El Paso’s own Andrew Griñé has spent his time in coronavirus isolation perfecting a trombone piece that won him a coveted spot in The Philadelphia International Music Festival’s virtual Master Class with Philadelphia Orchestra Co-Principal Trombone Matthew Vaughn.
The prestigious online Master Class series attracts auditions from gifted musicians the world over, eager to perform for stars of The Philadelphia Orchestra on PIMF’s faculty.
Andrew’s performance is set for Friday, October 23rd, 2020 at 7 p.m.
“We’ve been seeing some very high-caliber young musical talent submitting extraordinary auditions,” says PIMF President Sandy Marcucci. “We’re delighted by the enthusiasm and so heartened to see how young musicians are pursuing their musical passion with a will to learn and improve in spite of so much disruption.”
Andrew, a 15-year-old sophomore at Coronado High School, will play Friedebald Græfe’s Theme and 1st and 2nd Variations from the Grand Concerto for Trombone for Mr. Vaughn and a worldwide online audience at Friday’s interactive Master Class, after which he’ll receive analysis and constructive criticism from the nationally-renowned (and Texas-born!) trombonist, along with supportive running commentary from viewers in real time.
“The Grand Concerto is a one hit wonder by Friedebald Græfe written during the Romantic era,” Andrew explains. “No other pieces of his are by far as well-known as this work. I chose to play this piece because it was recommended to me by my private teacher as a solo that would help to improve several aspects of my playing, as the piece encompasses a large range and requires a lot of endurance. I enjoyed how it sounded and over the last year I have been diligently working on it to be able to perform to the best of my ability.”
Andrew is a member of the El Paso Youth Orchestra. He studies trombone with John Feeny of The El Paso Symphony Orchestra.
“More and more, we’re finding that there’s a real hunger for that connection to live classical music performance that we’ve had to put on hold during the pandemic,” Ms. Marcucci adds, “along with a growing interest in improving musical skills and even just learning something new. Not to mention, we’re showcasing the classical music superstars of tomorrow! Our Master Class series hits all the right notes for so many music lovers, and we’re delighted to make them widely accessible.”
