2010-2011 CONCERT SEASON

TREETOPS CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY

Greenwich-Stamford, Connecticut

Tel. 203-979-6052

Great performances in an intimate setting

The 2011-2012 Concert Season

Oskar Espina Ruiz, Artistic Director

All performances at The Treetops Studio, 359 Merriebrook Lane, Stamford, CT 06902, unless otherwise specified | Directions to Treetops

All concerts are followed by a free reception with the artists. Free parking. Access for persons with disabilities.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 Sunday at 4 pm

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OPENING NIGHT:
YOON KWON AND MIN KWON
With an Art Exhibit by Lauren Cotton

Yoon Kwon, violin, Min Kwon, piano

BRAHMS Sonatensatz
BRAHMS Sonata No. 1
FAURE Sonata

Violinist Yoon Kwon and her sister, pianist Min Kwon, both have extraordinary careers of their own as soloists and chamber musicians. Yoon Kwon is also first violinist of the MET Orchestra. Together, Yoon Kwon and Min Kwon have given over 200 joint recitals throughout the United States under the auspices of CAMI and have recorded for BMG/RCA Red Seal. More recently, they have performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto under the baton of Alan Gilbert and returned to their native country of Korea to perform the Mendelssohn Double Concerto with the KBS Orchestra.

OCTOBER 23, 2011 Sunday at 4 pm

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2011 ARRIAGA COMPETITION
WINNERS CONCERT
With an Art Exhibit by Marina Shrady

Lysander Piano Trio (Itamar Zorman, Violin, Michael Katz, Cello, Liza Stepanova, Piano) (Joint 1^st Prize Winner)
Harmonium Quartet (William Conn, Soprano Sax, Po-Fang Chang, Alto Sax, Collin Stegeman, Tenor Sax, Sheldon Johnson, Baritone Sax) (Joint 1^st Prize Winner)

PIAZZOLLA Four, For Tango
NODA Les Oiseaux
DONATONI Rasch
BUTERA World Première
ALBRIGHT Selections from Fantasy Etudes
DVORAK Piano Trio in F Minor, Op. 65

The Arriaga Competition, which Treetops CMS founded in 2008, has consistently produced some of the most exciting programs of the season at Treetops, in part for the tremendous energy of these ensembles, in part for the refreshing new repertoire. The Arriaga Winners are outstanding ensembles at the start of professional careers, with members not exceeding 30 years of age. As an example of the talent fostered at the Arriaga Competition, this year, Itamar Zorman, violinist of the Lysander Piano Trio, after winning at the Arriaga Competition went on to win the top prize at the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia, chaired by Valery Gergiev.

APRIL 1, 2012 Sunday at 4 pm

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MUSICIANS FROM RAVINIA
With an Art Exhibit by Na'ama Zussman

Musicians from Ravinia’s Steans Institute (Miriam Fried, violin, Tessa Lark, violin, Philip Kramp, viola, Deborah Pae, cello, Nathan Vickery, cello, Adam Golka, piano)

BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Opus 11
RANDS String Quartet No. 2
SCHUBERT String Quintet in C Major, D. 956

Musicians from Ravinia’s Steans Institute is a chamber ensemble whose members are selected each year from the most promising musicians to attend the Institute’s summer session at Ravinia. Their concert programs are always built around some of the greatest masterpieces of the chamber music repertoire.

APRIL 22, 2012 Sunday at 4 pm

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AMERICAN STRING QUARTET
With an Art Exhibit by Robbin Juris

American String Quartet (Peter Winograd, violin, Laurie Carney, violin, Daniel Avshalomov, viola, Wolfram Koessel, cello); Oskar Espina Ruiz, clarinet; Andrew Lázaro, bongos

HAYDN: String Quartet in G Major, Op. 77 No. 1
FUENTES: “Claribongo” for clarinet, bongos and string quartet (world co-première with Casals Festival)
BEETHOVEN: String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130 (with Grosse Fuge)

Founded at The Juilliard School and winning both the Coleman Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Award in the same year, the American String Quartet is recognized as one of the world’s foremost quartets. This program brings together two giants of quartet writing, Haydn and Beethoven, including the magnificent Grosse Fuge. Then the program jumps to the forefront of new music with the world co-premiére by Fuentes, whose music was presented at LAA by Treetops CMS last year as part of the Bongo Passion New York Tour.

MAY 20, 2012 Sunday at 4 pm

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CASSATT STRING QUARTET
AND URSULA OPPENS
With an Art Exhibit by Joanna Astor

Cassatt String Quartet (Muneko Otani, violin; Jennifer Leshnower, violin; Sarah Adams, viola; Nicole Johnson, cello); Ursula Oppens, piano; Oskar Espina Ruiz, clarinet

COPLAND: Sextet for clarinet, piano and string quartet
KAMINSKY: String Quartet No. 5 “Cadmium Yellow”
BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34

Named after the celebrated American impressionist painter Mary Cassatt and acclaimed as one of America's outstanding ensembles, the Manhattan-based Cassatt String Quartet joins forces with Pianist Ursula Oppens to bring to Treetops CMS a masterpiece of the chamber music repertoire, the Brahms Piano Quintet. Laura Kaminsky’s “Cadmium Yellow” Quartet is based on paint pigment and paintings, according to the composer, a great match both for the quartet and for Treetops, which presents a one-day art exhibit at each concert.

JUNE 10, 2012 Sunday at 4 pm

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HARPIST LISA TANNEBAUM
AND FRIENDS
With an Art Exhibit by Polly Kurasch

Lisa Tannebaum, harp; Oren Fader, guitar; Oskar Espina Ruiz, clarinet

GRANADOS: Danzas Españolas Op. 11 (selections) arr. guitar and harp
ALBENIZ: Suite Española Op. 47 (selections) arr. guitar
HOUDY: Sonata for harp
SCHUBERT: Arpeggione Sonata D. 821, arr. clarinet and guitar
DAMASE: Sonata for clarinet and harp
FALLA: Homage to Debussy for guitar; The Miller’s Dance (from The Three-Cornered Hat) for guitar
DEBUSSY: 2 Arabesques, arr. clarinet and harp

This past season a collaboration between guitarist Oren Fader and Harpist Lisa Tannebaum revealed at Treetops CMS the extraordinary sounds and delicate nuances that these two instruments can bring to the concert stage. This season this collaboration is further expanded, including Treetops CMS Artistic Director, clarinetist Oskar Espina Ruiz, to present Schubert’s beloved Arpeggione Sonata and an homage to Debussy, celebrating the 150^th anniversary of his birth.