Benny C. Morgan Concert Series: Jacques-Pierre Malan, Cello
March 09, 2024
03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Leonardtown Campus, Building A, Auditorium
Benny C. Morgan Concert Series: Jacques-Pierre Malan, Cello with
The Embassy Series Quartet & Friends
March 9 | 3 p.m.
Free Admission
The Embassy Series Quartet, with its inaugural season in 2021, has risen to become one of the premiere classical ensembles in the greater Washington DC area. With a roster of internationally award-winning musicians, the Embassy Series Quartet is the quartet-in-residence of the Embassy Series in Washington DC, and has been featured on concerts series such as GENVAS (Venetian Art Society), Arts Academy Museum Concerts, Charles Town Chapel Concert Series, Jesuits Columiere Residence, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Having a mission of musical diplomacy, the Embassy Quartet prioritizes programs curated to spotlight the unique cultural heritages of nations across the globe. To learn more please visit www.embassystringquartet.com
Musician Biographies
Nikita Borisevich, Violin
Nikita Borisevich* is an internationally acclaimed violinist, who is frequently performing across the United States and Europe. Mr. Borisevich is a winner of numerous international music competitions and has performed on world renown stages such as The Kennedy Center( Washington, DC), Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory (Moscow, Russia) Shriver Hall (Baltimore, Mary-land) and Manuel de Falla Auditorium (Granada, Spain), among others.
Nikita Borisevich performs together with his wife, internationally acclaimed pianist Margarita Loukachkina as the Borisevich Duo. The Duo was a recipient of the inaugural Young Artist Development Series Award at The El Paso Pro Musica Festival in collaboration with Peabody Conservatory, and has since then been invited to do a residency at El Paso Pro Musica Festival, Northwest Bach Festival and Sitka Summer Music Festival by Grammy-Award-winning cellist, Zuill Bailey.
The Borisevich Duo made their debut at the Venetian Arts Society in Florida, the Chamber Music Society of Maryland, The Shandelee Music Festival in New York and gave performances in France and Luxembourg. Most recently The Borisevich Duo performed at the Alden Theatre in McLean (VA), the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (NY), the Gualala Chamber Music Society in Gualala (CA), the Tuesday Concert Series in Washington, DC and the Evensong Concert Series in Silver Spring (MD). In 2020 The Borisevich Duo was named a winner of the Beverly Hills National Auditions and will perform a series of concerts in Southern California in the 2021-2022 concert season.
Luke Wedge, Violin
A graduate of the University of Kansas,violinist Luke Wedge* received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1998. In 2001, he earned a Master of Music degree in violin performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. His primary instructors have included Ben Sayevich, David Perry and Gerardo Ribiero.
Wedge has performed with the National Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta and the Ravinia Festival Orchestra. An active chamber musician, Wedge has performed in concerts in Washington, Chicago, Kansas City, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. As soloist, he has appeared with the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra, Northshore Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of the Emporda in Figueres, Spain. Highlights from Wedge's Air Force career include a special concert for the King of Cambodia in Phnom Penh in 2016, as well as participating in the Juilliard String Quartet workshop in 2009.
Matthew Maffett, Violin
Violist Matthew Maffett is an active soloist, orchestral and chamber musician throughout the Washington DC area. Since 2011 he has been a section violist in the United States Air Force Band’s String Ensemble, regularly performing at the White House and other high-profile government events. After receiving degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the prestigious Colburn School in Los Angeles, CA, Matthew appeared at numerous festivals around the globe, including the Schleswig-Holstein, Manchester, and Norfolk festivals, among others. Since residing in Washington DC, Matthew has regularly performed with the IBIS Chamber Music Society, Eclipse Chamber Orchestra, Annapolis Symphony, National Philharmonic and the National Symphony Orchestra. His principal teachers include Csaba Erdélyi, Atar Arad, and Paul Coletti.
Jacques-Pierre Malan, Cello
Internationally prize-winning, South African cellist Jacques-Pierre Malan is known as a “tour de force” player with “vibrant musicality” (Beeld). Mr. Malan is an Artist-in-Residence at the Embassy Series in Washington D.C. where he engages with the Embassies not only as a soloist and chamber musician, but as a producer, developing concert programs with humanitarian themes.
With a passion for chamber music, Mr. Malan has performed extensively on stages spanning multiple continents. He is the founder of the Embassy String Quartet, and a member of Serafin Ensemble based in Wilmington, DE. He has had the opportunity to collaborate with such players as Ivry Gitlis, Anthony McGill, Victor Yampolsky, and Jonathan Carney, among many others. Select chamber music engagements include performances on the Four Seasons Music Festival, Stellenbosch International Chamber Festival, Venetian Arts Society, Arts Club of Washington, Casa Labia Series in Cape Town, Worcester Music Society, and Erin Hall in Roedenbosch.
As a concerto soloist, Mr. Malan has performed with Kwazulu Natal Philharmonic, Johannesburg Philharmonic, Cape Town Philharmonic, Mid Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, FreeState Symphony Orchestra, Peabody Conductors Orchestra, and the South African National Youth Orchestra. With the Creative Concert Group, he premiered a new arrangement of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with string quartet accompaniment. Mr. Malan is currently principal cello of Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and the Washington Opera Society, and was formerly the assistant principal position of the KwazuluNatal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2013, as a member of the KwazuluNatal Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr. Malan was selected to perform for the funeral of the South African leader Nelson Mandela.
Earning a Masters Degree in cello performance and a Graduate Performance Diploma from Peabody Conservatory at John Hopkins University, Mr. Malan studied under the tutelage of Amit Peled (principal teacher), Alan Stepansky, Seth Knopp, and Michael Kannen. Graduating with honors, he received a Bachelors of Music from the University of Pretoria in South Africa studying with Heleen Du Plessis, and a Performance Licentiate from the University of South Africa. He has been a prize-winner in such competitions as the Yale Gordan String Competition, SAMRO Bursary Competition, Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival Competition, and Baltimore Music Club Competition. Mr. Malan currently holds faculty positions at the Bryn Mawr School and the Nelly Berman School of Music, and maintains a private cello studio.
Dr. Margarita Loukachkina, Piano
Recognized for her captivating virtuosity and rich tonal expression, Dr. Margarita Loukachkina has established herself as a respected presence in the classical piano world. At the young age of 15, Margarita debuted with the Williamsport Symphony, delivering a captivating performance of Grieg's Piano Concerto.
Having received her initial musical training at the esteemed Gnessin School of Music, Margarita's exceptional abilities were apparent early on, leading to her acceptance into the renowned Peabody Conservatory on a scholarship at just 16 years old. Since then, she has performed at various prestigious venues worldwide, spanning across the United States, Russia, and Europe, earning her recognition within the classical music community.
Margarita's musical career is punctuated by numerous triumphs in international competitions, including the distinguished Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Paris and the Konzerteum International Piano Competition in Athens. Additionally, she has won prizes in several notable domestic competitions such as the Louisiana International Piano Competition and was named as the winner of several orchestral competitions such as the Nittany Valley Symphony Young Soloist Competition and the Williamsport Symphony Soloist Competition.
In addition to her live performances, Margarita's recordings have been broadcasted on national television and radio, receiving praise for their emotional depth and technical skill. Her rendition of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Altoona Symphony is particularly noteworthy for its transcendent interpretation.
Collaborating with violinist Nikita Borisevich, Margarita co-founded the Borisevich Duo, a dynamic ensemble that captivated audiences across continents. Their performances, marked by exceptional synergy, artistry unique programming received acclaim at prestigious venues such as the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago, The Cosmos Club in Washington DC, the Alden Theater in Mclean Virginia, Shandelee Music Festival in New York, the Sitka Music Festival in Alaska, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in New York, Tuesday Concert Series in Washington DC, Gualala Chamber Music Society in Gualala California, El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso Texas, and Pompano Beach Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale Florida in addition to multiple venues in Europe.
As a member of the Borisevich Duo, Margarita has been a recipient of the inaugural Young Artist Development Series Award at the El Paso Pro Music Festival as well as being a featured artist at the Sitka Summer Music Festival following an invitation from Grammy-Award -winning cellist Zuill Bailey.
Alongside her performance career, Margarita is dedicated to education, serving as a faculty member at the Garrison Forest School, The McDonogh School, and St. Paul School, where she shares her expertise and mentors aspiring musicians, all while continuing to inspire audiences with her artistry. Margarita holds a Bachelor, Master and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.