Award-winning violinist headlines chamber concert at Warren Wilson College

For the second consecutive year, Itamar Zorman, a winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, headlines the Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival. The July 8 concert - the second in the festival concert series - will also feature the Jasper String Quartet and pianists Liza Stepanova and Inessa Zaretsky.

“Itamar is one of the premiere violin virtuosos of this generation,” said Zaretsky, who also directs the festival. “He has played Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. It’s an honor to have him here again this summer.”

Recognized for her “thoughtful musicality” and “fleet-fingered panache” by The New York Times, pianist Liza Stepanova most recently performed with the Southwest German Philharmonic. Stepanova, according to her biography, has performed in some of the most renowned music halls around the world. She is also a winner of the Grand Prize at the 2011 Coleman Competition.

Philadelphia’s Jasper String Quartet, the professional quartet in residence at Temple University's Center for Gifted Young Musicians, returns to the festival for the third consecutive year and the second consecutive week. The ensemble won the 2011 Chamber Music America Cleveland Quartet Award.

With Zaretsky, the troupe will perform Franz Josef Haydn’s “String Quartet in D minor Op. 76 No. 2,” Ben-Haim’s “Berceuse for violin and piano,” Sergei Prokofiev’s “Sonata #1 in F minor for violin and piano” and Ernest Chausson’s “Concerto for violin, piano and string quartet.”

The show starts at 7:30 p.m.

“Gold medal winners of international competitions, Grammy Award-nominated and winning string quartets, and renowned wind soloists join forces to bring their talents to these audiences. It’s beautiful music from artists who live, rehearse and perform some of the greatest chamber masterpieces ever written,” Zaretsky added.

Tickets are $25. Students age 25 and under will be admitted free of charge with presentation of an appropriate student ID. For tickets and more, visit scm-festival.com.