$20 in advance/$20 at the door
5pm doors/7pm showtime
We're very excited to be at Icehouse for the first time to share some of our favorite music,” says mezzo-soprano and artistic director Sahar Hassan. “We called the program Classical Cabaret, because we'll be performing music we love from the ’30s and ’40s that was often done at cafés, bars, and nightclubs. We also added some jazzy pieces as well as a few beautiful songs from South America by classical composers that fit the bill. We enjoy connecting with our listeners, telling them about the music, and transporting them to another time and place.
Ladyslipper Ensemble:
Ladyslipper Ensemble was born when a group of friends, who share a deep passion for the same repertoire, came together to make music. Dedicated to uncovering lost works and introducing audiences to rarely heard pieces, we challenge our listeners to explore the unfamiliar, creating a deeper appreciation for the forgotten. By offering innovative, fresh and engaging programming, Ladyslipper brings soulful and beautiful themes to life. We strive to
usher you beyond the realm of tradition and break barriers between listeners and performers.
Sahar Hassan:
mezzo-soprano
Egyptian American mezzo-soprano Sahar Hassan is committed to bringing lesser known works to life. Sahar earned her Master of Music from New England Conservatory of Music. She continued her studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich, Germany and the Conservatoire de Versailles in France. As a teacher, Sahar has been on the voice faculties of New England Conservatory’s Division of Preparatory and Continuing Education, Wellesley College, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University and McNally Smith College of Music. Ladyslipper Ensemble, of which she is artistic director, was born out of her love for chamber music. In 2017, Sahar received an Artist Initiative Grant from the state of Minnesota to record a CD of vocal/instrumental chamber music.
Helen Chang:
violin
Helen Chang grew up in Massachusetts and studied with Bo Youp Hwang and Roman Totenberg. She attended the Curtis Institute of Music and Salzburg Mozarteum, after which she held the associate and principal second chair with the Bamberg Symphony in Germany. She has recorded the Bach Partitas with Cavalli Records and has appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Minnesota
Orchestra where she is now a member of the first violin section. She plays with the Isles Ensemble and is a 2018 recipient of the Minnesota Artist Initiative Grant.
Jane Cords O’Hara:
cello
Originally from Ireland, Jane Cords-O’Hara moved to the Twin Cities in 2014. She is a member of The Knights Chamber Orchestra and Iris Orchestra. She combines a busy freelance performance career with teaching. She studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK, before completing her studies at Mannes College in New York City. She has performed and toured with many ensembles, including Orchestra of St Luke’s, St
Paul Chamber Orchestra, MN Opera, Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble and Irish Chamber Orchestra. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband Dan and daughter Aoife.
Oleg Levin:
piano
Dr. Levin is an Adjunct Professor of Piano at the Concordia University, St. Paul and the piano faculty at the St. Paul Conservatory of Music and InterHarmony International Music Festival, Italy. As a pianist, Dr. Levin has won prizes in a number of local piano competitions, including Schubert Club Competition, Marvin O. Mechelke II Piano Competition and Hutchinson Music Scholarship. In 2015, Dr. Levin was awarded with a fellowship grant by the Minnesota State Arts Board to record a CD of Russian piano music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Dr. Levin
maintains an active performance schedule as a soloist and chamber musician. Individuality and creativity have marked the overall pursuit of his musical career.