The World Financial Center welcomes Lower Manhattan's newest cultural constituent, the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra. For its inaugural concert, the orchestra presents works by Bach, Sarasate and Strauss; a world premiere fanfare by conductor-composer Gary S. Fagin; and the NYC debut performance by violin virtuoso Elizabeth Pitcairn of “The Red Violin Suite" by John Corigliano. Ms. Pitcairn plays the priceless 1720 Stradivarius known as the “Red Violin,” subject of an acclaimed 1998 film whose score by Corigliano won an Academy Award. Saturday, January 177:00 pm WFC Winter Garden This event is FREEThe Red Mendelssohn (1721) (Red Violin) is currently played by Elizabeth Pitcairn Elizabeth's grandfather purchased it for her 16th birthday for $1.7 million at auction at Christie's London. She is one of the few soloists who performs the Red Violin Chaconne composed for the film (The Red Violin) by John Corigliano. The unique red color of this incredible sounding violin is said to have come from the blood of the violin maker's wife who died during childbirth. The violin is called "The Red Mendelssohn" because of a unique red stripe on its top right side, but how the stripe came about is unknown.
