Violinist Ronald Lantz and pianist Laura Kargul will present another of their popular Valentine’s Day concerts on Sunday, February 14 at 2 p.m. at Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodford Avenue in Portland. This event, co-presented by the LARK Society for Chamber Music and the University of Southern Maine School of Music, will mark the third time the duo has celebrated this romantic holiday with music.

This year’s concert will transport listeners from the fjords of Scandinavia to the south of France, the beaches of Jamaica, and the pampas of Argentina, with a program that includes Edvard Grieg’s Sonata No. 3 in C Minor for Violin and Piano, the Nocturne, Op. 51 No. 3 by Jean Sibelius and works by Christian Sinding, Joseph Canteloube, Peter Ashbourne and Astor Piazzolla.

“When selecting the program for our Valentine's Day concerts we try to mix some well-known works with others that will be completely fresh and new for the audience. And, of course, everything must be suited to the sentiment of the holiday," says Kargul. "The Grieg Sonata in C Minor, for example, is one of the most popular and beloved violin masterpieces of the nineteenth century. It is a powerful piece that combines high drama with that poignant, nostalgic quality we so often associate with Grieg. This sonata anchors the first half of the program, which is darkly, passionately romantic."

"As we travel towards the southern hemisphere in the second half of the program, the mood lightens considerably," says Lantz. "We have found some gems of rarely performed repertoire. An example is Canteloube's Le soir, from his violin suite, Dans la montagne, one of the most evocative and poetic works to come out of the French romantic era. Few people have ever heard this gorgeous piece."

The duo will also perform two arrangements of Jamaican folksongs, written by Jamaican composer Peter Ashbourne. "Peter is a longtime personal friend," says Kargul. "He is a remarkably gifted classically-trained musician with a career that encompasses just about every genre of music, including jazz, pop and commercial music. He's even written a reggae opera. These songs are heartbreakingly lovely, coming from the heart of Jamaican culture."

The final works, two tangos by Astor Piazzolla, "will send you out dancing," says Lantz. “Milonga en re and Soledad are intensely Latin and very sensual; it may be February in Maine, but Piazzolla knows how to warm up a concert hall!"

Ronald Lantz and Laura Kargul formed their duo partnership after a memorable performance on the winter concert series of the Portland String Quartet in 2010. The occasion marked their first performance ever as a duo, but it was obvious from their rendition of the three Schumann Romances, Op. 94, that they shared a rare musical rapport. One reviewer wrote that they played the works “like old favorites”—even though their first rehearsal had taken place only one week earlier. The strong artistic connection was all the more notable in view of the 43 years that Lantz had spent with the Portland String Quartet and the largely solo piano focus of Kargul’s performing career.

To the great delight of audiences and critics, the two have been playing together ever since. Their recent travels have taken them to concerts, lectures and residencies in Jamaica, Florida, Arizona, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, as well as numerous venues in their native Maine—from Boothbay to Belfast, Freeport to Rockport.

As veteran performers from extremely different artistic backgrounds, Lantz and Kargul bring a wealth of experience and perspective to their work. They sprinkle their concerts liberally with informative, enlightening and humorous commentary; they enjoy an unusual connection not only with each other, but also with their listeners. As one reviewer has written:

"They gave the audience an unforgettable concert, one that provided sincere as well as passionate music making, a marvelous mix of intellect and musicianship of the highest order." (Journal Tribune)

"From Northern Lights to Southern Nights" is co-presented by the LARK Society and the University of Southern Maine School of Music.

Tickets are available online from USM at http://usm.maine.edu/music/boxoffice or by phone at 207-780-5555, or by phone from the LARK Society at 207-761-1522. Tickets are $22 Adults; $20 seniors; free for students and/or 21 and under. Subsidized tickets are available from the LARK Society. The concert will be held at Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodford Street, Portland.

Sponsored by Dr. Newell and Tenney Augur, Piper Shores, and Yankee Ford.