Duo Prism in Concert at the Cyr Center Sunday July 15 at 3PM

Duo Prism (l to r): Jesse Mills, violin and

Rieko Aizawa, piano

Friends of Music continues its 26th Season with a much-anticipated performance by Duo Prism on Sunday, July 15 at 3:00PM at the Cyr Center in Stamford. Duo Prism includes Jesse Mills, violin and Rieko Aizawa, piano.

Those of us who heard the Silver Jubilee Chamber Ensemble at the 25th Anniversary concert last June will never forget Concertmaster Jesse Mills. The amazing group of talented musicians that he helped organize on such short notice and his leadership, charm and vibrant performance inspired and amazed us. We immediately invited him to return, and much to our delight he agreed! This year he will perform for us with his partner -- in music and in life -- Rieko Aizawa.

I will not repeat their lengthy credentials here; if you want to be thoroughly impressed I refer you to their Web site, duoprism.com or see the condensed version at friendsmusic.org. I'm still pinching myself that these amazing artists are willing to come to the mountains to play for us, in spite of the lack of prestige our little series offers. They certainly have our gratitude and I hope a healthy dose of good karma will be theirs as well.

When Mr. Mills first sent me their proposed program I was a bit hesitant; it seemed too "modern" for our conservative and traditional tastes. Jesse calmly allowed me to listen to a recording of Duo Prism playing the full sonata at an earlier date in Chicago, and of course it was beautiful and stirring and will no doubt be thoroughly enjoyed by us lucky folks on Sunday in the Catskills.

The program for July 15 is planned as follows:

Program

Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 1 in D major, Op. 12 No. 1 (1798)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
I. Allegro con brio
II. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto
III. Rondo: Allegro

Violin Sonata, Op. 119 (1942-43)
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (1899-1963)
I. Allegro con fuoco
II. Intermezzo:  Très lent et calme
III. Presto tragico

Intermission

Selections from Night Music
Ned Rorem (1923 - )
      Gnats
      The Two Moths

Sonata No. 3 in c minor, Op. 45 (1886-87)
Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907)
I. Allegro molto ed Appassionato
II. Allegretto espressivo alla Romanza
III. Allegro animato

We thank all of our donors and the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation in particular for your generous support, which makes this concert and our entire series possible. We are indeed fortunate people to have access to such amazing music right here at home.

We hope to see you on July 15th at the Cyr Center in Stamford for what will undoubtedly be a superb performance by Duo Prism!

The Ambassadors of Jazz

What a wonderful performance we enjoyed on Father's Day! There is definitely a trend developing this year, at least in my observations, and a healthy one at that. The musicians who come to perform in Stamford are often an international group, and these fabulous Jazz performers were no exception. Like our first concert this year, I found myself cajoling our regular attendees to come, since many who attend the classical features say they "don't like Jazz" (or Opera, as the case was back in April). And like the artists from the Lindemann Program and the Metropolitan opera, these three men (all from the Juilliard School at one time or another in their lives) provided a wonderful opportunity for us to stretch our musical comfort zone without causing any distress, and also provided a lovely afternoon for many who already know they do like Jazz, or at least the Jazz standards that Clovis Nicolas, John Chin and Kenny Washington played for us.

In fact Mr. Nicolas said to me after the concert that Mr. Washington, who teaches at Juilliard, is well known among the students as working to pass the torch for the great Jazz standards -- he is a standard bearer for the standards as is were. Judging from the rousing ovation the trio received, Mr. Washington should be happy for a job well done in that effort as well.

It was another perfectly beautiful summer day, and it was so enchanting to sit and hear the gentle variations on familiar tunes (and some that were new to us as well) while watching the sun sparkling on the surface of the water across the lawn and the lush green of the foliage as it grew into fullness from the ripening of the season. I promise to add some photos here soon and apologize for the delay in posting this. I hope as with the Opera performances as the seasons progress and we continue to offer a Jazz option that more and more people, familiar faces and new ones, will come to treasure these performances as much as we do the classical offerings.

Thank you so much, gentlemen!

Father's Day Concert to Feature Jazz Trio

Performing June 17th in Stamford (top to bottom, left to
right): John Chin, piano; Clovis Nicolas, bass and Kenny
Washington, drums.

Jazz at the Cyr Center -- it's true! In September 2011 Friends of Music presented its first jazz concert ever, to the great delight of those in the audience. Four talented young jazz musicians from the Juilliard School's acclaimed Jazz Program performed a fabulous set of standards from the American songbook. From my vantage point at the back of the room I can attest that all heads were bobbing, all toes were tapping in rhythm with songs that we all knew and loved.

The group was led by Clovis Nicolas, bass, and we invited him to organize another group for us this year. Joining Mr. Nicolas on Sunday, June 17th at 3:00 PM will be John Chin on piano and Kenny Washington on drums. The trio will take us “Around the World with Jazz Standards,” a program that's sure to be fun for the entire family and a great way to celebrate the day and spend some quality time with Dad!

Sunday, June 17th 2012, 3:00 PM

Around the World with Jazz Standards

John Chin, piano

Clovis Nicolas, bass

Kenny Washington, drums

1.  Broadway     Woods/Bird?McCrae

2.  On a Slow Boat to China     Frank Loesser

3.  A Night in Tunisia     Dizzy Gillespie

4.  April in Paris     Vernon Duke

5.  Girl from Ipanema     Antônio Carlos Jobim

6.  Serenade to Sweden     Duke Ellington

7.  Foggy Day (in London Town)     George and Ira Gershwin

8.  Autumn in New York     Vernon Duke

John Chin began playing piano at the age of four and has taught others to play the instrument since 1994. Born in Korea and raised in Los Angeles, Mr. Chin completed his undergraduate work by the age of nineteen and earned his Masters of Music from Rutgers University in 1999 as Kenny Barron's protégé. In 2011 John graduated from the Juilliard School as part of the prestigious Artist Diploma program. He has performed extensively in California, Dallas/Ft. Worth and in New York City with musicians including Ron Carter, Joe Chambers, Benny Golson, Mark Turner, and Vincent Herring. For more information and to hear samples from his recording Blackout Conception visit his Web site at http://www.johnchin.com/.

Clovis Nicolas  has performed and recorded extensively both in his native France and in New York since he moved here over 10 years ago. He has studied at Juilliard with legendary bass player Sir Ron Carter and shared the stage with prominent artists including Grant Stewart, Harry Allen, Benny Powell, Curtis Fuller, Branford Marsalis, James Williams, Peter Bernstein, Joe Magnarelli, Sacha Perry, Sachal Vasandani, Simon Shaheen, Carl Allen, Jane Monheit and Dan Nimmer.

One of the many young hard-bop revivalists to arrive on the scene in the late '70s and early '80s, drummer  Kenny Washington has played with such legendary veterans as Lee Konitz, Betty Carter, Johnny Griffin, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, and Tommy Flanagan.

Born in Brooklyn, Kenny Washington studied with the former Dizzy Gillespie drummer Rudy Collins and attended New York’s LaGuardia High School for Music & Art. A prolific freelancer, Mr. Washington has compiled an enormous discography, performing on dozens of sessions by many of jazz's most prominent figures. He currently teaches at the Juilliard School, and we are honored and thrilled that he will perform in Stamford with Mr. Nicolas and Mr. Chin!

Read more about the musicians and their extensive credentials at the Friends of Music Web site, friendsmusic.org.

We hope to see you at 3PM on Sunday, June 17th 2012, at the Cyr Center in Stamford for a great afternoon of classic jazz. As always we thank our many donors and especially the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation for your generosity which makes these concerts possible.