ENSEMBLES 2023

Irvine Classical Players Chamber Orchestra

Mission
The Irvine Classical Players’ mission is to provide a highly competitive, artistic, musical environment in which every outstanding young musician has the unique opportunity to perform as a soloist within an orchestral setting. The Irvine Classical Players is dedicated to educating, promoting, nurturing and premiering, nationally and internationally the next generation of young artist performers.

History
Founded in 2003 by Professor Popa, the Irvine Classical Players offers a variety of programs including the Little Paganini String ensemble for the youngest musicians in 2^nd - 4^th grade.

Irvine Classical Players Chamber Orchestra ensemble designed for students’ grades 5-8.

Seraphim Symphony, Seraphim Virtuosi composed of high school students.

Pro Musica Chamber Summer Festival.

The Mission of the Irvine Classical Players is to identify, nurture, educate, promote and premiere nationally and internationally the next generation of young artist performers.

The Irvine Classical Players is dedicated to provide a nurturing and highly competitive artistic musical environment in which every outstanding young musician has the opportunity to perform as a soloist within an orchestral setting.

While tending to the multifaceted needs of the young emerging artists, including debut solo performances on the international stage, members of the Irvine Classical Players participate in international concert tours every other year.

To date the Irvine Classical Players has performed in some of the most prestigious and famed concert halls and venues in Europe and the United States.

In 2022 the Irvine Classical Players received several invitations to perform in Spain. During the Spain Concert Tour we performed at the beautiful Santiago de Compostela, Madrid and Barcelona.

In 2018 the Irvine Classical Players was the ONLY Youth Orchestra invited to perform at the ancient Pantheon in the heart of Rome.

All our featured 16 soloists received standing ovations. We would like to note that our Pantheon performance was attended by over 2000 spectators. It was such a fantastic opportunity for our young musicians to be performing in this 2000 + years old ancient church.

Additionally by special invitations our musicians have performed at the Magnificent San Lorenzo Medici Church built in 393 and currently housing Fra Filippo Lippi’s Annunciation, and in Venice at the Beautiful San Pietro di Castello.

In 2017 the Irvine Classical Players was invited to perform at Clos Luce Castle, the last residence of the most famed Renaissance Artist, Inventor, Architect Leonardo da Vinci. In addition, we have performed at the beautiful La Madeleine in the heart of Paris and Eglise de Thabor in Rennes.

In 2016 the Irvine Classical Players were invited to perform at the Famed Peterskirche in the heart of Vienna Austria, the 1000+ years old Altenberger Dom and at Gnadenkirche in Germany.

During the Washington DC Concert Tour in 2013 the Irvine Classical Players performed by Special Invitation at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Memorial and at the George Washington Estate at Mount Vernon.

In 2012 the Irvine Classical Players was the ONLY US Youth Orchestra Invited to perform during the 2012 London Olympic Games. Our young performers’ concert was broadcasted throughout the world during the Olympic Games, as we were performing live on the same stage where Paul McCarty performed just 2 nights previously. In addition, we were invited to perform in Bristol for the Special Fundraising Event for the British Heart Association. We received standing ovations and the Bristol Post awarded us a 9 out of 10 score for our outstanding performance! During the London Olympic Concert Tour we also performed at the University of Oxford and in the Beautiful Saint Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland.

In 2011 the Irvine Classical Players was the 1^st Orchestra to be invited to perform at Disney Concert Hall the home of the world recognized Los Angeles Philharmonic and it’s conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

In previous years the Irvine Classical Players have performed in numerous famed venues such as the San Justo Y Pastor in Toledo, Spain, The Golden Church of Sao Francisco in Porto, Portugal, the Cathedral of Arles, the Basilica of Fourviere in Lyon, the Vezelay Basilica where Mstislav Rostropovich recorded his J.S. Bach Solo Cello Sonatas and Partitas.

In 2004, the Irvine Classical Players was the ONLY Youth Orchestra representing the US at the Anniversary of the 60^th D Day at the War and Peace Memorial in Caen, Normandy. Additionally we were the ONLY youth Orchestra invited to perform at the 1100 years old Benedictine Abbey at Mont Saint Michel in Normandy.

Throughout our concert tours, tens of students were featured as soloists.

The invaluable and unique experience of performing on the International stage has been an amazing opportunity for our Irvine Classical Players members. Enriching their musical development and giving them the opportunity to be set aside in a league of their own when applying for colleges thus giving them the chance to be awarded scholarships and admission to some of the most prestigious Ivy League Colleges and Universities in the US.

The members of the Irvine Classical Players reflect the rich cultural diversity of Southern California.

Georgette Popa

Irvine Classical Players – Seraphim Symphony Founder and Music Director

Professor Georgette Popa, former Violin Professor at the Superior Conservatory of Music, Lyon France has maintained a private violin studio in Irvine, California for 30 years.

In the US she has taught violin for the University of California at Irvine, Saddleback College, California State University Fullerton and Concordia University, Irvine. Her teaching career includes numerous requests for international masterclasses in France, Switzerland, Germany, Holland and the US. While in France, she taught at Ecole de Musique Saint-Symphorien-d'Ozon,France, Conservatoire de Musique de Feyzin, France, Violinist at Opéra de Lyon, France. In addition to her teaching credits, she has performed extensively throughout Europe and the United States.

Her active performance career has included numerous studio recordings for film and television recorded in Los Angeles. A tireless advocate on behalf of young performers, her approach of teaching through nurturing and mentoring young talent resulted in hundreds of students achieving their highest potential as musicians and human beings.

Professor Popa strongly believes that all children have the innate gift of Music and Beauty, and that this gift unique to each child, can be accessed by creating a nurturing and creative environment for each child to explore their innate gift. Professor Popa holds a Masters Degree in Violin Performance from the Conservatory of Music G. Dima in Cluj- Napoca, Romania and completed a three-year Ph.D. program at the Conservatory of Music in Paris, France.

Maxim Eshkenazy

Conductor

Maxim Eshkenazy was born in Sofia, Bulgaria in a family of musicians. He started playing the violin at an early age and graduated from the “L. Pipkov” National Music School and the “Pancho Vladigerov” National Music Academy in Sofia. After winning a scholarship, he continued his education at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, where he completed two Master degrees in Violin Performance and Orchestral Conducting. He studied conducting with Hans Bauer, Sergiu Comissiona, and in the Pierre Monteux School in Maine. He has also attended numerous master classes and worked with world renowned conductors such as Pierre Boulez, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Zubin Mehta, Kent Nagano and Michael Tilson-Thomas. In the summer of 2000, Maxim Eshkenazy was awarded a fellowship from the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival.

Celebration Program

Additional Concerts Program