MEADVILLE, Pa., – Aug. 7, 2008 – The nineteenth annual Silberman Recital Series at Allegheny College will feature performances by one of the country's newest chamber music groups as well as musicians who have earned critical acclaim over decades of work on the concert stage and in the recording studio.
The series will open with Manhattan Piano Trio on Monday, Sept. 8. Hailed by critics as a “grand departure from the usual,” Manhattan Piano Trio – made up of Milana Strezeva, piano; Dmitry Lukin, violin; and Dmitry Kouzov, cello – is one of the most prominent, exciting and active emerging chamber music groups in America. The Grand Prize Winner of the 2006 Plowman National Chamber Music Competition, Manhattan Piano Trio has been featured on many prestigious “Rising Artist” concert series.
The series continues with Canadian tenor Colin Ainsworth accompanied by Joshua Grunmann on Thursday, Oct. 9. Commended by the Toronto Star for a “magnetic stage presence that was the ideal embodiment of a romantic lead,” Ainsworth has distinguished himself by his exceptional singing, impeccable diction and a diverse repertoire. London-based pianist Grunmann has accompanied and coached singers in both Canada and the U.S. for almost a decade and has appeared in recitals in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto.
The first concert of the series in 2009 will be mezzo-soprano D'Anna Fortunato and pianist Alec Chien on Thursday, Feb. 12. Fortunato is an admired favorite on the American orchestral-concert scene and a respected operatic artist as well. Chien, artist-in-residence and professor of music at Allegheny College, has performed as a featured soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, American Symphony and Hong Kong Philharmonic.
Completing the season, the Alexander String Quartet will perform on Thursday, March 26. Made up of noted performers Zakarias Grafilo and Frederick Lifsitz, violins; Paul Yarbrough, viola; and Sandy Wilson, cello, the Alexander String Quartet has performed in major music capitals on four continents, securing its standing among the premiere ensembles of its kind.
All the programs of the Silberman Recital Series will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Ford Memorial Chapel and are free.
The 19th annual season of the Silberman Recital Series is presented by Allegheny College through a gift from Mrs. Freda Silberman of Pittsburgh. Her husband, Aaron, the founder and chairman of American Thermoplastic Co., established the series in 1990. The Silbermans were leading supporters of musical and educational institutions in New York City and Pittsburgh. Mr. Silberman died in 1993 at the age of 77.
For more information about the Silberman concerts, contact Allegheny College's Office of Conference and Event Services at (814) 332-3101.
