Charlie Parker. He owes his musical preparedness to his teachers including his father Paul, Miwako Watanabe, Franco Gulli, Ilya Kaler and Henryk Kowalski.
Highlights so far of the ’23-24 season include recording for Barbra Streisand and performing with Rufus Wainwright.
Off-stage, Erik enjoys spending time reading, swimming, and learning more about the alto Sax. He plays a Danish viola made by Carl Mettus Weis in 1845.
Michael Kaufman, cello
Bio to come…