I just got back from our 1st rehearsal of Csardas, it was totally exhilerating! This year we have pared down the VIOLINPOWER! ensemble to a nonet plus two solo violins and it is really working well. Edmund Chung and Melody Lee(back in town from Los Angeles at Colburn under Rober Lipsett) are tearing up the solos, Henry Liao (back from Winnipeg under Oleg Pokhanovsky) as concert-master is leading with panache and style. The lower strings are a tour-de-force, with Jesse Lu playing his solo bass, tuned one whole tone higher, his sound is enormous and rich, while the cellos drive the ensemble with clarity and precision. Tate Zawadiuk shines in his mini-cadenza at the opening, and having Trisha Doo in the ensemble is a real treat, this is her 1st JOY, check out Trisha's youtube postings to hear her play solo. The junior performers are pouring their hearts into the Greensleeves. Everyone has really been pulling together for this JOY and with 2 weeks to go we already have about 40% of the tickets sold! It all came together for me tonight after hearing the Csardas, it feels really great to bring these musicians together, to see the magic they create, and the friendships they build. Also performing solo are Aline Dumalski, Angelica Chen Trisha Doo, and Edmund and Melody will perform the iconic and ever favorite Handel-Halvorsen Passacagli duo for violin and Viola, with Edmund swithcing up instruments for this performance.The concert is Sunday June 10th 5:00pm VCC School of Music.