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- Pianist Kevin Lee Sun in Aptos Keyboard Series
- Monterey Symphony presents: Ovation
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A Steinway Celebration

On January 25, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula, we heard a very special concert celebrating the renovation of a splendid 115-year-old Steinway 6’4″ grand piano originally donated by parishioner Harry Ogden in 1992. This instrument was recently totally rebuilt and refinished thanks to donations from church members.
This concert was a standing-room-only sellout — there were not enough printed programs so latecomers had to share. But for those of us fortunate enough to squeeze into the limited space, it was a very rewarding concert. The featured artists on this occasion were pianist Lucy Faridany, cellist Linda Mehrabian, and vocalists Jody Lee and Patty Pai.
We heard some unusual repertoire — how often have you heard works combining voice, cello and piano? Well we heard several of them during this concert by composers Fauré, César Franck, Debussy and Poulenc. Singers Lee and Pai impressed us with their lovely voices, superb musicianship and lovely shaping of phrases.
Cellist Linda Mehrabian has a beautiful rich sound and charmed us with her elegant playing in works by Gabriel Fauré and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
The player with the largest role during the concert was Lucy Faridany, who always impresses us with her ability to get to the heart and soul of any work she performs. There is a naturalness to her playing, whether supporting others in ensemble playing or as a soloist, for on this occasion she performed Chopin’s Fantasie-Impromptu and Waltz in E Minor, Op. Posth, and and then blew us away with a powerful performance of Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23, No. 5.
We can hope that there will be many more concerts in the Church’s Music Series.
End
Archived in these categories: Cello, Chamber music, Piano, Vocal
Carmel Chamber Players Debut in Home Concert
Review of Carmel Chamber Players

I enjoy walking the beach and enjoy the many trails we have in the Monterey area. Even so, I passed up my afternoon walk on Sunday, October 27, 2019 to attend a wonderful concert. I am so glad I took the time to sit still and experience an afternoon of chamber music by the Carmel Chamber Players. This, incidentally, is the debut appearance of this newly founded group. I joined a small group of guests at the Bronson Piano Studio in Carmel Highlands. Chamber music historically has been played and enjoyed in homes, and the living room studio in the home of Lyn and Renée Bronson is a perfect setting. To listen while viewing the trees behind the pianos is always a joy.
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Archived in these categories: Cello, Chamber music, Piano, Violin
Cellist Janneke Hoogland & Pianist James Neiman at Del Mesa

In a late afternoon recital, we had an opportunity yesterday to hear a performance by two relatively new arrivals on the Monterey Peninsula, cellist Janneke Hoogland and pianist James Neiman. They performed works for cello and piano by J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff for a capacity audience of family, friends and residents of Del Mesa Carmel.
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Archived in these categories: Cello, Chamber Music Monterey Bay, Piano