Orchestra Without Borders Boston

Luca Antonucci, music director
presents

borderlines east-west

with
Hannah Shanefield, soprano
Jonathan Fagan, jazz piano
Michael Rosen, jazz saxophone

Music for chamber strings from around the world
paired with original jazz compositions

Intermission with refreshments and African Art for sale

Saturday, May 18, 2024, 7:30 pm

First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton
1326 Washington St.
Newton, MA  02465

• Nafahat Hijaz by Mahdi AlMahdi, a piece based on a Levantine traditional/folk-musical scale, called Hijaz
• Five Afro-Cuban Songs by Odaline de la Martinez, based on five traditional poems from Cuba that highlight the Diasporic community and its history
• A new piece by emerging Afghan composer Arson Fahim based on Afghan folk songs
• Sonata da Chiesa by Adolphus Hailstork, a work that blends the African-American experience with the traditions of Baroque church music

Luca Antonucci is a rising conductor noted for his dynamism, entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to community service. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Michigan, where he studies with Kenneth Kiesler. At Michigan, Luca is a fixture with all six orchestras on campus. He has served as cover conductor for the Portland Symphony and was recently invited to be a cover conductor for the Detroit Symphony. In Boston, Luca is the founder and conductor of Orchestra Without Borders and Boston Summer Singers, ensembles dedicated to social action through music. A native of Watertown, MA, Luca is a graduate of Amherst College and the Hartt School of Music, where he earned an M.M. in Orchestral Conducting. He is the son of renowned pianist Lois Shapiro and was active in the Boston area as a freelance trumpeter, singer, organist, teacher, and conductor. As a 2014 Fulbright Fellow in Vienna, he worked and published his scholarly work at the Arnold Schönberg Center and studied at the University of Vienna and University of Music and Performing Arts. When not on the podium or studying scores, Luca enjoys performing as a jazz and classical trumpet player, reading, hiking, and running.

Boston-based soprano Hannah Shanefield earns enthusiastic acclaim on operatic, concert, and recital stages alike. Her extensive repertoire spans from Baroque to modern. A diverse repertory enthusiast, Hannah is passionate about championing new music and the works of underrepresented composers. She has produced and performed in numerous chamber concerts featuring modern works by female and queer composers. Additionally, Hannah recently made her directorial debut. A native of suburban Philadelphia, Hannah received her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory in 2020, studying with Karen Holvik. In 2018, she graduated from The Hartt School with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance with a minor in Music History.

Jonathan Adam Fagan is a prolific jazz pianist, composer, and educator in the Boston area. After completing his masters degree in Jazz Studies at the Eastman School of Music, he moved back to his hometown of Arlington, joining the music faculty at the Winchester Community Music School, Concord Academy, and Brandeis University. In addition to performing frequently around Boston as a theater pianist, pop accompanist, and soloist, Jonathan composes for and leads “The Ally Project,” which lies at the intersection of Jazz and social justice-related poetry. Jonathan also founded the Medford Jazz Festival in 2020 and released his first solo recording in 2021, featuring his contemporary takes on Jazz standards.

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Michael Rosen is a saxophonist, composer, vocalist, lyricist, songwriter and educator. He has won awards for his unique playing style, thoughtful lyrics, and creative compositions and recordings. Rosen has performed in over thirty countries, at many of the world’s most prestigious festivals, clubs, theatres, concert halls and sports arenas. He appears on some 150 CDs as leader of his own groups and as a featured soloist. He was voted among Top Ten best soprano saxophonists worldwide, in Jazzit Magazine’s Readers Poll, in 2010, 2011, 2012. “Michael Rosen is surely one of the most talented and interesting saxophonists on the jazz scene today.” (Il Domani / Italian Daily) “More than a musician, Michael Rosen is an institution, a magician of the saxophone.” (Jazz in Roma)