Larry Lipkis - Pierrot and Friends (Theodore Kuchar)

Information

Composer: Larry Lipkis

1. Pierrot: I. In the Dancing Master’s Palace
2. Pierrot: II. The Magic Garden
3. Pierrot: III. The Flight to Seventh Heaven
4. Columbina: I. Ciaccone
5. Columbina: II. Siciliana
6. Innamorata: I. Pastorale
7. Innamorata: II. Scherzo
8. Harlequin

Andriy Tkachuk, bassoon

Oksana Hretchyn, violin

Mykhailo Sosnovsky, flute

Luke Sieve, bass trombone

Lviv National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra

Theodore Kuchar, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Naxos

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Internationally acclaimed composer, professor, and Renaissance music performer Larry Lipkis has written over 100 works for diverse ensembles. His passion for commedia dell’arte inspires these four concerti, which musically personify iconic characters from this popular theatrical tradition. The bassoon captures the impish and impetuous nature of Pierrot, while the mercurial violin portrays his charming love interest, Columbina. The youthful, gentle essence of the female lover, Innamorata, is expressed through a translucently accompanied flute. Finally, the acrobatic humor and romantic entanglements of Harlequin are brought to life through the expansive, outsized musical personality of the bass trombone.

Larry Lipkis (born 1951) is an American composer, professor, and early music specialist. He completed his Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara after studies at UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania. Currently serving as Composer-in-Residence and Professor of Music at Moravian University, Lipkis has composed over 100 works, including a notable concerto cycle inspired by commedia dell’arte. His passion for historical performance is reflected in his long-standing tenure with The Baltimore Consort, an internationally acclaimed Renaissance ensemble. Additionally, Lipkis actively serves as a festival faculty member, director for youth composition initiatives, and theatrical music director.

Theodore Kuchar (born 1963) is an award-winning conductor with a prolific discography of nearly 150 albums across prestigious classical labels. Currently serving as the principal conductor for both the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine and the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra, Kuchar previously led major orchestras globally, including the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. A respected chamber music figure, he directed the Australian and Nevada chamber music festivals for decades. Also a dedicated pedagogue, Kuchar is the artistic director of the Summer International Conducting Academy in Ukraine and artist-in-residence at Moravian University.