Auditorium Theatre 2021-2022, Issue 4, Ballet Hispanico

AUDITORIUM THEATRE :: BALLET HISPÁNICO | 21 Brian Shankar Adler ( Percussionist ) Described as “a polyrhythmic force” (Brad Cohan, JazzTimes ), multidisciplinary drummer, percussionist and composer Brian Shankar Adler transcends the terrain between genre and geographic region, asking: how can we find connection through rhythm? Brian Shankar Adler has been recorded on over forty albums including his most recent works, “For a Gallery on the Moon” (Chant Records, 2020) and “Fourth Dimension” (Chant Records, 2019). His music video, “Mantra” won best music video at Transcinema International Film Festival in Peru and official selection at Quiet City Film Festival in New York City. Adler has worked with Kinan Azmeh, Guillermo Klein, La Bomba De Tiempo, Frank London, Palaver Strings, Kamala Sankaram, Elizabeth Swados, among others and has been featured in Modern Drummer Magazine, DownBeat, and NPR. In 2013, he published “A World of Percussion,” connecting rhythm, language and environment through a study of shared musical concepts from around the globe. Adler is on faculty at Bates College and University of Maine. Sami Merdinian ( Violinist ) Argentinian violinist Sami has recently been the soloist with the Montevideo Philharmonic, the Argentinian National Symphony, The Charlemagne Orchestre, The GagneungPhilharmonic in South Korea, Philharmonia of the Nations, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, Duluth Symphony and Rochester Philharmonic.Sami is a member of award-winning string quintet Sybarite5, performing recently at Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, Lincoln Center, and touring throughout United States, Canada, Asia and South America. Highly sought- after as tango violinist, Mr. Merdinian has performed and recorded with some of the most prominent artists of the genre and has received a Grammy Nomination. Mr. Merdinian has been a prize winner in several international competitions including a Gold Medal in the XII International Young Solo Instrumentalists Competition in Argentina, and the New Talent Competition in Slovakia. He has also received the Rising Star Award by Tiffany & Co., and was named Outstanding Artist of the Year by the Argentinian Press. Mr. Merdinian is the Co- Founder and Artistic Director of the New Docta Festival and Co-host of Down the Pit Podcast. Jisoo Ok ( Cellist ) Latin Grammy nominated cellist, Jisoo Ok is a multi–faceted musician who has distinguished herself as an interpreter of classical, tango, jazz and contemporary music. She has performed with pianist Pablo Ziegler, clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera, jazz violinist Regina Carter, bassist Ron Carter and vibraphonist Stefon Harris in venues and festivals such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest, Laguna Beach Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, the Chautauqua Institute, Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, Concerti di Mezzogiorno at Spoleto Festival “Festival dei DueMondi” in Italy, SummerStage at Central Park among others. Ms. Ok’s recording appearance includes two albums, Eternal Tango and Eternal Piazzolla, which she co– produced with her husband, bandoneonist Héctor Del Curto, Rojo Tango with Erwin Schrott released on Sony Classical, Horizon: Piano and Chamber works by Gareth Farr with pianist Henry Wong Doe, Django Festival Allstars with Dorado Schmitt and on Introducing Letizia Gambi with Lenny White, Chick Corea, RonCarter, Gil Goldstein and Patrice Rushen. Born in Seoul, Korea but grew up in New Zealand, Ms. Ok received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School studying with Bonnie Hampton and Fred Sherry. She is the founding Executive Director of the Stowe Tango Music Festival.