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Recent Reviews
- Camerata Singers – Considering Matthew Shepard
- Chamber Music Monterey Bay — Escher String Quartet
- Aizuri String Quartet — Fabulous Artistry
- YMMC March Concert – Migration
- Ensemble Monterey’s Tribute to an Early Spring
- Pianist Kevin Lee Sun in Aptos Keyboard Series
- Monterey Symphony presents: Ovation
- The Thoughtful Muse: A Recital by Pianist Daria Rabotkina
- Stravinsky – Music & Dance in Miami
- Ehnes Quartet in Beethoven Quartet Cycle
- Heavy Stuff – A Recital by Vladimir Feltsman
- Santa Cruz Symphony: Catharsis
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Carmel Music Society opens its new season with pianist Olga Kern

Presented by the Carmel Music Society, Russian-American pianist Olga Kern made a triumphant return yesterday afternoon to Sunset Center in Carmel. Kern was elegantly dressed in a flowing red designer gown for the first half of the recital and in a flowing silver designer gown for the second half. Not only did her appearance make quite an impression, but so did her stage presence. An engaging smile and a charming manner when speaking to the audience won us over before she even played a note.
Peter Thorp, President of the Carmel Music Society had added some new technology to the afternoon’s recital. A video camera suspended over the piano keyboard projected a view from above of the pianist’s hands during the performances onto a screen over the stage. Thus, we could enjoy a side view from the audience plus a video top view of the pianist’s hands.
After a warmup performance of a rarely-heard Beethoven set of Variations on a Theme by Salieri, Kern settled in to perform one of the greatest works Beethoven ever composed for the keyboard, the Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53, known as the “Waldstein.” We heard a masterful performance of the first movement that held our attention throughout Beethoven’s presentation of compelling musical ideas, its powerful development section and satisfying recapitulation and coda. The brief second movement, Adagio Molto, served as an introduction to the concluding Rondo that was capped off by the Prestissimo finale. Kern brought a lot of charm, vitality and easy virtuosity to her performance of this sonata and made it look easy in the process.
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Archived in these categories: 20th Century, Carmel Music Society, Classical Era, Piano
Pianist Wu Han performs for Carmel Music Society

Pianist Wu Han is no stranger to Sunset Center, for she has frequently appeared in ensemble with her cellist husband David Finckel, and violinist partner Philip Setzer. However, yesterday afternoon we heard her in all her glory as a piano soloist performing for the Carmel Music Society. Speaking to the audience from the stage, Wu explained that the two extended works she was performing for us in this recital had special significance as pieces to which she has a long and emotional connection.
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Archived in these categories: Carmel Music Society, Romantic Era
Brentano Quartet & Pianist Yekwon Sunwoo at Sunset Center

It was a pleasure to welcome back the Brentano Quartet for a return engagement after its highly acclaimed performance for the Carmel Music Society in 2013. On this occasion, the quartet was joined by 29-year-old pianist Yekwon Sunwoo, Gold Medalist at the Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, who had recently appeared on the Carmel Music Society’s series in September 2018.
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Archived in these categories: Carmel Music Society, Chamber music, Classical Era, Piano trio