"Undeniable virtuosity...spectacular fiddling...irresistible!" - Chicago Sun-Times. Nadja is in constant demand. "A breathtakingly daring and original artist...her playing is charged with a dynamism and ferocity quite unexcelled in the concert hall today," hails The Washington Post. Not only has she starred with most of the world's greatest orchestras and at major international festivals, but she is a prolific recording artist with fifteen albums to her credit. Well-known beyond the confines of the concert hall as well, she is a frequent guest on TV and has appeared on CBS's "60 Minutes" and "Sunday Morning," NBC's "Nightly News" and the "Tonight Show," Bravo's "Arts & Minds," and PBS's "Live from Lincoln Center," "Charlie Rose" and the award-winning "Sesame Street."

The story of Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is a rich one. Her life was chronicled in the documentary Speaking in Strings, which was nominated for an Academy Award this year and is scheduled to be shown at the Nickelodeon during the Festival. Her fiery character and expansive boldness, both on the violin and in her own life, are quite in contrast to the calmer temperament of Mark O'Connor.

O'Connor's last visit to Cabrillo in 1994 marked the beginning of his exploration of symphonic music. Before that he was the Country Music Association's Musician of the Year from 1990-1995. Three Sony Classical recordings later, the Grammy award-winning O'Connor returns to Cabrillo, this time in the company of the incomparable Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Yo Yo Ma said he considers Mark O-Connor's technical command equal to that of any of today's classically trained virtuosos. "Mark is a supreme master of what he does," Mr. Ma says. "Between thought and execution there are no impediments, zero! But what interests me is that this is a person in constant development, hungry to develop." The Los Angeles Times says, "O'Connor is one of those exceedingly rare and inventive artists who transcends genre...a riveting virtuoso...one of the most talented and imaginative reinventors working in music - any music - today." O'Connor's Double Violin Concerto promises to blaze with brilliance and passion.

"A Three Star Gala" begins with solos and duets by Mark and Nadja - including Marin on violin! Then the evening moves from the intimate to the grand, when soloists O'Connor and Salerno-Sonnenberg join the Orchestra for the preview performance of O'Connor's Double Violin Concerto.

As a prelude, Marin alsop has programmed the U.S. premiere of Randolph Peters' Bop. Peters, a Canadian composer, quotes Duke Ellington: "playing bop is like playing Scrabble without the vowels." It's an orchestral jam session...a fun little romp, before the soloists join the crowd.

O'Connor says of Double Violin Concerto, "I wanted to conjure a nostalgic, big band ambiance...the feeling of midnight on the dance floor. Alternately, the two violins speak to each other in a classical and bluesy melodic language. I wanted to concentrate on swing rhythms in the outer movements." The opening movement of the concerto becomes a duel, a "cutting" contest; each soloist attempts to outdo the other until there is nothing more to do but join forces. Each plays over the top of the other in a furious, jazzy, barrage. With talents such as his and Salerno-Sonnenberg's, one can only imagine the smoke rising from the stage, as the frenzied bows accelerate to hyperspeed.