The Virtuosity of Our Own

[m2violin]

Celebrate Mozart at his best, featuring the outstanding solo work of Tulsa Symphony's musicians both in front of and throughout the orchestra.  In a memorable scene from the film Amadeus, the emperor, upon hearing The Abduction from the Seraglio, tells Mozart, "Too many notes.  Just cut a few and it will be perfect."  Music critic Alfred Einstein profoundly disagreed with such an assessment, commenting on the second selection of the evening's program, the Sinfonia Concertante, as the "crowning achievement in the field of the violin concerto, superior to his five earlier concerti."

The musical and solo artistry continues with Ravel's La Valse, inspired by Johann Strauss, known affectionately as "The Waltz King."  The concert closes with orchestral music from one of Richard Strauss' most enduring and light hearted worked, Der Rosenkavalier.

Praised for her "lightning-fast technique, exquisite tuning ... [and] fantastic phrasing," Rossitza Jekova-Goza began playing the violin at the age of five and received rigorous musical training both in her native Bulgaria and in the United States.  She attended the Dobrin Petkov Music School in Bourgas (Bulgaria), Louisiana State University, and the Cleveland Institute of Music.  Her most influential mentors were violinists Kevork Mardirossian, David and Linda Cerone, and musicologist Stephen Hefling.

Dr. Goza has made numerous appearances as concerto soloist with orchestras in Bulgaria and the United States: the Sliven, Bourgas and Shumen Philharmonics, the Baton Rouge Symphony, The Chamber Orchestra of the Ozarks, the Northeast and North Arkansas Symphony Orchestras, the Pine Bluff Symphony, the Humanitas Orchestra, and the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra.  She is former concertmaster of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland.  Dr. Goza has performed with the Fulbright Trio and the Holmberg Quartet.  Her teaching experience includes positions at the University of Arkansas, the University of Oklahoma, the University of North Texas and the Encore School for Strings.  She has recently started a new teaching position at West Texas A&M University in Amarillo, and is serving as the first violinist of the Harrington String Quartet in residence at the school.

Tulsa native Jeffery Cowen has been performing professionally for the past 25 years.  He currently serves as Principal Violist in the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Tulsa Opera and Tulsa Ballet.  In 1990, Cowen had the distinction of becoming the youngest musician ever to win a principal position in the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra.  In addition to performing at Carnegie Hall, Cowen has studied and performed throughout the United States with such distinguished artists as Leonard Bernstein, Luciano Pavarotti, and the world renowned American String Quartet.  He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Tulsa and an Artist Diploma with Emphasis in Viola Performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts.  Mr. Cowen is currently on the teaching faculty at the University of Tulsa and teaches privately at his home studio.  He is a member of the Prima String Quartet since its founding in 1997 and serves on the faculty of the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain since 1995.  Mr. Cowen has been a member of the Oklahoma Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association since 1998.  In June 2010, Mr. Cowen and TSO harpist Jill Wiebe formed the Appassionata Viola and Harp Duo, which has already distinguished itself by its eclectic repertoire performed in traditional and non-traditional venues.  Mr. Cowen contributes to the community as a string specialist in the Tulsa Public Schools.

Over the past twenty-five years, David Lockington has developed an impressive conducting career in the United States.  A native of Great Britain, he has served as the Music Director of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra since January 1999 and was appointed Music Director of the Modesto Symphony in May 2007.

Since his arrival to the United States in 1978, Mr. Lockington has held numerous positions with American orchestras, including serving as Assistant Conductor with the Denver Symphony Orchestra and Opera Colorado and Assistant and Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.  In May 1993 he accepted the position of Music Director of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, assumed the title of Music Director of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra in September 1995 and was Music Director of the Long Island Philharmonic for the 96/97 through 99/2000 seasons.

Mr. Lockington's guest conducting engagements include appearances with the Saint Louis, Houston, Detroit, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Colorado, Oregon and Phoenix symphonies; the Buffalo, Rochester and Louisiana Philharmonics; and the Orchestra of St. Luke's at Carnegie Hall.  Internationally, he has conducted the China Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra in Beijing and Taiwan, led the English Chamber Orchestra on a tour in Asia and appeared with the Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias in Spain and the Northern Sinfonia in Great Britain.

Recent and upcoming guest conducting engagements include first appearances with the New Jersey, Edmonton, Syracuse and Alabama symphonies as well as return engagements with the Indianapolis, Vancouver, Utah, Pacific, Nashville, San Diego, Columbus and Kansas City symphonies, Louisville Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and the Calgary Philharmonic.  Mr. Lockington's summer festival activities include conducting appearances at the Grand Teton, Colorado Music, Interlochen, Chautauqua and Eastern Music festivals.

David Lockington began his career as a cellist and was the Principal with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for two years.  After completing his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Cambridge, Mr. Lockington came to the United States on a scholarship to Yale University where he received his Master's degree in cello performance and studied conducting with Otto Werner Mueller.  He was a member of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and served as assistant principal cellist for three years with the Denver Symphony Orchestra before turning to conducting.

Now in its fifth season, the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra has consistently received critical acclaim for its performances, and is recognized as the keystone of the arts in Tulsa.  The orchestra has become noted for its eclectic approach to programming, combining an array of classical, light classical and popular works throughout the season.  In addition to TSO's six concert subscription series, the orchestra also accompanies Tulsa Ballet and Tulsa Oratorio Chorus.  Many TSO musicians also perform in the orchestra for Tulsa Opera and Light Opera Oklahoma productions.