Naomi Gray and Douglas McNames will play selections from my cello duo, Estados de Espírito (states of mind), at a combined concert of the NakedEye Ensemble, of which Naomi is a member, and Mélomanie, of which Doug is a member. Doug and Naomi, who play together regularly as first desk of the Delaware Symphony cello section, gave the US premiere of Estados last year. Estados was written for Duo Santoro, cellists Ricardo and Paulo Santoro of Rio de Janeiro, who premiered it in Rio in 2013 and recorded it last year for the CD Pares / Pairs, to be released this spring. The CD, a collection of music for piano four-hands, cello duo, and cello and piano, is another collaboration with composer friend Sergio Roberto de Oliveira.
Naked Eye is an accomplished, hard-core modern ensemble based, unexpectedly perhaps, in Lancaster, PA. Mélomanie plays early music on period instruments alongside new music, including many premiers (they have commissioned and performed over 40 new works). The concert, "NakedEye & Mélomanie—Time Travel," will be held in Millersville, PA, Sunday, Feb. 8, at 8:00pm. Among other interesting works presented will be Richard Belcastro's Buddleja Davidii (yes, gardeners, genus and species of the butterfly bush), for sitar and baroque ensemble. Ricky Belcastro, on sitar, is rehearsing this captivating work downstairs as I write this—highly recommended! Check out NakedEye and get program details at http://www.nakedeyeensemble.com.