Wilmington Symphony Orchestra’s 2022-2023 Season opens with Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos performed by guest artists Domonique Launey and Elizabeth Loparits. Also featured on this program is a new work by UNCW Department of Music professor Dr. Sameer Ramchandran, Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, and Swan Lake Suite by Tchaikovsky.
2022-23 Season is sponsored by REEDS Jewelers, Brightmore of Wilmington, and Carolina Bay at Autumn Hall.
• DOMONIQUE LAUNEY
Domonique Launey, a native of Baton Rouge, LA, began her piano studies with Phillip Martina, theory, composition studies with John Salinger, and Claire Topper in Jamaica. She has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, and Jamaica as soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator. As featured soloist, she has performed with orchestras including the Houston Chamber, San Antonio, Oklahoma, Tulare, L’Orchestra de Chapelle Minimes (Brussels). With great pleasure she collaborated with conductor Steven Errante and the Wilmington Symphony performing Rachmaninoff’s 3rd piano concerto in 2014 as well as the composer’s 2nd in 2006.
Domonique will be always grateful for the extensive study with David Renner, Nancy Garrett, and Anton Nel at the University of Texas where she received her BM and MM degrees in Piano Performance. Her studies with these mentors as well as Dr. Lethco and Dr. Hilley have inspired her to remain involved in helping pianists of all levels individually as well as master classes. Following a year of performing concert tours in Europe as a Rotary International Scholar and studying with Nadine Deletaille, she returned to Brussels where she was awarded the Gold Medallion for excellence in solo performance.
In addition to her solo, duo and chamber concerts, Ms. Launey also enjoys collaborating with one of her three daughters, Molly Hines, violinist, as well as her husband Dr. Jonathan Hines.
• ELIZABETH LOPARITS
Elizabeth Loparits is an active performer and educator, serving as vocal and instrumental collaborative pianist and as piano instructor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Loparits has performed solo and duo-piano recitals in Hungary, Costa Rica, and the United States, including recent appearances at UNCW’s Piano Masterworks Series, Lumina Festival, New Music Festival, UNCW Presents, Opera Wilmington Symposium, UNCG’s Focus on Piano Literature, and with the Wilmington Symphony. As instrumental collaborator, her guest appearances include Indiana University, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, University of Miami, Chicago College of Performing Arts, the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference, and the Ronald Sachs International Music Competition. She performed the world premiere of Stacy Garrop’s Tantrum (2002); Meira Warshauer’s Ocean Calling III (2014), and the North Carolina premiere of Ocean Calling I-II (2013). Top prizes include the National Bartók Piano Competition in Hungary, the Kodaly-Bartók Chamber Music Competition, and the North Carolina Symphony/UNCG concerto competition.
Loparits has spent two summers as a young artist at Opera North, and currently is a coach/accompanist at Opera Wilmington, serving their outreach events, concerts, and summer productions.