April 14, 2008

 

Embassy Series Piano Concert Featuring The Mendelssohn Piano Trio

 

The Embassy of Hungary and the Embassy Series presented a concert of the Mendelssohn Piano Trio on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 7:30pm. The outstanding chamber orchestra, including Pianist Ya-Ting Chang, Celloist Fiona Thompson, and Violinist Peter Sirotin played two piano trios by the Hungarian composer Károly Goldmark (1830-1915) in the Grand Hall of the Embassy of Hungary.

 

 

Much-neglected, but brilliant Hungarian Composer Károly Goldmark (1830-1915) is an example of the lonely artist of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy

 

These brilliant pieces by this much-neglected composer were recorded earlier on CD by the Mendelssohn Piano Trio and have received critical acclaim. The concert was followed by a reception, during which the 200-strong Washington audience enjoyed delicious Hungarian dishes and wines.

 

 

Cultural Attaché Béla Gedeon, Violinist Peter Sirotin, Pianist Ya-Ting Chang, Celloist Fiona Thompson, and Embassy Series Director Jerome Barry

 

 

Currently Ensemble-in-Residence for Washington DC's Embassy Series, Messiah College as well as Chamber Music in Grantham, PA, the Mendelssohn Piano Trio is one of the most exciting ensembles on the national and international music scene. The ensemble has performed and gave master classes in a variety of venues nationwide and abroad, including universities, colleges, art academies, and music festivals, as well as an international radio feature of Voice of America.

 

 

The Mendelssohn Piano Trio is currently a Washington resident ensemble

 

 

The performance highlights of the Trio's upcoming 10th season are: National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, National Gallery of the Arts, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Embassy Concert Series, Black Rock Center of the Arts, and many others. Their fourth & fifth CDs will be released under the Centaur label with music of J. Suk, B. Smetana, and F. Mendelssohn. The Washington Post has described the group's Brahms cycle of Piano Trios and Piano Quartets presented by Embassy Series as "unfathomably beautiful", "transcendent" and "electrifying". Both the American Record Guide and Fanfare Magazine have praised the trio's recordings released on Centaur Records. Numerous classical music stations in the United States have also featured these recordings. The trio's recent performance at the National Gallery of Art was broadcasted on NPR's "Performance Today" program.

 

If you are interested in upcoming concerts of the Embassy Series, please, click on their website: http://www.embassyseries.com/.