SCAC grant makes chamber orchestra performance possible

On Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022 the Charleston County School of the Arts Sinfonietta will perform with virtuoso violinist Francisco Fullana at the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre.

The performance is the culmination of a three-day residency between Fullana and the SOA Sinfonietta, a part of Chamber Music Charleston’s Youth Chamber Music Initiative. A South Carolina Arts Commission Arts Education Project Grant helped make this performance possible.

Fullana will lead the ensemble in a performances of the Elgar Serenade for String Orchestra the J.S. Bach Violin Concerto in D minor. Fullana will also perform alongside soloists from the SOA Sinfonietta: Elaina Gable (violin), Yosef Chang (viola) and Devon O’Brien (bass) for Mozart’s Serenade in D Major, “Serenata notturna.”

In addition to the SOA residency, Chamber Music Charleston’s Youth Chamber Music Initiative includes:

  • Classical Kids Concerts in elementary schools,
  • masterclasses with visiting guest artists,
  • and the CMC TWO High School string chamber music program.

The residency between violinist Francisco Fullana and the Charleston County School of the Arts was inspired by Fullana’s work with youth orchestras and music schools throughout the world.

“Each year we attract world-renowned guest artists to perform alongside our professional musicians of Chamber Music Charleston for our Ovation Concerts, and we are excited to expand this opportunity for guest artist to work with the accomplished string students at SOA,”  President and Artistic Director of Chamber Music Charleston Sandra Nikolajevs said. “Providing the students with the change to not only hear an artist of the caliber of Francisco Fullana, but to work with him closely in exploring the music of Mozart, Bach and Elgar over the course of three days, will create an incredible experience for the students and audience alike.”


Spanish-born violinist Francisco Fullana, winner of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant, is making a name for himself as both a performer and a leader of innovative educational institutions. As a soloist, he has performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Bayerische Philharmonie led by the late Sir Colin Davis, the Sibelius Concerto with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, and the Brahms Violin Concerto with Venezuela’s Teresa Carreño Orchestra under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel. In March he will perform as soloist for Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in New York City’s Carnegie Hall with the Grammy-Award winning ensemble Apollo’s Fire.

“Through my formative years at Juilliard and beyond, I realized that experiences centered on active learning and collaborations with world class musicians exponentially accelerated my learning process and were life-changing,” he said. “By working with students as equal collaborators, one can lead the creative process through a collective effort that has transformative long-term effects in students’ artistic development.”


The Charleston County School of the Arts is a public middle and high school that offers students rich and intensive instruction in eight art majors in middle school and nine art majors in high school. Students may apply and audition for two areas, and once accepted into a major, spend one-fourth of their day with dynamic teachers in that art area. Art majors include instrumental band, creative writing, dance, piano, string orchestra, theater, visual art and vocal music. SOA’s students excel at the local, state and national level, earning awards, scholarships, and the respect of audience members, peers, and patrons of the arts.

Students also participate in an appropriately challenging academic curriculum that includes college preparatory, honors, and Advanced Placement courses. Clubs, community service, and unique school events tailored to meet the interests of young artists, provide additional opportunities for expression and involvement. We want our students to maximize their potential and then find out how their art can impact the world around them.

This program is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

About the performances

Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 7 p.m.  College of Charleston Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Tickets: Free with advance reservation required.