Andrew Violette

Songs and Dances

Ben Capps, Cello

Innova 780

1 Fanfare 1:16

2 Contradance 4:35

3 Elegy 9:11

4 Waltz 6:47

5 Lullaby 3:48

6 Tarantella 1:09

7 Hymn 1:38

8 Minuet 2:34

9 Blues 2:10

10 Swing 3:16

11 Slow Hungarian 1:03

12 Fast Hungarian 2:29

13 Waves 0:48

14 Haitian Dance 2:41

15 Gymnopedie 4:01

16 Rhapsody 5:01

17 Wagoner’s Lad 5:45

18 Sarabande 6:34

19 Venetian Boat Song 6:55

20 Latin 3:03

Production: Andrew Violette

Editing, Mastering: Patrych Studio, NYC

Publicity: Janet Reid

Photos: Paul DeDecker

Ben Capps' playing has been praised as ìmost appealingì by Bernard Holland of the New York Times and ìrich . . and humanî by the New York Sun. He is the recipient of many awards, including Disney Young Musicians Orchestra in Los Angeles, 1999; New York State Association of Music Teachers Scholarship Competition 1999; Juilliard Pre-College Symphony, Concerto Competition, 2001; Schlern International Music Festival Competition, 2004, the Lillian Fuchs Award, 2004, and the Francis Goelet Scholarship, Juilliard, 2008.

Mr. Capps enjoys a versatile performing career, with notable performances including a solo performance of the Kabalevsky Cello Concerto No.1 with the Juilliard Pre-College Symphony, numerous appearances on the Tactus Series, the Music at One series, Trinity Church (October 2004), Vezza Pulsations for Cello and Chamber Orchestra, Manhattan School of Music (2004), and a program of music by George Crumb at Bargemusic in June 2007. He has performed at such prestigious venues as Carnegieís Stern, Weill and and Zankel Halls, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, Mann Hall (Tel Aviv), Meyerson Hall (Dallas), the Palace of Fine Arts and Sala Nezahualcoytl (Mexico City), and has been featured on WQXRís Young Artistís Showcase. An avid chamber musician, he has participated in the Bowdoin, Schlern Intíl (Italy) and Summit Summer Festivals, the Perlman Music Program, the ChamberFest and FOCUS! Festivals in Lincoln Center, and was a guest artist at the Burgos International Festival (Spain) in 2008. Mr. Capps founded the Capanglia Trio in 2003, the Sonar Players in 2006, and the New York Chamber Collective in 2007.

An ardent performer of new music, he is committed to premiering and performing new music of other composers, as well as his own compositions. Premiers include Daniel Vezza Pulsations (composed for Mr. Capps), Manhattan School of Music, 2004; Marcus Paus Cello Sonnets, Manhattan School of Music 2004, 2005; Anna Klein Fits and Starts, Manhattan School of Music 2004, 2005; Daniel Vezza Circles, Manhattan School of Music 2005; Capps Duo, Juilliard 2003. He has been a frequent performer on the Tactus Series since 2004. In 2007, he founded the Sonar Players, a chamber ensemble dedicated to the performance of contemporary chamber music. The Sonar Players opened Bargemusicís Here and Now Series of contemporary American chamber music with a program dedicated to the music of George Crumb in June, 2007.

Mr. Capps is the principal cellist of Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, a dynamic symphony orchestra founded by conductor Alondra de la Parra dedicated to performing the music of the American continent. Under the baton of brilliant Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra,, Mr. Capps has performed with Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas in Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Town Hall, Museo del Barrio and Rose Concert Hall, the Kennedy Center; Meyerson Hall in Dallas, the Palace of Fine Arts and Sala Nezahualcoytl in Mexico City. In July-August, 2009, he will travel with Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas to Napa, California to perform in the Festival del Sole.

A native of New York City, Mr. Capps began playing the cello at age four, studying with Nellis DeLay at Manhattanís School For Strings, and then for seven years at the pre-college program of the Juilliard School, where his teachers included Anne Alton and modern cello guru Fred Sherry. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music in 2008. His is currently a candidate for a Masterís degree at the Juilliard School (2010), and has studied with David Soyer since 2003. He has coached with numerous cellists, among them Bernard Greenhouse, Ko Iwasaki, Paul Katz, and Nathanial Rosen. He has performed in master class for Alexander Rudin, Mischa Maisky, Natalia Gutman, Peter Wylie, Bonnie Hampton, Timothy Eddy, Matt Haimowitz and Jonathan Biss, and has coached chamber music with numerous musicians, including Joseph Kalichstein, Sylvia Rosenberg, Isidore Cohen, Seymour Lipkin, Alexander Slobodyanik and currently, Andre Michel Schub, and Vivian Weilerstein. Mr. Capps greatly enjoys working with younger musicians. He has been a chamber coach at School for Stringsí Chamber Workshop and the Summit Music Festival, and is currently an instructor in Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americaís Arts and Education Program.