Guest Artist Recital: Cavatina Duo

ABOUT THE CAVATINA DUO

Eugenia Moliner, flute (Spain) and Denis Azabagic, guitar (Bosnia)—has become one of the most impressive combinations of its kind in the world. Critics are raving:

“Style, sympathy, and technical aplomb . . . it's doubtful that the Cavatina's sophisticated and artistic playing could be surpassed.” —Fanfare
 
The Chicago and Valencia (Spain)-based Cavatina Duo is a dynamic force in the realm of chamber music. Their collaboration has earned them international acclaim, solidifying their position as one of the most exceptional flute and guitar duos worldwide. "This pair is generally considered to be the best of them." —The New Yorker
 
The Cavatina Duo infuses new sounds and emotional depth into their performances, providing audiences with an electrifying and unique musical experience that resonates globally. The duo has left an indelible mark on the international music scene, gracing major concert halls including the National Performing Arts Center of China in Beijing, the National Concert Hall of Taiwan, the Oriental Center in Shanghai, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the National Gallery of Art (Washington D.C.) the Ravinia Festival (Chicago), the Da Camera Society (Los Angeles), the Aix-en-Provence Summer Festival (France), the Kolkata International Guitar Festival (India), and Foundation Principe Felipe (Spain).

Renowned as a consummate virtuoso, flutist Eugenia Moliner hails from Spain and is acclaimed for her brilliant artistry and musical taste. Flute publications such as Flute Talk, Flute Quarterly and Pan Magazine praise her, “Moliner is  an artist of the highest caliber... “she is a fantastic flutist, every note she plays is part of the story...a master class in musicality. With a discography of 12 CDs, she just released her newest album with piano, "Song to the Moon", featuring music by Mahler, Schubert, and Medtner as well as the brand-new piece “Song to the Moon” by  the composer Alan Thomas.

Denis Azabagic is a Bosnian guitarist who has been acknowledged as a virtuoso with flawless technique by Soundboard. He has been a prize winner in no fewer than 24 international competitions, including 11 first prizes. His solo performances with renowned orchestras such as the Chicago and Madrid Symphonies attest to his exceptional musicianship. Azabagic's discography of 16 CDs and two DVDs, as well as a book on performance stress, exemplifies his continual pushing of the boundaries of his craft.
 
Collaborations with orchestras and chamber ensembles have taken the duo to locations from Europe and the USA to India, Taiwan,  South Korea, and Mexico;  Chicago Sinfonietta,  Langyang Simphony, Daejon Philharmonic, Camerata Serbica, Monterrey Orchestra, Avalon Quartet, Civitas Ensemble, and individually with Aspen  trio and Casals Quartet.  
Radio and television stations in Europe and North America, including NPR and WFMT, have broadcast Cavatina's captivating performances.
 
The duo's commitment to innovation is clear from their extensive recording projects. From "The Balkan Project" to "Cavatina at the Opera," from "Sephardic Journey" to "Folias and Fantasias" (for which they commissioned composer Alan Thomas to reimagine George Telemann's monumental 12 Fantasias for Solo Flute as mesmerizing flute and guitar pieces), each album is a journey into new musical territories, expanding the flute and guitar repertoire and  collaborating with renowned composers..
 

The Cavatina Duo’s upcoming release with Cedille Records, in collaboration with the GRAMMY-winning Pacifica Quartet, is titled *River of Fire*. This groundbreaking album features commissioned works inspired by Gypsy music, with compositions by Clarice and Sérgio Assad, Stacey Garrop, Atanas Orkouzounov, and Matthew Dunn. Additionally, this season marks the release of *Wings*, a new recording with composer Rami Levin under the Acis Records label, showcasing all of her chamber music.

Highlights of Cavatina's current season include recitals and masterclasses in Europe, the USA and Asia; a concert tour in Taiwan including solo concertos with orchestra (Mozart's Flute Concerto in D, K.314 and Rodrigo’s "Fantasía para un Gentilhombre" for Guitar and Orchestra); an appearance at the Guitar Foundation of America's annual conference in NYC; and performances with Spanish musicians Francisco Lopez, J.E. Bouche, and Fernando Pascual. Other engagements include appearances at the Hawai'i Concert Society, Chicago's Columbia Club, St. Martin’s Abbey, and the Coria Festival.


Beyond their distinguished performing careers, Denis and Eugenia are both faculty members at the University of Illinois at Chicago and serve as artistic directors for several prominent festivals, including the Festival Juan Gual Esteve in Spain and the Chicago Guitar Festival. They are also founding members of Fandango!, a vibrant and cosmopolitan ensemble featuring flute, guitar, violin, and cello.