MACON – Violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, who serves as director of Mercer University's Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, was one of four featured performers on the recording of Prokofiev: Complete Works for Violin, which was honored Sunday night with a Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber Ensemble. On the Chandos label recording, Moretti performed with Canadian violinist James Ehnes, who has performed with Moretti as the Ehnes Quartet in Mercer's Fickling Hall; Andrew Armstrong, piano; and the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda.
The Juno Awards are Canada's equivalent to the American GRAMMY Awards. Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands in acknowledgment of artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. The Juno Award ceremonies were held at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba on March 30.
“We are thrilled that Amy has been recognized in this manner,” said Dr. C. David Keith, dean of Mercer's Townsend School of Music. “Her collaboration with James Enhes certainly establishes Amy as one of the leading chamber musicians in the world. She continues to represent Mercer University, the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings and the Townsend School of Music as an outstanding artist and pedagogue.”
Fittingly, Moretti performs on a beautiful G.B. Guadagnini violin from Piacenza, known as the “Canadian,” which was awarded to her by the Stradivari Society of Chicago. This outstanding instrument on extended loan to Moretti dates back to 1744.
Learn more about the Juno Awards at www.junoawards.ca. Learn more about the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at www.mercer.edu/mcduffie.
About Amy Schwartz Moretti
An expressive and versatile artist with an affinity for chamber music, award-winning violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti has an extensive performing career. In the summer of 2013, she gave the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning composerKevin Puts' “Seven Seascapes” at the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival in New York, joined Philadelphia Orchestra principal clarinetist Ricardo Morales and concert pianist Anna Polonsky in a live recording of Ives' “Largo” at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, and recorded Prokofiev and Bartók duos with Canadian virtuoso James Ehnes for Chandos Records in England. She performed in Italy at the Rome Chamber Music Festival, and in the United States at ChamberFest Cleveland and the Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival in Texas. In the spring of 2013, she previewed Matt Catingub's “Shades of Blue,” a concerto written for her, jazz trio and orchestra at the Fabian Concert Series.
With violinist James Ehnes, violist Richard O'Neill, and cellist Robert deMaine, Moretti is a member of the acclaimed Ehnes Quartet. They recently recorded the Barber String Quartet, Op.11, and two Shostakovich string quartets, Nos.7 & 8, for Onyx Records. Their engagements in 2014 include a European tour with concerts in London's Wigmore Hall and the Musée du Louvre in Paris. Moretti also performs in Cortona Trio, a new piano trio with Julie Albers and Elizabeth Pridgen, and continues to perform with her husband Steve Moretti in the Moretti Duo, and with the Georgian Chamber Players in Atlanta.
A frequent performer on the Mercer University campus, she is director of the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings in the Townsend School of Music and former concertmaster of the Oregon Symphony and Florida Orchestra. Also Caroline Paul King Violin Chair and leader of the MCS Ensemble, Moretti regularly presents master classes and coaches chamber music. Her dedication to collaboration and performance inspires her teaching.
Through the generous efforts of the Stradivari Society of Chicago, Moretti was recently awarded the use of a beautiful G.B. Guadagnini violin from Piacenza, known as the “Canadian.” This outstanding instrument on extended loan to Moretti dates back to 1744.
About Townsend School of Music
Mercer University's Townsend School of Music, the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings and the Townsend-McAfee Institute for Graduate Studies offer undergraduate and graduate professional music studies in a comprehensive university environment. Townsend is nationally recognized for its outstanding faculty, award-winning students, performance ensembles and state-of-the-art facilities. The McDuffie Center, a special institute within Townsend School of Music, is a highly selective program that prepares string students for success in the real world. Students study with some of America's most renowned string musicians, receiving music instruction of conservatory quality, while earning an academically well-rounded education from a comprehensive, nationally recognized university. For more information and a complete listing of this season's concerts please visit mercer.edu/music/ or call (478) 301-5751.
