World Tour Arr. by Sam Vaillancourt (Vargas International Music Foundation Gala Concert)

I cannot put into words the sheer thrill, collective joy, and utter emotion that went into this piece. My dear friend and award-winning violinist Samuel Vargas approached me one day to discuss an idea of a medley for his Foundation's 4th Anniversary Gala Concert. He began to describe a mesmerizing idea of a truly interactive performance, with performers moving all across the venue, and styles changing in a heartbeat. Once we had begun to discuss the plan over a few meetings, we finally turned our vision into reality. He entrusted me to arrange this medley for this gala concert, performed at St. Luke Church on January 12th, and I could not be more grateful. To have the opportunity to not only perform with but write for such amazing musicians and people is the most rewarding experience possible. Over 60 hours of hard work, discussion, rehearsals, and more resulted in this truly unforgettable experience. I will never forget this day in my entire life.
Thank you so much to Samuel Vargas, the Vargas Foundation Gala Quartet, Marc Boensel, St. Luke Church, and all the other wonderful people who made this day possible.
Medley Order:
I. Julie-O (ft. Jihoon Kim)
II. My Heart Will Go On (ft. Luis de Leon)
III. Hoe-Down (ft. Nathaniel Parker and Sicong Chen)
IV. Bohemian Rhapsody (ft. Nicole Lee and Jungmin Park)
V. Waltzing Matilda (ft. Elena Kolbrek and the VF Gala Quartet)
VI. Celtic Duel (ft. Samuel Vargas and Sam Vaillancourt)
VII. Golden Hour (ft. Benjamin Perez and the VF Gala Quartet)
VIII. Hava Nagila (ft. Prof. Boris Abramov and Prof. Sergiu Schwartz)
IX. Ode to Joy (Tutti, ft. Dr. Aesook Moon)
Medley Performers:
VF Gala Quartet: Elena Kolbrek, Benjamin Perez, Eva Ruiz, Jihoon Kim
Piano: Nicole Lee, Jungmin Park
Oboe: Luis De Leon
Organ: Dr. Aesook Moon
Violin: Samuel Vargas, Sam Vaillancourt, Sicong Chen, Nathaniel Parker, Prof. Boris Abramov, Prof. Sergiu Schwartz