Clarinet with Strings
Dario Brignoli, clarinet
Elena Chernova, violin
Grace Nakano, violin
Michael Davis, viola
Robert Chamberlain, cello

CARL MARIA VON WEBER
Clarinet Quintet in B-flat Major, Op. 34

Orchestra Excerpts Arranged for Clarinet and String Quartet
“Deserto è il luogo” from I Capuleti e i Montecchi — Bellini
“La vita è inferno” from La forza del destino — Verdi
“E lucean le stelle” from Tosca — Puccini
“Pini del Gianicolo” from Pines of Rome — Respighi

Dario Brignoli

Dario Brignoli is an Italian clarinetist. He graduated Bachelor at the Conservatory in Milan and graduated Master at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. He worked for many years with the Italian Youth Orchestra “Cherubini,” directed by Riccardo Muti, performing in many famous theaters such as Vienna, Paris, Salzburg, Buenos Aires, Muscat, Madrid, Rome and Milan. He was a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival Orchestra.

Founder and CEO of “Associazione 42” in Milan, Dario organized several series of music lessons for adults and contemporary classical music concerts. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the USC’s Thornton Music School 2016–2017. He has performed with Copenhagen Philharmonic, Macao Symphony and Las Vegas Philharmonic.

In 2019 Dario won the audition for principal clarinet at Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra in Chicago. He has been the Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s principal clarinet since October 2017.

Elena Chernova

Prizewinner of the Aleksander Glazunov International Competition (Paris), Dr. Elena Chernova-Davis has enjoyed a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, and concertmaster in her native Uzbekistan and throughout the United States. Elena performs as Soloist and Concertmaster of National Concerts at Carnegie Hall. An avid chamber musician, Dr. Elena Chernova-Davis has performed worldwide including appearances in Italy, Panama City, the Brevard Music Center, the Patagonia Opera House, and with colleagues from the Borodin, Orion, and American string quartets. She regularly performs with the Riverside Chamber Players, Con Vivo Music, and the Pedro Giraudo Tango Ensemble. She is currently on the faculty at the University of Arizona School of Music, where she lectures in violin performance and chamber music.

Grace Nakano

A native of Japan, Grace Nakano is the Assistant Concertmaster of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. She received her Master of Music degree in classical performance from the Manhattan School of Music with Lucie Robert and Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University with Bayla Keyes. She was a recipient of the Fine Arts Award at the Interlochen Arts Academy with Hal Grossman. She was also the First Prize Winner of the Duxbury Music Festival Chamber Competition in 2012.

Prior to joining the Tucson Symphony, Grace was the Assistant Concertmaster of the National Repertory Orchestra, where she soloed with the orchestra in 2015. Grace has served as concertmaster at the Spoleto Music Festival USA for the past two summers.

Grace has participated and served principal positions at festivals, including the National Orchestral Institute, Round Top Music Festival, Texas Music Festival, and AIMS Festival.

Michael Davis

Michael Davis is a versatile violist active as both a chamber musician and orchestral performer. He has appeared with major ensembles including the New York City Ballet Orchestra, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and has performed internationally and in a wide range of new music and chamber settings. He studied at the Manhattan School of Music and Florida International University.

Robert Chamberlain

Robert Chamberlain is an active cellist in the Tucson performing arts scene, performing in a variety of different ensembles and venues throughout southern Arizona. Mr. Chamberlain earned a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Arizona in 2006, studying with Nancy Green, and a Master Degree from Indiana University in 2009 with Hungarian cellists Csaba Onczay and János Starker.

Active as an orchestra player, Mr. Chamberlain currently performs with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Opera Orchestra, and the True Concord Voices and Orchestra. While studying at Indiana University he was very active with the Richmond Symphony, Carmel Symphony, and Columbus Symphony Orchestras. As a chamber musician, Mr. Chamberlain has been featured on the St. Andrews Bach Society, Greater Oro Valley Arts Council, Downtown Chamber Series of Phoenix, and the Cedar Valley Chamber Music Festival concert series, and can be heard on Classical KUAT Radio.