ABOUT OUR FINE ARTIST CONCERT SERIES
Downtown Piano Works is committed to providing world-class performances free to the Frederick community with our Fine Artist Concert Series. Funding for the series comes solely from the owners, and is supported by the patronage of our business. We live in Frederick, and strongly believe in giving back to the community in which we chose to raise our family. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, after we send the e-mail invitations, and a percentage of the seats are set aside for students of the Downtown Piano Works music school. If you would like to register with our events list, please fill out the "contact us" form on this website. We hope you enjoy the series!
JANUARY 2012
January 25th, 2012, 6:00 p.m.
Alon Goldstein, Piano
Downtown Piano Works is thrilled to welcome back our favorite, international concert Pianist Alon Goldstein, to our Fine Artist Concert Series for an evening of works by Grieg, Beethoven and more. As always, the concert is free, but space is limited to 65. Please register to receive the e-mail invitation, and guarantee a seat for this performance.
Alon Goldstein is one of the most sensitive artists of his generation, admired for his musical intelligence and dynamic personality. Alon’s artistic vision and innovative programming have made him a favorite with audiences and critics alike throughout the United States, Europe, and Israel. Goldstein made his orchestral debut at the age of 18 with the Israel Philharmonic under the baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta, and in April of 2008 made a triumphant return with Maestro Herbert Blomstedt. In November 2009 the Kansas City Symphony, under the baton of music director Michael Stern, will give the world premiere performance of a piano concerto written for Alon by rising star Israeli composer Avner Dorman and will also perform the world premiere of a concerto by Mark Kopytman with Avner Biron and the Jerusalem Camerata Orchestra. Other 2009-10 season appearances with orchestra include Chopin Concerto no. 2 with the Delaware Symphony, Mozart Concerto K. 453 with the Jerusalem Symphony and a return engagement with the Bucharest Philharmonic 'George Enescu'.
In the 2011 season Alon will perform with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Vladimir Jurowski.In 2009-10 Alon returned in recital with the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. as well as return appearances throughout Israel, including his annual recital, broadcast live, at Henry Crown Symphony Hall. Alon will be featured at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival performing all three Schumann piano trios and can be heard performing chamber music concerts at the Peoples’ Symphony Concerts, Society of the Four Arts and The Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival with principals from the Berlin Philharmonic and violinist Nikolaj Znaider. Alon debuts in recital with the International Keyboard Festival Master Series at Mannes College, Tannery Pond Concerts, Civic Music Association of Oklahoma City, Muhlenberg College, The Reif Center and Matinee Musicale. Alon is proud to be honoring Dame Myra Hess in a recital celebrating the 70th anniversary of the London National Gallery of Art Series which she founded. The program, which mirrors the inaugural recital performed by Dame Myra, will be performed in Chicago on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts and broadcast live on radio and television.
In the 2008-2009 season, Alon made his Carnegie Hall debut in the Mozart Triple Concerto alongside Joseph Kalichstein and Shai Wosner. His recent Beethoven concerto cycle with the Rockford Symphony, which expanded the traditional concert experience to a multi-media presentation contextualizing Beethoven’s life and work, resulted in unprecedented attendance and subsequent subscriptions. He returned to the Rockford Symphony with a series of concerts illuminating the works of Johannes Brahms and Robert and Clara Schumann, again resulting in enthusiastic audience attendance and response. In recent seasons, Alon has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, the San Francisco, St. Louis, Houston, Vancouver, Kansas City and North Carolina Symphonies, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, and orchestras on tour in Paris, Russia, Romania and Bulgaria. An ardent chamber musician, Alon has collaborated with violinist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson as well as the Tokyo String Quartet at the 92nd Street Y in New York, in trio performances with cellist Amit Peled and violinist Ilya Kaler and clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein.
Alon has longstanding relationships with the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. and the Bell Series in Jackson, MS. Alon has appeared at the Gilmore, Santa Fe, Tanglewood, Ravinia, Marlboro, Seattle, and Steamboat (Colorado) festivals in the United States as well as Prussia Cove (England), the Verbier Festival (Switzerland) and Klavier Festival in Rühr (Germany). He performed at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the recently opened Millennium Park in Chicago with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. Over the past several years he has also taught and played at the "Tel Hai" international piano master classes held in Israel.
The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London recognized Alon’s distinctive musical and interpersonal skills and created the position of Performance Fellow for him. As such, he initiated an innovative chamber music concert series, collaborating with students and faculty members as well as organizing annual festivals devoted to the 4-hands piano repertoire. After the residency in London, Alon spent two seasons as "Artist-in-Residence" at the Theo Lieven International Piano Foundation in Lake Como, Italy. In this inspiring environment, as one of only eight promising young pianists in residence from around the world, he was able to enjoy private master classes with world-renowned musicians.
He is the winner of numerous competitions, among them the Arianne Katcz Piano Competition in Tel Aviv, Nena Wideman Competition in the US and the Francois Shapira competition in Israel. He is also the recipient of the 2004 Salon di Virtuosi Career Grant and the America Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarships. The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC chose a live recording of one of Alon’s recitals there for its first CD release. Other recordings include solo recital programs through the Jerusalem Music Center "Mishkenot Sha’ananim" and the Israeli Music Institute featuring works by Israeli composers. Alon graduated from the Peabody Conservatory where he studied with Leon Fleisher and served as his assistant – a position assigned only to his most exceptional students.
“Extremely cultivated, refined command of the keyboard…”
Philadelphia Inquirer
"an irresistible powerhouse performance"
New York Times
“Goldstein, Simply Profound”
The Washington Post
“The robust pianist Alon Goldstein, in his Grand Park debut, rose commandingly to the long solo introduction.His stylish and spirited playing treated the music like the fiery improvisation Beethoven must have intended.”
Chicago Tribune
“This young artist has style, smarts and technique…”
Philadelphia Inquirer
“Alon Goldstein, a fine young pianist who proved a worthy match for his illustrious colleagues [Tokyo String Quarter].”
New York Times
FEBRUARY, 2012
February 4th, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
Amit Peled, Cello
Stefan Petrov, Piano
Downtown Piano Works is deeply honored to welcome back our favorite, Internationally acclaimed Cellist, Amit Peled to our Fine Artist Concert Series for an evening of works by (TBD). As always, there is no charge for admission to our series, but space is limited to 65. Please register to receive the e-mail invitation, and guarantee a seat for this performance.
From the United States to Europe to the Middle East and Asia, Israeli cellist Amit Peled, a musician of profound artistry and charismatic stage presence, is acclaimed as one of the most exciting instrumentalists on the concert stage today. Mr. Peled who was recently described by the American Record Guide as “Having the flair of the young Rostropovich”, has performed as a soloist with many orchestras and in the world’s major concert halls, such as: Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall, New York; Salle Gaveau, Paris; Wigmore Hall, London; Konzerthaus, Berlin; and Tel Aviv's Mann Auditorium.
Following enthusiastically received debuts with the Columbus Symphony ("Peled is nothing short of a superb player,” The Columbus Dispatch) and the Baltimore Symphony (“I was struck by the richness of Peled’s tone and the intensely poetic nature of his phrasing; this was very classy cello playing...." The Baltimore Sun), Mr. Peled’s 2010/11 season included recital debuts at the Kennedy Center and NYC's Symphony Space, and an Alice Tully Hall Concerto debut playing the Hindemith cello concerto.
As a recording artist, Mr. Peled has just released two critically acclaimed CDs: “The Jewish Soul” and “Cellobration” under the Centaur Records Label. Fanfare Magazine stated: “By all evidence, Amit Peled is a superb cellist. His technical prowess in the Davidoff and Ligeti vouchsafe that; and his tone, of pellucid purity, gleams with a glint of gold in the slow, lyrical numbers.” Peled is also a frequent guest artist, performing and giving master classes at prestigious summer music festivals such as the Marlboro Music Festival, Newport Music Festival, Seattle Chamber Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Schleswig Holstein Festival and Euro Arts Festival in Germany, Gotland Festival in Sweden, Prussia Cove Festival in England, The Violoncello Forum in Spain, and the Mizra International Academy and Festival in Israel.
Amit Peled has been featured on television and radio stations throughout the world, including NPR’s “Performance Today”, WGBH Boston, WQXR New York, WFMT Chicago, Deutschland Radio Berlin , Radio France , Swedish National Radio & TV, and Israeli National Radio & TV.
One of the most sought after cello pedagogues in the world, Mr. Peled is a Professor at the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University, and plays a rare Andrea Guarneri cello ca. 1689.
Distinguished by his insightful interpretations and musical versatility, pianist Stefan Petrov performs regularly as a soloist and collaborative pianist in Eastern Europe and North America. His recitals have been broadcast on TV and radio stations across Eastern Europe, the United States, and Canada. In addition, his strong interest in modern music has compelled him to actively collaborate with contemporary music performers and composers.
Stefan began his piano studies at age six in his hometown of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He played his solo debut at age nine and made his first orchestral appearance at age fourteen. After moving to the United States in 2000, he continued his piano studies with Neil Rutman and later, Ellen Mack.In addition, Stefan has had the opportunity to work with renowned musicians including Eric Heidsieck, Vladimir Feltsman, Benjamin Pasternack, and Pamela Frank.
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Stefan holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Peabody Conservatory, where he continues his studies as a Liberace Foundation Scholar and a Doctoral Candidate in the studio of Ellen Mack.
"Mr. Peled expressed a dark-hued cello sound and rendered the lyrical theme that begins the Adagio with dreaminess."
New York Times
“He has the flair of the young Rostropovich”
American Record Guide
“Simply gorgeous sound”
Baltimore Sun
“Every movement was imbued with its own shade of resigned solemnity”
Washington Post
“The cellist gave his heart in Rachmaninoff – beauty was coupled with drama”
Seattle Times
"Peled left his audience visibly awed with jaw-dropping pyrotechnics as well as nuance."
Washington Post
February 23rd, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
Giuseppe Lupis, Piano
Downtown Piano Works warmly welcomes back concert Pianist Giuseppe Lupis to our Fine Artist Concert Series, for an evening of works by (TBD). As always, there is no charge for admission but space is limited to 75. Please register to receive the e-mail invitation, and guarantee a seat for this performance.
Pianist Giuseppe Lupis regularly appears in solo recitals internationally, including the United States, South America, and Europe. Concert engagements for the current season bring Lupis to Michigan, Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland; New York City; the American Liszt Society Bicentennial Festival; England, Scotland, Poland, and Italy. Concerts in 2012 will include tours of the United States, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, and Brazil. Giuseppe Lupis has appeared with the Lviv, Latvian, and Bari Symphonies, the Grand Valley State University and University of Georgia Symphonies and the Ascoli Chamber Orchestra. Performance venues include among others Temple Square Concert Series, Salt Lake City, Utah; Serate Musicali, Verdi Conservatory Hall, Milan, Italy; Amici della Musica, Rome, Italy; Kingston University, London, England; Edinburgh Society of Musicians, Scotland; Municipality Hall, Varna, Bulgaria; Resistencia, Argentina; Treze de Majo Theatre, Santa Maria, Brazil; Neuwied, Germany; Contemporary Music Society, Krakow, Poland; and Volyn State University, Lutsk, Ukraine.
Giuseppe Lupis is known for his explorations of unique repertoire. He is the first pianist to have performed an entire solo piano recital with music by Keith Emerson. Between concerts of the classics, a manuscript work of Italian composer Nino Rota, and his own compositions, he is also one of the few pianists in the world to have mastered and frequently performed entire George Gershwin solo piano programs. His George Gershwin CD recording (Phoenix label, 2000) was reviewed as "exceptional" by Alberto Cantù (Il Giornale, Milan, Italy).
Giuseppe Lupis is an active piano composer and arranger. His works are a regular presence in concert seasons around the globe. In the past season his works have been presented in Italy (Politeama Theatre, Palermo; Emilia Romagna Festival; Grumo Festival; Reggio Calabria, Catania, Arezzo, Genzano, Grottaferrata, Riano Flaminio, Assisi, Rutigliano), United States (Dallas, Texas; Louisville, Kentucky; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; Omaha, Nebraska); United Kingdom (London; Edinburgh); Poland (Krakow, Bielsko-Biala); Canada (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver), South Korea (Seoul; Gyeongju) and in a broadcast recording for TV2000. Performers include Roberto Prosseda (Decca), Giuseppe Gullotta (Busoni competition finalist), Pianos Eight, Luigi Ceci (Bari Conservatory), Hyunjung Chung (Spelman College), Denis Plutalov, and Fabio Ludovisi among others.
Upcoming performances of Lupis' piano works are scheduled in Germany (Berlin Philharmonie – as encore – Roberto Prosseda), California (Montage Civic Orchestra, soloist Matteo Andreini), New York and Texas (Hyunjung Chung), and Italy (On Five Volcanic Lakes, Gabriele Sarandrea).
Lupis is also an active clinician, having given masterclasses in South Korea, Brazil, Italy, Ukraine, and the United States, and is scheduled to give a masterclass at The Gilmore's KeyFest.
A former pupil of renowned concert pianist Aldo Ciccolini, Lupis holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts in piano performance at the University of Georgia, under the tutelage of Richard Zimdars, and a piano performance degree earned with highest honors at the State Conservatory of Music in Bari, Italy, with Pierluigi Camicia.
MARCH, 2012
March 20th, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
Alexander Kobrin, Piano
Downtown Piano Works is thrilled to welcome back for for his fourth appearance, our favorite, International Concert Pianist, and 2005 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist, Alexander Kobrin to our Fine Artist Concert Series for an evening of works by (TBD). As always, there is no charge for admission to our series, but space is limited to 65. Please register to receive the e-mail invitation, and guarantee a seat for this performance.
Alexander Kobrin was born in 1980 in Moscow, Russia. He completed all his studies in Moscow with the most wonderful teachers; Prof. Tatiana Zelikman at Gnessin Music School and Prof. Lev Naumov at Moscow Chaikovsky Conservatory where he also recieved his Masters Degree.
Mr. Kobrin is the winner of several international piano competitions such as the 2005 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Busoni International Piano Competition, Hamamatsu International Piano Competition and Glasgow International Piano Competition.
He toured extensively in Europe, Asia and the USA, giving recitals and preformances with orchestras in major concert halls, such as the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Wigmore Hall in London, Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, Herkulesaal in Munich, Sala Verdi in Milan, Saller Cortot in Paris, Louvre Auditorium in Paris, Berliner Filarmonia Hall, The Kennedy Center and more.
He has collaborated with many major orchestras such as the New York Philarmonic,Tokyo Philarmonic, English Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Verdi, Orchestra Swiss Romande, Moscow Philarmonic, Royal Liverpool Philarmonic, Dallas Symphony, Berliner Symphony, Chicago Simphonietta, BBC Symphony and many others.
Mr. Kobrin is a regular guest at many piano and chamber music festivals: Schloss Elmau Piano festival, LaRoque-D'Antheron, Ruhr Klavier Festival, Busoni Piano Festival, Ravinia Festival, Homecoming Festival are among them.
Mr. Kobrin has archived recordings on TV and Radio in many countries of Europe, Asia and the USA, and has recorded several CD's for International Labels with solo and chamber music repertoire.
Mr.Kobrin has given masterclasses through Europe,Asia and USA. He also has been invited as a jury member of several International Piano Competitons in Paris, Vienna and Moscow. Since 2005, Mr.Kobrin is also a faculty member on the International Keyboard Festival at Mannes School of Music in NYC. He taught at the Gnessin Academy of Music from 2003 till 2010. Mr. Kobrin is currently the L. Rexford Whiddon Distinguished Chair in Piano at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University.
“…He played down the work's blockbuster qualities in favor of its lyricism, which he couched in a thoughtfully shaped, singing line. That isn't to say that he ignored the fireworks entirely, and when he addressed the barnstorming passages on their own terms, he did so with a steely edge and ample — if thoroughly controlled — force”
The New York Times
“The emotional range of Kobrin's Mozart was dramatically matched by his boldly shaped Rachmaninov Paganini variations: darkly muscular one minute, achingly lyrical the next. His solo recital offered further indications of a blazing talent…As soon as his fingers started to work; the competition's bar was suddenly raised.”
The Times (London)
“Kobrin, with a prodigious technique (and) rich tone...had ‘winner’ stamped on him throughout the finals. His rock-solid Rachmaninoff -- the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and the Sonata No. 2 -- heated up the hall considerably.”
The Baltimore Sun
“Kobrin offered Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor as a model of clear-voiced restraint and dead-on accuracy...It was Kobrin's extraordinary playing in the finals that made him the clear gold medal winner.”
The Times Union
"Kobrin made every challenge seem almost absurdly easy."
San Antonio Express News
APRIL, 2012
April 28th, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
Alexander Solomon, Piano
Downtown Piano Works warmly welcomes back International Concert Pianist Alexander Solomon to our Fine Artist Concert Series, for an evening of works by (TBD). As always, there is no charge for admission but space is limited to 65. RSVP via e-mail or call (301) 631-1234 to guarantee a seat for this performance.
Alexander Solomon, pianist, earned a master’s degree and performance diploma at Yale School of Music and has worked towards a doctorate at the Peabody Conservatory under legendary pianist and pedagogue Leon Fleisher. Mr. Solomon graduated cumlaude in biology from Yale College and with distinction from Stanford Law School, where he was managing editor of the Law Review. His past instructors have included Peter Frankl, Claude Frank, Boris Berman, and Olegna Fuschi.
Most recently, Mr. Solomon performed with the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Orchestra. Among Mr. Solomon’s achievements are first place in the William Waite Concerto Competition, the Bergen County Philharmonic Concerto Competition, and the Stanford Symphony Orchestra Competition; second place in the National Federation of Music Clubs National Competition; third place in the Kingsville International Music Competition; and finalist in the Concert Artist Guild Audition. Mr. Solomon was also a semi-finalist in the first International e-Piano Competition and the San Antonio International Piano Competition. At Juilliard Pre-College Division, Mr. Solomon was recognized as one of six outstanding graduates, and at Yale was the recipient of the New Prize for exemplary representation of Jonathan Edwards College.
A frequent performer, Mr. Solomon has appeared in the New York area and elsewhere in the United States, and has been featured on WQXR’s program Young Artists Showcase. Highlights of overseas performances include an appearance with a touring orchestra in Ibiza, Spain and a recital at the Chopin house in Valdemosa, Spain. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Solomon has participated in the Taos, Verbier, Norfolk, Ravinia, and Sarasota summer music festivals. Mr. Solomon has also been a resident artist at the Banff Centre in Banff, Canada.
Mr. Solomon is currently a federal prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
"Solomon swept through the score like a breeze. It was hard work, but he made it look easy - with much passion, but without showy mannerisms. He put the music, not himself, at center stage. For this, and for his incredible technique, the audience loved him. Their response was tumultuous."
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
MAY, 2012
May 26th, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
Sara Daneshpour, Piano
Downtown Piano Works warmly welcomes back for her third appearance in our Fine Artist Concert Series, for an evening of works (TBD) As always, there is no charge for admission but space is limited to 65. Please register to receive the e-mail invitation, and guarantee a seat for this performance.
Sara Daneshpour is the 2nd prize winner of the 2007 William Kapell International Piano Competition, 1st prize and Gold Medal winner of the 2007 International Russian Music Piano Competition, and 1st prize of the 2003 Beethoven Society of America Competition. She is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music studying under Leon Fleisher, and presently studies under the direction of Dr. Oleg Volkov.
Ms. Daneshpour has performed not only in her native city of Washington DC, but also in New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Russia, Germany, Finland, Estonia,Denmark, and Sweden. She has been heard on stages of such prestigious venues as the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Carnegie Hall in New York and at the Great Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow. She has also been featured nationwide on 160 public radio stations, including the venerable WGBH in Boston.
Ms. Daneshpour's performances have earned high accolades of audiences and critics alike. The Washington Post wrote of her performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra "...she created transfixing poetry. And she found delightful details in passagework and incidents that other pianists treat as routine." The Baltimore Sun stated that Sara "delivered a powerhouse account of Tchaikovsky's Concerto No.1 producing enough tone for two pianists in the process.", while The Mercury News called her performance "...sensational. Strength, finesse, passion; it was all there."
In addition, she has been featured as a soloist on prestigious music series including the Werner Richard Saal concert series in Munich, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Strathmore Hall in Washington, DC, Ventura Festival, The Frederuc Chopin Society in St.Paul, Minnesota, The Gnessin School of Music in Moscow, and the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York, in which the New York Concert Review wrote,“ she lavished color on oft-nelected line, illuminated subtle beauties, and raged through the storms, always with stunning polish…she exhibits all the requisites for a high voltage career and more: blazing technique, power, expressivity, imagination, and a lovely stage presence.“
“…she lavished color on oft-neglected lines, illuminated subtle beauties, and raged through the storms, always with stunning polish.”
New York Concert Review
“…she attacked the finale with unremitting intensity, bringing listeners to their feet.”
New York Concert Review
“…admirably colorful playing.” The Baltimore Sun
“…she created transfixing poetry.” The Washington Post
“,,,[Daneshpour] played with a combination of technical abandon …and elegant restraint of tone and volume.”
The Washington Post
DECEMBER, 2012
December TBD, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
Shai Wosner, Piano
Downtown Piano Works is deeply honored, and warmly welcomes back for his fifth appearance, our favorite, internationally acclaimed Concert Pianist, Shai Wosner to our Fine Artist Concert Series for an evening of works by Beethoven. As always, there is no charge for admission to our series, but space is limited to 65. Please register to receive an e-mail invitation, and guarantee a seat for this performance.
Shai Wosner continues to attract international recognition for his exceptional artistry, musical integrity and creative insight. With imaginative programming that communicates his intellectual curiosity, Wosner performs a wide-ranging repertoire from Mozart and Beethoven to Ligeti and composers of his own generation. Hailed by the Financial Times as "an artist to follow keenly", Wosner’s virtuosity and perceptiveness have increasingly made him a favorite among audiences and critics.
In the 2008-2009 season Mr. Wosner appears in recitals throughout the US and Europe, including London's Wigmore Hall, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and The 92nd Street Y in New York. Recent and upcoming orchestral engagements include his critically-acclaimed debut with The Cleveland Orchestra, his return to the Atlanta and Houston symphonies, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Fresno Philharmonic, the Indianapolis and North Carolina symphonies. He also continues his extensive performing and recording activity as a BBC New Generation Artist, which he was named in September 2007. His residency this season, to be broadcast throughout the BBC Radio 3 network, encompasses recital, chamber-music and concerto repertoire, as well as directing two Mozart concerti from the keyboard.
Highlights of his 2009-2010 season include his subscription debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, engagements with the BBC Scottish Symphony (a Proms concert at the Royal Albert Hall as well as subscription concerts), recitals as a soloist and in duos with violinists Jennifer Koh and Viviane Hagner.
In 2005, Wosner won an Avery Fisher Career Grant. In the same year, he received a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award which led to the joint commission (by the Trust and The 92nd Street Y) of Michael Hersch's Chamber Concerto, a work for piano and 13 players, based on poetry by Zbigniew Herbert.
In recent seasons, Wosner has appeared with numerous major orchestras in North America and Europe, including re-engagements with The Los Angeles Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl, the National Arts Centre Orchestra and performances with The Philadelphia Orchestra, the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Baltimore, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas, Milwaukee, Columbus and Memphis; the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia; Staatskapelle Berlin, the Gothenburg Symphony, the Barcelona Symphony, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Orchestre National de Belgique, among others. In 2006 he debuted with the Vienna Philharmonic during the 250th anniversary celebrations of Mozart's birth, in Salzburg. He has worked with conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta, Leonard Slatkin, Donald Runnicles, Hans Graf, Alan Gilbert, Peter Oundjian, James Conlon, James Judd and Yan Pascal Tortelier.
Wosner is widely sought after by his colleagues for his versatility and spirit of partnership. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with numerous esteemed artists including Pinchas Zukerman, Lynn Harrell, Cho-Liang Lin and Christian Tetzlaff. From 2002-2004, he was a member of Lincoln's Center's Chamber Music Society Two. He regularly performs at various chamber music festivals, including Chamber Music Northwest in Portland and La Jolla's SummerFest. Other summer festival appearances include the Ravinia Festival, Hollywood Bowl, Mostly Mozart, Grand Teton Music Festival, and Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival. His many chamber music engagements in the 2008-2009 season include a performance with members of The New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. Other collaborations this season include a performance of the Mozart concerto for three pianos with Joseph Kalichstein and Alon Goldstein and the New York String Orchestra with Jaime Laredo at Carnegie Hall. For several consecutive summers, Wosner was also involved in the West-Eastern Divan Workshop led by Daniel Barenboim and toured as soloist with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. Born in Israel, Mr. Wosner enjoyed a broad musical education from a very early age, studying piano with Emanuel Krasovsky, and composition, theory and improvisation with André Hajdu. He later studied at Juilliard with Emanuel Ax.
Shai lives in New York City with his wife and daughter.
“Mr. Wosner had a wonderfully supple touch for Mozart.”
New York Times
“Wosner proved the star of the evening as solo protagonist in Mozart's Piano Concerto No.21"
Miami Herald
“…nimble technique and dry wit… His mastery of Chopin’s passagework was flawless, and he lavished plenty of elegance on the score’s less glittery sections… A return visit is clearly in order.”
The San Francisco Chronicle
“…marvelously sculpted phrases…” The Philadelphia Enquirer
“Not for a long time have I heard ‘Carnaval’ played this well. Wosner is a major talent.”
Chicago Tribune
“As played by Shai Wosner…it hardly seemed difficult at all, just crisp and exhilarating.”
Financial Times
“..played with great delicacy and a skittish sense of fun.” The Guardian
“…many musical works flourish better when players forget the flash and approach them with plainspoken,intelligent ideas, as pianist Shai Wosner so satisfyingly did… His lively playing made the outermovements sparkle—crisp articulation and hints of rhythmic swagger created delightful vitality…”
The Houston Chronicle
PAST PERFORMANCES
JANUARY, 2012
January 21st, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
Irina Nuzova, Piano
Downtown Piano Works warmly welcomes back International Concert Pianist Irina Nuzova to our Fine Artist Concert Series, for an evening of works by Scarlatti, Rachmaninov, Bach and Tchaikovsky. As always, there is no charge for admission but space is limited to 65. Please register to receive the e-mail invitation, and guarantee a seat for this performance.
Irina Nuzova "rises above mere virtuosity" (Washington Post) in her thoughtful rendition of the classical repertoire both as a soloist and as chamber music partner. Ms. Nuzova has performed in the U.S. among others at the Phillips Collection in Washington DC, for Boston’s WBGH, the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, and at various venues overseas in Europe and South America. Her chamber ensemble appearances include the WarnerNuzoa duo, the acclaimed piano-cello duo with Wendy Warner; collaborations with Calefax, a reed quintet from the Netherlands; and regular performances in string ensembles. A CD will be released with works by Rachmaninov and other Russian romantics on the Cedille label in early 2010.
Ms. Nuzova won top prizes as piano soloist and as chamber ensemble pianist in international competitions such as the Vincenzo Bellini and Citta di Senigallia International Competitions in Italy, the Bruce Hungerford Award at the Young Concert Artist Auditions in New York, the Beethoven Piano Sonata International Competition in Memphis, Tennessee., and at the Vittorio Gui and the Premio Trio di Trieste International Chamber Music Competitions in Italy.
A native of Moscow, Ms. Nuzova made her debut with the Omsk Philharmonic at the age of 14 while attending the famous Gnessin School of Music. She received her education at Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School of Music, and has earned her Doctorate degree from the Hartt School of Music (University of Hartford) in Connecticut.
"...superb performance...quite extraordinary...rising above mere virtuosity.
TheWashington Post
"..the excellent pianist and partner, Irina Nuzova, displayed such remarkable affinity for the music that one might have thought that she, too, was Spanish, not Russian."
New York Concert Reviews
"..Russian brand of virtuosity...wonderful...heroic performance...impressed audience and jury alike..."
Strad, London/New York
"The Brahms turned gossamer in the hands of Nuzova ... beautiful and compelling reading."
Milwaukee Sentinel
"Impeccable........virtuosity and intensity of feeling."
La Nazione, Florence Italy
January 4th, 2012, 8:00 p.m.
Amit Peled, Cello
Stefan Petrov, Piano
Downtown Piano Works is deeply honored to welcome back our favorite, Internationally acclaimed Cellist, Amit Peled to our Fine Artist Concert Series for an evening of works by Kopytman, Tsintsadze and Boccherini. As always, there is no charge for admission to our series, but space is limited to 65. Please register to receive the e-mail invitation, and guarantee a seat for this performance.
From the United States to Europe to the Middle East and Asia, Israeli cellist Amit Peled, a musician of profound artistry and charismatic stage presence, is acclaimed as one of the most exciting instrumentalists on the concert stage today. Mr. Peled who was recently described by the American Record Guide as “Having the flair of the young Rostropovich”, has performed as a soloist with many orchestras and in the world’s major concert halls, such as: Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall, New York; Salle Gaveau, Paris; Wigmore Hall, London; Konzerthaus, Berlin; and Tel Aviv's Mann Auditorium.
Following enthusiastically received debuts with the Columbus Symphony ("Peled is nothing short of a superb player,” The Columbus Dispatch) and the Baltimore Symphony (“I was struck by the richness of Peled’s tone and the intensely poetic nature of his phrasing; this was very classy cello playing...." The Baltimore Sun), Mr. Peled’s 2010/11 season included recital debuts at the Kennedy Center and NYC's Symphony Space, and an Alice Tully Hall Concerto debut playing the Hindemith cello concerto.
As a recording artist, Mr. Peled has just released two critically acclaimed CDs: “The Jewish Soul” and “Cellobration” under the Centaur Records Label. Fanfare Magazine stated: “By all evidence, Amit Peled is a superb cellist. His technical prowess in the Davidoff and Ligeti vouchsafe that; and his tone, of pellucid purity, gleams with a glint of gold in the slow, lyrical numbers.” Peled is also a frequent guest artist, performing and giving master classes at prestigious summer music festivals such as the Marlboro Music Festival, Newport Music Festival, Seattle Chamber Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Schleswig Holstein Festival and Euro Arts Festival in Germany, Gotland Festival in Sweden, Prussia Cove Festival in England, The Violoncello Forum in Spain, and the Mizra International Academy and Festival in Israel.
Amit Peled has been featured on television and radio stations throughout the world, including NPR’s “Performance Today”, WGBH Boston, WQXR New York, WFMT Chicago, Deutschland Radio Berlin , Radio France , Swedish National Radio & TV, and Israeli National Radio & TV.
One of the most sought after cello pedagogues in the world, Mr. Peled is a Professor at the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University, and plays a rare Andrea Guarneri cello ca. 1689.
Distinguished by his insightful interpretations and musical versatility, pianist Stefan Petrov performs regularly as a soloist and collaborative pianist in Eastern Europe and North America. His recitals have been broadcast on TV and radio stations across Eastern Europe, the United States, and Canada. In addition, his strong interest in modern music has compelled him to actively collaborate with contemporary music performers and composers.
Stefan began his piano studies at age six in his hometown of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He played his solo debut at age nine and made his first orchestral appearance at age fourteen. After moving to the United States in 2000, he continued his piano studies with Neil Rutman and later, Ellen Mack.In addition, Stefan has had the opportunity to work with renowned musicians including Eric Heidsieck, Vladimir Feltsman, Benjamin Pasternack, and Pamela Frank.
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Stefan holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Peabody Conservatory, where he continues his studies as a Liberace Foundation Scholar and a Doctoral Candidate in the studio of Ellen Mack.
"Mr. Peled expressed a dark-hued cello sound and rendered the lyrical theme that begins the Adagio with dreaminess."
New York Times
“He has the flair of the young Rostropovich”
American Record Guide
“Simply gorgeous sound”
Baltimore Sun
“Every movement was imbued with its own shade of resigned solemnity”
Washington Post
“The cellist gave his heart in Rachmaninoff – beauty was coupled with drama”
Seattle Times
"Peled left his audience visibly awed with jaw-dropping pyrotechnics as well as nuance."
Washington Post
