Friday, March 28th at 8:00pm - Valentina Lisitsa, Schlesinger Concert Hall
Described by critics as a "bona fide angel playing" and an "electrifying pianist", the Ukrainian-born Valentina Lisitsa has been receiving rave reviews since her arrival in the United States in 1991. With her multi-faceted playing described as "dazzling", Valentina is at ease in a vast repertoire ranging from Bach and Mozart to Shostakovich and Bernstein. With her highly individual and fearless approach to every work she performs, she has been greeted by enthusiastic audiences throughout the world.
Born to a family of non-musicians in Kiev, Ukraine, Ms. Lisitsa began playing the piano at the age of three and performed her first solo recital at age four. But unlike most music prodigies, Valentina did not think about a career as a concert pianist. She had a different dream - to become a professional chess player! With a minimum of practice time, she sailed through the Kiev Conservatory, winning competitions along the way, by relying on her extraordinary sight-reading abilities and photographic memory. Valentina attributes her effortless technique to hours of mindless repetition of the most difficult passages while simultaneously devouring a books that interested her, which she kept open on her music stand. This way, she explains, she was able to convince her family that she was practicing. It was only when she met Alexei Kuznetsoff, a fellow student at the Conservatory and her future partner in life as well as in duo-pianism, that Valentina started thinking about music seriously. Mr. Kuznetsoff, a very serious and knowledgeable musician, became the major influence on Valentina's transformation from dazzling virtuoso into extraordinary musician.
The first major enterprise undertaken by the young couple turned out to be not only a great success but a turning point in their lives. They decided to prepare for the most important two-piano competition in the world -"The Murray Dranoff Two Piano Competition" in the United States. In one year of intense work they achieved something which ordinarily takes decades--becoming a seamless unity as a duo-piano team. Their "reward", in addition to winning first prize in the 1991 Competition, was an opportunity to move to the United States and launch a career as one of the most highly -esteemed piano duos in the country, beginning with their orchestral debut at the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center in New York.
Although they didn't know it, the solo career of Ms. Lisitsa was about to take off as well, thanks to a bit of luck, if one can call it luck to find one unplayable piano at a scheduled two-piano recording session. Rather than calling the day off it was suggested that Valentina try recording some solo works. This impromptu recording session resulted in two more CDs - but this time solo CDs - and the launch of Valentina's highly successful solo career. Soon she was performing in the world's most prestigious concert venues, from New York's Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, to Vienna's Musikverein, to Amsterdam's Concertgebouw.
Having well over 30 concerti in her repertoire, she crisscrossed the globe performing with such orchestras as the Sao Paolo Symphony in Brazil, the New Zealand Philharmonic, and the Prague Chamber Orchestra.
Valentina is also frequently invited to participate in chamber music performances with such prominent musicians as the cellist Lynn Harrell, violinists Ida Haendel and Hilary Hahn. She has recorded eight CDs for the Audiofon Record Company, and her DVD of the 24 Chopin Etudes is the first in a series of her music videos. Two more DVDs-one of Schubert-Liszt songs and another of virtuoso masterpieces, including Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit and Liszt's Don Juan - were released in the fall of 2006.
Program for the evening:
Rachmaninov - Étude-tableau in A minor Op. 39 No. 6, Four Preludes, Op. 23 & Op. 32
Beethoven - Sonata No. 23 in F minor “Appassionata” Op. 57Intermission
Schumann - Kinderszenen Op. 15, Of Foreign Lands and Peoples (Von fremden Ländern und Menschen)
Thalberg - Grande fantaisie sur le Barbier de Séville, Opéra de Rossini Op.63
Liszt - Totentanz (original solo piano version)Admission: Refer to valentinalisitsa.com
Saturday, December 8th at 7:30pm - Paul Leavitt, Classical and original works
Paul Leavitt made his début as a concert pianist at 15 years old with the Albany Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Julius Hegyi. As a scholarship student he received a Master's Degree from the Juilliard School in New York and a Bachelor's Degree from SUNY Purchase. A laureat of the International Steinway Competition in Paris, France, Mr. Leavitt performs regularly in Europe and in the United States as a classical pianist.
He has composed for piano, chorus, dance, theatre and film. "Tom to Tenn", a musical based on the life of Tennessee Williams was presented in the "Page-to-Stage Festival" at the Terrace Theatre in the Kennedy Center last September. Recent commissions from the Congressional Chorus, Moonfest and the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington have been performed locally and in Europe. Film scores for « Hidden Grapes » by Yoshi Nishio for the Isabella Stuart Gardener Museum in Boston, and « The Last Refuge » by Xiao Hong Cheng for the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. He wrote and performed incidental music for "Le Roman d'un Tricheur" by Sacha Guitry with Jean-Laurent Cochet of the Comédie Française, a show which toured extensively for two seasons in Europe. His choral works are available through Augsburg Fortress Press and Yelton Rhodes Music.
Discography: CD of Chopin 4 Ballades, Barcarolle and Sonata No. 3 (2007), Muse en Scene, CD of his piano compositions (1995). Preparing to release a CD of his choral works in 2008.
In 1995 he created the Chorale de l'Association Internationale Musique Ensemble in Paris, France, an organization he directed until the fall of 2000. The Reformation Choir and la Chorale AIME joined forces last May for a joint concert in Paris as part of a 10 day choir tour to London, Paris and Geneva.
He studied the piano with teachers of international renoun such as Zelma Bodzin, Mercês de Silva Telles, Lucette Descaves, William Masselos, German Diez, the composer Joseph Fennimore and studied organ with Donald Sutherland at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.
Mr. Leavitt was appointed full time Director of Music & Art at Church of the Reformation in 2003.
Program for the evening:
Beethoven - Sonata Op. 31 No. 2 in D min., "Tempest"Chopin - Barcarolle Op. 60, Ballade No. 1 in G min., Op. 23, Ballade No. 4 in F min., Op. 52
Intermission
Leavitt - Hidden Visions
Rachmaninoff - Sonata No. 2 in B flat min., Op. 36Following the performance there will be a cocktail reception with Mr. Leavitt's new CD available.
Admission: Free, RSVP if planning to attend
Wednesday, November 28th at 7pm - Herr Hannes Schimmel-Vogel, President of Schimmel Piano
Herr Hannes Schimmel-Vogel, President of Schimmel Piano Company, will be visiting our store on Wednesday, November 28th. A cocktail reception (with short concert) will be held from 7pm until 9pm. Please help us welcome him to Harl Pianos!
Any pianos bought during this event will be signed and personalized by Herr Schimmel-Vogel.
Admission: Free, RSVP if planning to attend
Sunday, June 17th at 5pm - Rami Bar-Niv, Classical works and ragtime
Rami Bar-Niv is one of Israel's most acclaimed and sought after pianists. He travels extensively and has become an international citizen, concertizing all over the world.Born in Tel-Aviv, he graduated with honors from the Rubin Academy of Music and was the recipient of many prizes and scholarships. He won the America-Israel Cultural Foundation Competition and was awarded a scholarship to further his studies in the United States. After graduating from Mannes College of Music in New York, where he studied with the renowned Mme. Nadia Reisenberg, he won numerous competitions and embarked on a highly successful concert career. He performs regularly in North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and of course Israel, where he received the "Best Performer Award" from the Israeli government.
He appears on TV and radio, in chamber ensembles, solo recitals, and as soloist with orchestras, always received with great enthusiasm. Often sent abroad by the Foreign Ministry to represent Israel in concerts, he has become an ambassador of goodwill for his country. Rami Bar-Niv made history by being the first, and so far the only, Israeli artist to perform in Egypt following the Begin/Sadat Peace Treaty.
Rami's recordings for CBS and other labels in Israel and abroad have met with praise and popularity. His recordings have also been very successful on the internet and he has often been at the top of the charts (mp3.com & others). His compositions are published, recorded and performed all over the world. Rami Bar-Niv offers music of great variety and contrast in style and is an extremely versatile performer.
Program for the evening:
R. Bar-Niv - Rhapsody in Blue and White
Mendelssohn - Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14
Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11
Chopin - Nocturne in C sharp min., Posthumous, Polonaise in A flat Maj., Op. 53Intermission
R. Bar-Niv - Blue - Rag, Drag - Rag, Breezy Rider Rag, Plain 'Ol Rag
Gershwin - Rhapsody in BlueClick the links below to sample some of Rami's online content:
Sample #1 - Youtube.com
Sample #2 - Listen.to
Sample #3 - Audiostreet.net
Sample #4 - Garageband.comAdmission: Suggested minimum donation of $20 for adults, $10 for children, RSVP if planning to attend
Mr. Bar-Niv's CDs, DVDs and published sheet music will be available for purchase during intermission and after the concert.
Wednesday, May 23rd at 7pm - The Audubon QuartetThe Audubon Quartet will perform works by Haydn, Shostakovich and Smetana. This concert is a special preview concert to a later performance at Kneisel in early June. In case you don't know about this outstanding ensemble, visit the Audubon Quartet online and click on Station Management.
Admission: Free, RSVP if planning to attend
Sunday, April 22nd at 5pm - Georgiana Acchione, An evening of works by various composers
Georgiana Acchione holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Piano Performance from Catholic University, where she studied with Emerson Meyers. Past teachers include Helene Diedrichs Swann, Evelyn Hayes, Cecil Genhardt and Edna Golandsky of the Taubman Institute. Mrs. Acchione has appeared in solo performances for the Matthay Association in Philadelphia, the Fairfax County Library Concerts, at Catholic University and in chamber music at the University of Maryland with the members of the the Baltimore Symphony. For many summers, she attended the Dorothy Taubman Institute of Piano in Massachusetts and has often performed in master classes for Dorothy Taubman both in Massachusetts and in New York. She is currently a performing member of the Friday Morning Music Club in Washington, DC and performs in the greater Washington area.
Program for the evening:
Bach-Hess - Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Scarlatti - Sonata in c, L352, Sonata in D, L463
Beethoven - Sonata Op. 109Intermission
Mendelssohn - Prelude Op. 35, No. 1 in e, Fugue Op. 35, No. 1 in e
Rachmaninov - Prelude Op. 32, No. 10 in b
Debussy - EstampesAdmission: Free, RSVP if planning to attend
Periodically, we have the pleasure of piano manufacturers coming to visit the shop. To the left is a photo of Ulrich Sauter of Sauter Pianos, giving a presentation on the Amadeus commemorative edition piano.
Modeled after original instruments of Mozart's time, the Amadeus was created to reflect similar tone and touch of the era. Mr. Sauter also spoke of his piano design philosophy and shared his time and expertise to answer the questions of those who attended.
Copyright © 2007 Harl Pianos, LLC