Monthly Archives: March 2015
New Music Guild to Host Kobayashi Gray Violin and Piano Duo
The New Music Guild third concert set of the season will take place 11:00am Friday, March 27 in Bliss Hall (across from the Butler Institute of American Art) at the Dana School of Music Convocation Series, and 4:00pm Sunday, March 29 at Ss. Peter and Paul Church (Holy Apostles Parish). There will also be a Friday morning assembly program at Chaney High School, location of Youngstown's new Arts High School. The concerts will feature the acclaimed Kobayashi/Gray Violin and Piano Duo.
The Kobayashi/Gray Violin and Piano Duo
The Duo made their international concert debut as winners of the prestigious United States Information Agency Artistic Ambassador auditions, touring South America and the West Indies, appearing at an international workshop in Stavanger, Norway, in South Africa's the Western and Eastern Cape, and in Thailand (2012). They performed all over the United States on major Museum Series and music organization national conferences, specializing in music by 19th to 21st Century women composers. They released two CDs containing this repertoire. Eight of the recorded pieces were premiere recordings.
Laura Kobayashi
Violinist Laura Kobayashi, a graduate of the illustrious Dorothy DeLay Violin Studio at the Juilliard School of Music, pursued graduate study at Yale, and completed her doctorate at the University of Michigan. She has appeared as soloist with the Seattle, Spokane, and Grand Junction Symphonies and has participated in festivals in the United States, Puerto Rico, Norway, Argentina, and Brazil. She also leads a varied career as chamber musician and orchestral musician, adjudicator, and teacher. She is Artist Teacher of Violin at the Main Street Studios, Fairfax, Virginia, and taught at West Virginia University, the Universities of Nebraska and Georgia and at the San Francisco Conservatory.
Susan Keith Gray
Pianist Susan Keith Gray has performed throughout the United States, South America, Norway, South Africa, Japan, Panama, Taiwan, and Thailand. She has appeared as soloist with the South Dakota, Spartenburg, and Savanah Symphonies. A graduate of Converse College, she pursued graduate study at the University of Illinois, and finished her doctorate at the University of Michigan. She is member of the University of South Dakota Rawlins Piano Trio and performs regularly with internationally known chamber musicians. She teaches Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of South Dakota.
Showcased Music
From the women composer repertoire the Duo will perform Libby Larsen's Blue Piece, Ellen Taaffe Zwillich's Tango (movement 3 from her Partita), Emma Lou Diemer's Suite, and local composer Gwyneth Rollin's Impressions. They will also play YSU Professor Emeritus Robert Rollin's Lyric Counterpoint on a Theme by Warshawsky. Warshawsky was a Jewish folk music composer who toured White Russia performing his original songs with guitar accompaniment. Jewish author Shalom Aleychem championed his music in the United States and helped arrange for two published editions of his entrancing compositions. Rounding out the events will be William Bolcom's Graceful Ghost Rag Variations (which appeared in its original piano solo version on Bolcom's and William Albright's legendary Nonesuch recording) and Lukas Foss' Three American Variations.
Ticket Information
Both concerts are free of charge and open to the Youngstown community. The New Music Guild, Inc. will sponsor be a 5:30 reception in honor of the Kobayashi/Grey Duo after the Sunday March 29 concert.
New Music Society 