<p>The opening work of Musical Club&rsquo;s 129th season is Mozart&rsquo;s enchanting <em>Trio for Piano, Clarinet and Viola</em>, nicknamed &ldquo;The Kegelstatt&rdquo; or &ldquo;Skittleground&rdquo; Trio, as Mozart is said to have been playing skittles when he composed it. Whatever the truth of that story, this work is in no way frivolous: Mozart was in full mastery of his craft. The selection of the clarinet and viola for this trio, Mozart&rsquo;s favorite instruments, rather than the usual scoring for violin and cello, suggest a special personal connection. Performers will be Virginia Allen, viola, Carolyn Bernstein, clarinet, and Linda MacGougan, piano.</p><p>For the conclusion of the program, Judy Handler, Mark Levesque and Leo Snow will perform unique arrangements of music from South America, Asia and Eastern Europe for guitar, mandolin and flute.</p><p>To transition from the Classical Era to Music of the World, Linda MacGougan will perform two piano works based on folk music by Béla Bartók: <em>Three Hungarian Folk Songs</em> and his <em>Sonatina</em>, which uses Romanian folk tunes.</p><p>Note that today&#39;s program begins at 9:45 a.m., <em>not</em> at the usual 10:00 start time!​</p><p>Reception follows. Admission free.</p>

Member Program and Open House - September 26, 2019

<p><em>From the Old World to the New &ndash; Romantic Gems and the American Songbook.</em></p><p>This diverse program of instrumental and vocal music begins with a <em>Sonate pour clavecin avec flûte et basson obligés</em> by François Devienne, performed by Cynthia Lang, flute, Frederick Fenn, bassoon, and Mattie Banzhaf, piano.&nbsp;</p><p>Following this, we&rsquo;ll hear art songs in German, Polish, and Russian by Schubert, Mieczyslaw Karlowicz, Rachmaninov, and Tchaikovsky, sung by Patrice Fitzgerald, mezzo-soprano, and Richard Leslie, baritone, and accompanied by Michelle Duffy, piano.</p><p><span style="display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Verdana,&quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Next, Soohyung Yoo will perform </span>Rachmaninov&rsquo;s <em>Piano Preludes</em>, Op. 23, No. 4 in D major, No. 5 in G minor, and No. 7 in C minor</p><p>To conclude, a set of American Standards by Harold Arlen, Meredith Willson, Irving Berlin, and Richard Rodgers will be sung by Patrice Fitzgerald and Richard Leslie, also featuring Richard on trumpet, and accompanied by Walter Gwardyak, piano, and Walter Mayo, bass.</p>

Member Program - October 10, 2019

<p>The <a href="https://prometheusduo.com/" target="_blank">Prometheus Duo</a> consists of Joseph Abad, saxophone and Marko Stuparevic (a former E. B. Storrs piano scholar), piano. The Duo, recently returned from a concert tour of Serbia, will perform pieces written by Serbian composers, as well as classical music with Balkan influences. The Duo&#39;s trip to Serbia involved a cross-exchange with American composers, and several of the latters&#39; pieces will also be played. The Duo&#39;s fascinating selections will showcase the finesse and lasting power of this unique medium. <span style="display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: text; font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Verdana,&quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20.8px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Both of these young musicians are virtuosi and their programming is innovative, so we should be in for a treat.</span></p><p><a href="https://prometheusduo.com/about" target="_blank">Marko Stuparevic</a> has appeared in numerous concerts and festivals in the USA, Israel, France, Serbia, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Slovakia as a solo performer and chamber musician. He has won top prizes in the Dimitar Nenov, Petar Konjovic, American Protégé, Nikolai Rubinstein competitions and many other international piano contests. As a result, Mr. Stuparevic is a regularly performing concerto soloist, performing with the Razgrad Philharmonic, the Symphony Orchestra of the Army House of Serbia, the National Symphony of Bulgaria, the Connecticut Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Foot in the Door Ensemble. He has also performed as a member of the 20/20 Chamber Music Honors Program, the Vagus Trio, HICO, the Foot In The Door Ensemble, the Elements Ensemble, with the Dahlia Duo, Celesti Sondato, and 016. Most recently, he has performed on the Women&rsquo;s New Music Festival (Hartford), the Tel Hai Festival, and the LaMama Moves Festival in New York City alongside the principal Martha Graham dancer, Miki Orihara. Mr. Stuparevic is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree (DMA) at The Hartt School of Music.</p><p><a href="http://www.josephabad.net/" target="_blank">Joseph Abad</a> is a contemporary, classical saxophonist and educator based in the Hartford (Connecticut) area. As a concerto soloist, Mr. Abad has enjoyed collaborating with the Connecticut Valley Chamber Orchestra, the Hamden Symphony Orchestra, the Hudson Valley Chamber Winds, The Hartt School Wind Ensemble, The Hartt Symphony Orchestra, the University of California (Davis) Symphony Orchestra, and the University of California (Davis) Wind Ensemble. As a chamber musician, Mr. Abad has had the pleasure performing in 16 states, alongside performances and recitals in Japan, Italy, and Iceland. From 2012-2016, he was the soprano saxophonist of the Hartford-based Asylum Quartet. Mr. Abad holds music degrees from the University of California at Davis (BM) and Arizona State University (MM). In 2013, he received an Artist Diploma in Saxophone Performance from The Hartt School of Music. He is currently an Endorsed Artist of Forestone Reeds.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Prometheus Duo - October 24, 2019

<p>This wonderful program has something for everyone.&nbsp; Lisa Kugelman, violin, *Celeste Cumming, cello, and Stacy Cahoon, piano will begin with the first movement of Robert Schuman&rsquo;s <em>Piano Trio No.3</em>, Op. 110, a beautiful and passionate example of Romantic chamber music.&nbsp; Next we&rsquo;ll hear Franz Schubert&rsquo;s lied, <em>The Shepherd on the Rock</em>, performed by Carrie Hammond, soprano, Jonathan Hammond, clarinet, and *Nathaniel Baker, piano.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><em>Prelude, Allegro, Pastorale</em>, a beautiful piece for viola and clarinet by Rebecca Clarke, will be performed by Susanne Shrader, viola, and Carolyn Bernstein, clarinet, followed by five modern selections for flute quartet (by Paul Koepke, Bridget Gilchrist, and Pierre-Max Dubois), which will consist of Bridget Gilchrist, Leo Snow, Nancy Skeele, and Cynthia Lang.&nbsp; The program will end with several jazz standards performed by Sharon Girard, vocalist, *Damian Curtis, piano, and Walter Mayo, bass.</p>

Member Program -  November 7, 2019

<p><a href="http://waelfarouk.com/#Biography" style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193); font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Verdana,&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">Dr. Wael Farouk</a> has performed on five continents in such venues as the White Hall in St. Petersburg, Schumann&#39;s house in Leipzig, and Carnegie Hall in New York.&nbsp; Between 2014 and 2018, he performed 30 programs featuring the complete solo piano works of Rachmaninoff and Brahms, the complete piano chamber music of Brahms, as well as the complete concertos of Brahms, Rachmaninov, and Beethoven.&nbsp;&nbsp; Born in Egypt with unusually short hand ligaments, Farouk was given a toy piano by his father at the age of three to help stretch his fingers and it was then that a life-long love of music and of the piano began. Told his disability was too much and that his dreams of being able to play the piano would be impossible to realize, Farouk began practicing relentlessly and, as a result, he started down the path to success at a young age. At age 9, he received the Youngest Egyptian Talent Prize from then-First Lady Susan Mubarak. He made his orchestral debut in 1994 and, the next year, he became the youngest pianist to give a solo recital at the Cairo Opera House.&nbsp;&nbsp; The New York Concert Review has called Farouk &quot;a formidable and magnificent pianist,&quot; for his command of Rachmaninoff&#39;s Piano Concerto No. 3, a piece that many believed the pianist never would be able to perform due to his hand structure. David Dubal, author of The Art of the Piano, has hailed him as &quot;A wonderful musician and a dazzling pianist.&quot;&nbsp; In 2004, Dr. Farouk was given the honor of playing on Tchaikovsky&rsquo;s piano&mdash;the first pianist to do so since Vladimir Horowitz. Dr. Farouk currently directs the piano program at Carthage College and oversees the Carthage Arts Academy in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He is also on the faculty of the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. He frequently judges competitions and delivers master-classes. At this concert, he will perform works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and Mussorgsky.&nbsp; The following day he will give a free (non-ticketed) master class to Hartt piano students at 10 am in Milliard Auditorium. Concert tickets from the University of Hartford Box Office may be picked up in person (located at Lincoln Theater on the University campus) or requested by phone at 860-768-4228 or 1-800-274-8587, or ordered <a href="https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=105448" target="_blank">online</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Wael Farouk, piano - November 17, 2019

<p>Susan&nbsp;Allen,&nbsp;flute,&nbsp;Carolyn&nbsp;Bernstein,&nbsp;clarinet,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Diane&nbsp;Day,&nbsp;piano&nbsp;will&nbsp;begin&nbsp;with&nbsp;the&nbsp;Loeillet&nbsp;de&nbsp;Gant&nbsp;<em>Sonata&nbsp;in&nbsp;G&nbsp;minor</em>,&nbsp;written&nbsp;in&nbsp;an&nbsp;Italianate/French&nbsp;contrapuntal,&nbsp;highly&nbsp;ornamented&nbsp;style&nbsp;around&nbsp;1717.</p><p>We will next jump to 1892, when Brahms composed his <em>Three Intermezzi for Piano</em>, Op. 117.&nbsp; Diane Day, piano, will perform No. 2 in B-flat minor, which presents a melancholy and subdued main theme in a perpetually flowing line.</p><p>Proceeding to the twentieth century, we&rsquo;ll hear two pieces played by Susan Allen, flute, and Carolyn Woodard, piano:&nbsp; <em>Echo</em>, by Hindemith, and <em>Canzone (Elegy)</em>, by Barber. Barber is remembered as &ldquo;one of the most unabashedly romantic composers of the 20th century.&rdquo;</p><p>Franck&rsquo;s <em>Cello Sonata in A Major</em> (movements 1 &amp; 4), performed by Fran Bard, cello, and Carolyn Woodard, piano, is a composer- sanctioned arrangement of his very popular <em>Violin Sonata in A Major</em>.</p><p>Finally we&rsquo;ll hear three favorite opera arias from three different time periods sung by Amy Eisen, soprano, with *James Gower, piano. &nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Member Program - November 21, 2019

<p><em>Meditation and Processional</em>, composed in 1951 by Ernest Bloch, will be performed by Virginia Allen, viola, and Linda MacGougan, piano.&nbsp; Virginia and Linda will also perform <em>Evening at the Village</em> and <em>Slovak Peasant&rsquo;s Dance</em>, transcribed piano solos by Bartók.</p><p>Susan Mardinly, soprano, with Lean-Cheng Tan, piano, will sing Ravel&rsquo;s <em>Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques</em>, folk songs from the Greek island of Chios off the coast of Turkey. These will be followed by <em>Armenian&nbsp;Songs</em>, by Komitas Vardapet.</p><p>Connie Hegarty, piano, explores the development of the nocturne in her performance of <em>Nocturne in B-flat Major</em> by John Field, <em>Nocturne in&nbsp;C# Minor</em> (Posthumous) by Chopin, and <em>Nocturne</em>, Op. 33 (Homage to John Field) by Samuel Barber.&nbsp;</p><p>Finishing the program, Burak Göçer will present 3 flute solos:&nbsp; <em>Sonata Appassionata</em>, Op. 14 by Sigfrid Karg-Elert, <em>Pièce pour flûte seul</em> by Jacques Ibert, and <em>Image</em> for flute solo by Eugène Bozza.</p>

Member Program - December 12, 2019

<p>On January 9, 2020, beginning at 10:00 a.m., the Musical Club of Hartford presents its first concert of the new year, at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2080 Boulevard, West Hartford. Eleven musicians from the greater Hartford area will perform a 90-minute program of classical chamber music composed or arranged for woodwinds, strings, and piano.</p><p>The program will include:</p><ul><li><p><em>8 Russian Folk Dances</em> for woodwind ensemble by Anatoly Liadov (1855-1914), performed by Cynthia Lang (flute/piccolo), David Schonfeld (oboe), Carolyn Bernstein (clarinet), Fred Fenn (bassoon) and Susan Norland (French horn). Liadov was a mentor to Sergei Prokofiev, whose work is featured later in the program.</p></li><li><p>Piano Trio No. 3 in G minor, Opus 110 (violin, cello, piano) by Robert Schumann (1810-1856), performed by Lisa Kugelman (violin), Fran Bard (cello), and Stacy Cahoon (piano)</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Two works by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953), which he composed the same year, but in very different musical styles:</p></li><li style="margin-left: 40px;">Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94a, performed by Lisa Kugelman (violin) and Annette Shapiro (piano)</li><li style="margin-left: 40px;">Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Opus 83 (&quot;Stalingrad&quot;) performed by pianist, Shuangning Liu</li></ul>

Member Program - January 9, 2020

<p>In early January, The Musical Club of Hartford held its 44th annual scholarship competition for high school students living in or studying music in Connecticut. At the Winners&#39; concert we will hear the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in the Piano, Strings, Winds, and Voice categories of this competition.</p><p>The Srings, Winds, and Voice scholarship prizes are awarded by the Musical Club&rsquo;s Gifts and Scholarships Fund, which also supports many other musical activities in the Hartford area. The Piano Competition is sponsored by the Musical Club&#39;s Evelyn Bonar Storrs Fund, set up by a bequest to provide funds for talented and advanced students of piano.</p><p><a href="http://musicalclubhartford.org/content/winners-and-honorable-mentions-2020-musical-club-hartford-high-school-competitions" style="color: rgb(7, 130, 193); font-family: sans-serif,Arial,Verdana,&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_self">Winners and Honorable Mentions for the 2020 Musical Club of Hartford High School Competitions</a></p>

High School Classical Competition Winners Concert - January 19, 2020 

High School Jazz Competition Winners Concert - January 26, 2020

<p style="margin-bottom: 0.04in">This program begins with music from the 16<sup>th</sup> century &ndash; Three<i> Two-Part Canzonets</i> &ndash; performed by <b>Deborah Robin</b>, recorder and <b>Laura Mazza-Dixon</b>, viola da gamba. Morley&#39;s madrigals and other compositions were enormously popular during his lifetime, and he continues to be considered one of the most inventive and important composers of Elizabethan England. These canzonets &ndash; or &quot;Little Short Songs&quot; &ndash; are instrumental examples of his affinity for Italian musical style and sensibility.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0.04in">Next we&rsquo;ll hear <i>La pavane</i> and <i>La marche royale</i> by Philidor, and <i>Sonate en trio Op. 7, No. 4 in D minor</i> by Boismortier, performed by <b>Deborah Robin</b>, recorder, <b>David Schonfeld</b>, baroque oboe, and <b>Leo Snow</b>, baroque flute. Woodwind trios in the Baroque era were often composed flexibly to accommodate different instrumental combinations. Boismortier composed Trio #4, for example, for 3 flutes, but the three lines fit the range of recorder, flute and oboe (in that order) quite nicely. While all three of these instruments were frequently heard in performance at the time, the oboe and flute were very much in vogue (and evolving toward their modern versions), while interest in the recorder, which had been a musical mainstay since the Middle Ages, was &ndash; alas &ndash; beginning to wane.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0.04in">Léo Delibes and Julius Benedict were popular composers of the Romantic era, in France and England respectively. The next two art songs let the soprano strut her coloratura stuff to avian accompaniment. <b>Tema Silk</b>, soprano, <b>Mark Silk</b>; flute, and <b>Stacy Cahoon</b>, piano will perform <i>Le rossignol</i> by Delibes and <i>Gypsy and the Bir</i>d by Benedict.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0.04in">Edward MacDowell was one of America&#39;s most celebrated composers of the 19th century. He was one of the first Americans to be honored by membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters (1904). Selections from his <i>12 Virtuoso Etudes, Op. 46</i>, will be played by <b>Maryjane Peluso</b>, piano.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in">While thought of Stephen Foster conjures sentimental or rousing songs, the first three selections showcase his whimsical glimpse into the everyday. &nbsp;Fittingly, Foster&rsquo;s sentiment caps off today&rsquo;s program with the lark and nightingale of Romeo and Juliet&rsquo;s balcony scene. These songs will be presented by <b>John Church</b>, baritone, <b>Tema Silk</b>, soprano, and <b>Maryjane Peluso</b>, piano.</p>

Member Program - January 30, 2020

<p>Today&#39;s exploration will feature a lecture by Hartt Professor of Music Education Demaris &ldquo;Dee&rdquo; Hansen on the history of The Hartt School, which is celebrating its centennial. Dee has written a beautiful book on the history of the School that was published in January, with a book launch scheduled for February 14, 2020, at the University of Hartford.</p><p>In her presentation to the Musical Club, Dee will draw upon materials from her book, making use of the many anecdotes she discovered during her research. A Question &amp; Answer session moderated by Hartt Dean Larry Alan Smith will follow. A celebratory &quot;Valentine&#39;s Day&quot; reception is planned.</p><p>Autographed copies of Professor Hansen&#39;s new book will be available for sale. The price is $25. Purchasers will need to pay with cash or check (payable to &quot;The Hartt School&quot;). We will not be able to accept credit cards.</p><p>Note that this event will take place in the Church&#39;s Fellowship Hall (<em>not</em> the Sanctuary).</p><p><img src="/files/hart100_mus_ex_20200213.jpg"/>

The Hartt School at 100 - February 13, 2020

<p>This year, in place of our customary mid-year meeting, we will be treated to a cello recital by <a href="https://www.samdecaprio.com/about" target="_blank">Sam DeCaprio</a>, a Doctoral Fellow at The Juilliard School.</p><p>A past winner of our High School Competition, Sam DeCaprio holds degrees from the University of Connecticut (Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude), Eastman School of Music (Performer&rsquo;s Certificate and Master of Music), Mannes School of Music (Professional Studies Diploma) and Yale School of Music (Master of Musical Arts and winner of the 2018 Aldo Parisot Prize). He is now studying in the prestigious Doctor of Musical Arts program at the Juilliard School as a C. V. Starr Doctoral Fellow. Dedicated to helping shape and inspire the next generation of musicians, Sam is currently a Morse Teaching Fellow through the Juilliard School.</p><p>He will be performing <em>Variations Concertantes, Op. 17</em> by Mendelssohn, <em>Pohádka</em> (Fairy Tale) by Janácek, <em>Sonate pour violoncelle et piano</em> by Debussy, and <em>Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano</em> by Rachmaninov.</p><p><img src="/files/decaprio_20200220.jpg"/>

Sam DeCaprio, cello - February 20, 2020

<p>Two works for violin and cello will be played for us by <strong>Lisa Kugelman</strong> and <strong>Karen Benjamin</strong>: Handel&rsquo;s Violin Sonata in F major, Op. 1, Nr. 12 and Beethoven&rsquo;s Duo in C Major WoO27/1.</p><p>A <em>bagatelle</em> is a light piece of music. Bagatelles, Op. 5, by the Russian composer Alexander Tcherepnin were written between 1912-18 and revised in 1958. They will be performed by <strong>Michelle Duffy</strong>, piano.</p><p><strong>Lean-Cheng Tan</strong>, soprano, will sing the following three vocal pieces, accompanied by <strong>Colette Switaj</strong>, piano: <em>Plaisir d&rsquo;amour</em>, by Martini, <em>Bist du bei mir</em>, BWV 508, by J. S. Bach, and a Chinese Folk Song from the Xinjiang region of China.</p><p>Jean-Baptiste Loeillet de Gant was born in Belgium in 1688, but lived mainly in France. He added &ldquo;de Gant&rdquo; (i.e., &ldquo;from Ghent&rdquo;) to distinguish himself from his identically named first cousin, also a composer. The elder cousin moved to London, but even so scholars remain confused about some music attributed to each of them. Although a total of 763 works eventually were attributed to the composer, only 21 were published during his lifetime and fewer than that in the first decade following his death. Loeillet&rsquo;s compositions are said to be &ldquo;strongly influenced by violin sonatas of Corelli.&rdquo; <strong>Nancy Skeel</strong>e, flute, <strong>*Chris Pilon</strong>, cello, and <strong>Michelle Duffy</strong>, piano, will perform his Sonata in D minor, Op. 3, No. 10.</p><p><strong>Betty Knorr</strong>, mezzo-soprano and <strong>Diane Day</strong>, piano, will perform a selection of four songs from different collections by Rachmaninoff.</p>

Member Program - March 5, 2020

<h4><em><strong>Note: The program described below has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</strong></em></h4><div>&nbsp;</div><div><hr /><p>In 1990, Evelyn Bonar Storrs made a bequest to Musical Club to establish a piano scholarship. Her will stated in part, &ldquo;I have tried to express my appreciation for the enjoyment and pleasure in having been a member of the Musical Club of Hartford...With this in mind, I have established the Evelyn Bonar Storrs Scholarship Fund to provide scholarships for talented and advanced students of piano...&rdquo;</p></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Each year selected Storrs Scholarship recipients--college level pianists with traditional classical training--present a recital for members of the Musical Club and the general public. Come to hear these piano stars of the future.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><h3>PROGRAM</h3><div><em>Sonata No. 14 in A minor, D 784, Op. 143, ​I. Allegro giusto by Franz Schubert (1797-1828)</em></div><div><strong>Yuanyuan Liu</strong></div><div>In 2016, Yuanyuan Liu came to Connecticut to start her master&rsquo;s studies in piano performance at the University of Hartford with Professor Paul Rutman. She has performed the Hammerklavier recital and chamber music recitals with other music students at Berkman and had her solo piano recital in December 2017. In April 2019, she held her graduation recital at Millard auditorium. In the summer, Yuanyuan held performances at the 2019 Connecticut Virtuosi Summer institute as well as in Wuhan and Yueyang, China. Currently Yuanyuan is enrolled as a doctoral student at the Hartt School of Music.</div><div>******************************</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><em>Rode Variations, Op. 33 by Carl Czerny (1791-1857)</em></div><div><strong>Tongqing Liu</strong></div><div>Tongqing Liu is a first-year DMA student from the University of Hartford, currently studying with Dr. David Westfall. He received a bachelor&#39;s degree in piano performance at Central China Normal University and got a master&#39;s degree at The University of Hartford. He won the 6th Hong Kong Golden Bauhinia International piano competition in 2017. He has successfully presented three solo recitals, and serves as a piano accompanist at the Hartt school.</div><div>******************************</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><em>Widmung (from Schumann&rsquo;s song cycle &rdquo;Myrthen&rdquo;) by Schumann-Liszt (1811-1886) </em></div><div><em>Khorumi by Meri Davitashvili (1924-2014) </em></div><div><strong>Sophiko Simsive</strong></div><div>Sophiko Simsive received a master&rsquo;s degree at Yale University, studying with Boris Berman. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the Manhattan School of Music, with Dr. Solomon Mikowsky. Sophiko leads an active performing life in New York as well as in Europe, preparing for international competitions and attending cultural events in New York City. In December she had her debut at the National Sawdust, performing with soprano, inspiration of many twentieth century composers, Lucy Shelton. She is also in pursuit of forming a chamber ensemble that will offer audiences a new concert-going experience, more engaging and memorable. Sophiko is passionate about helping a privately-funded cat shelter in Tbilisi. It is her childhood dream to open one herself one day.</div><div>******************************</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><em>Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58 by Frederick Chopin (1810-1847) I. Allegro maestoso</em></div><div><strong>Yoshino Toi </strong></div><div>Yoshino Toi is a recent graduate of The Hartt School, where she completed her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance under the direction of Professor David Westfall. At The Hartt School, she was on a full scholarship as a member of Performance 20/20, Hartt&rsquo;s Honors Chamber Music Program. She was also a winner of the Paranov Concerto Competition and has performed with The Hartt Orchestra and The Hartt Wind Ensemble. She currently works as a collaborative pianist and a teacher. In the past, she has attended festivals such as the Frost Chopin Academy, Brevard Music Center, Music Academy International, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She has received awards in multiple competitions including the Brevard Music Center Piano Competition, the Scholarship Competition by the Musical Club of Hartford, the Audrey Thayer Competition, and the Renee B. Fisher Piano Competition with the Best Performance of a Commissioned Work. She was recently featured on WQXR&rsquo;s Young Artist Showcase as well. A native of Japan, Yoshino has studied at the Hartt Community Division since moving to the U.S. in 2010. Her former teachers include, Malgosia Lis, Atsuko Imamura and Emily Lin.</div><div>******************************</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><em>Ondine (from Gaspard de la Nuit) by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) </em></div><div><strong>Morgan Lee</strong></div><div>Morgan Lee began studying piano at age 4. In 2014, she graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, where she studied privately with Linda Jiorle-Nagy. In 2016, she graduated from Mannes College of Music with a Master of Music in piano performance, where she studied with Yuri Kim. She has participated in various music festivals in the US and abroad, including the Mannes Beethoven Institute, the International Keyboard Institute and Festival, the International Academy of Music, the Puigcerdà Music Festival, Brevard Music Institute, and Eastern Music Festival, and has performed recitals in New York City, Italy, Spain, France, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Yoshino currently serves as Music Director at Second Congregational Church of Coventry and is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Connecticut under the tutelage of Angelina Gadeliya.</div><div>******************************</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><em>Feux d&rsquo;artifice (&ldquo;Fireworks&rdquo;, Prelude No.12, Book II) by Claude Debussy (1862-1918) </em></div><div><strong>Ho Man Cheung</strong></div><div>Ho-Man Cheung was born in Hong Kong in 1999. He began his piano studies with Ming Fei Liu when he was 8 and gave his debut solo recital in Nanjing, China at the age of 11. He has performed in numerous major cities including New York, Hartford, Eureka, Buckingham, Linz, Koszeg, Sofia, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Recently, he performed as a soloist with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra and the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra. Cheung is currently a junior piano major student at The Hartt School studying with Professor David Westfall.</div><div>******************************</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><em>Liebestod (from Tristan und Isolde) by Liszt-Wagner (1811-1886) </em></div><div><strong>Chenyu Wang</strong></div><div>Chenyu Wang is currently pursuing Diploma Degree at The Hartt School, University of Hartford under the guidance of Paul Rutman. Before studying at Hartt School, he earned his master&rsquo;s degree at the University of South Carolina, studying with Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers. Mr. Wang had the privilege of working with many internationally renowned artists including Tong-il Han, Bruce Brubaker, Thomas Schumacher, and Carol Leone, among others.</div>

Storrs Scholars Piano Recital - Mar 19, 2020

Piano Ensemble - Mar 22, 2020

<h4><em><strong>Note: This program has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</strong></em></h4><div>&nbsp;</div><div><hr /></div><p>On Thursday morning, April 2, 2020, beginning at 10:00 a.m., the Musical Club of Hartford presents an exquisitely curated, 90-minute program of classical music for the enjoyment of the general public as well as members of the Musical Club.&nbsp; Nineteen singers and instrumentalists will perform works by Baroque and Classical period composers (Handel, Dubuisson, Jacuet de la Guere, Pleyel), as well as original works by Connecticut composer, Bruce Neely.</p><p>The program will include:</p><p>Suite III in A for solo bass viola da gamba, by Dubuisson (fl. 1660 - 1690), performed by Laura Mazza-Dixon, viola da gamba</p><p>Suite for two harpsichords in C minor by G. F. Handel (1685-1759), performed by Anne Mayo, harpsichord and Ami Montstream, hammered dulcimer</p><p>Cantata &ldquo;Judith&rdquo; by Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665-1729), performed by Judith Milardo, soprano, Jane Alden, violin, Laura Mazza-Dixon, viola da gamba, and Anne Mayo, harpsichord</p><p>Five duets for clarinet by Ignaz Joseph Pleyel (1757-1831), performed by David Cohen and Alan Kennedy</p><p>The program will be capped by the Bill of Rights Singers, performing Neely Bruce&#39;s original settings of Three Amendments of the Constitution of the United States:</p><ul><li>The 6th Amendment, which granted rights to people accused in criminal prosecutions</li><li>The 13th Amendment, prohibiting slavery in the United States (world premiere)</li><li>The 19th Amendment, guaranteeing the right to vote to women. (Connecticut premiere)</li></ul><p>The Bill of Rights Singers include Mattie Banzhaf, Judith Milardo, Ami Montstream, Tema Silk, Claire Burnett, Laura Cook, Patrice Fitzgerald, Anne Mayo, Bob Bennett, Mark Child, Charles Feierabend, Terry Gustafson, David Kennedy, Richard Leslie, and Walter Mayo.</p>

Member Program - April 2, 2020

Manhattan Chamber Players - April 23, 2020

<h4><em><strong>Note: The Annual Business Meeting and Luncheon has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</strong></em></h4><div>&nbsp;</div><div><hr /></div><p>Sign up at the April programs or reserve by mail. Details will be published in the Spring Bulletin.</p><p>Meeting is for members only and is free. Luncheon is for members and guests, with a charge for each meal.</p>

Annual Business Meeting and Luncheon - May 7, 2020

<p>Touch base with one another and share:</p><ul><li>How are you?</li><li>What have you been able to do to keep music in your life during the quarantine?</li></ul>