The UofL Sinfonietta, a group of 38 orchestra members, including four choir soloists, will travel to Costa Rica May 11-23. Among their public performances will be Mozart’s “Coronation Mass” at the National Theater in San José May 17 for guests including Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla.
Led by Kimcherie Lloyd, director of orchestral studies at the UofL School of Music, the UofL musicians will perform in tandem with the Instituto Costarricense Pro Música, a non-profit organization featuring several choral groups that is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The trip also is in conjunction with the Universidad Nacional Costa Rica.
Instituto Costarricense Pro Música is the first – and only – choral program of its kind in Central America, Lloyd said. Headed by the parents of UofL alumnus and pianist Josué Ramírez Palmer, the groups will join the UofL Sinfonietta to perform pieces by Mozart and Bach. Palmer, who graduated in 2010 with a master’s in music, will perform a Bach piano concerto with the UofL Sinfonietta.
This is the orchestra’s first journey abroad to perform as a group. The School of Music has limited funding for travel, and students will help fund their own way. To help finance the trip, a private donor has agreed to match funds raised up to $10,000. Anyone interested in helping can contact director of development Lauren Zachry Reynolds at lauren.zachryreynolds@louisville.edu or 502-852-0516.
The Sinfonietta will hold rehearsals May 7-9 at Treyton Oak Towers, 211 W Oak St., prior to the trip. These rehearsals will be open to the public.
