Pianist Benjamin Hochman joins forces with Lincoln Center CMS Two artist Arnaud Sussmann and Associate Principal Cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra Efe Baltacigil to perform two great Romantic piano trios at the TREETOPS CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY on March 21. “We wanted to include Schumann as 2010 is his anniversary, and also show his influence on Brahms,” explains Benjamin Hochman. The program includes Haydn’s Piano Trio in G Major, Hob. 15/25; Schumann’s Trio in D minor, Op. 63; and the Brahms Trio in C Major, Op. 87.
Pianist Benjamin Hochman has achieved widespread acclaim for his performances as orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. He has performed with the New York and Israel Philharmonics, the Chicago, Pittsburgh, American and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestras, Seattle, Vancouver, New Jersey and Portland Symphonies and the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada under eminent conductors. Mr. Hochman has collaborated with the Mendelssohn, Casals, Prazak and Daedalus Quartets, the Zukerman ChamberPlayers, members of the Guarneri and Orion Quartets and with Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, Cho-Liang Lin, Ani Kavafian, and Ralph Kirshbaum.
The art exhibit will feature Stamford-based artist Polly Kurasch, whose work has been exhibited at galleries in Lake Placid, New York, Stamford, CT, and Manhattan, as well as at the United Nations. The artist writes:
“The soaring yet intimate space at Treetops is an artist’s dream. The work I am presenting on March 21 was conceived with this space in mind. One group of photographic images of polymer clay sculptures will be printed cutouts, enlarged to almost life sized (horse-sized). Another group of smaller prints are based on Gauguin’s ‘White Horse.’ I constructed three sculptures using the horse/rider images from this painting as models. I photographed these sculptures and created digital collages using my own original paintings and drawings as well as Gauguin’s. They are my ‘riffs’ on ‘White Horse,’ a friendly nod to the musical space. And as with music, technique is only important if it can deliver the guts of the artist.”
A free reception will follow the concert, allowing concertgoers to enjoy Polly Kurasch’s artwork and to meet the artists. The beautiful landscape of the Treetops estate and surrounding Mianus River Park, which evolves from month to month, and from concert to concert, will already show thousands of daffodil shoots poking through its famous daffodil gardens, as they warm up for their full bloom in April. Music, art and nature play together at Treetops CMS, making it a unique place to experience music.
Concert at 4:00 PM on Sunday, March 21, 2010, at The Treetops Studio, 359 Merriebrook Ln. (off Westover Rd.), in Stamford, CT. Tickets are $25 for subscribers; single tickets are $40; discounts for students and families are available. For more information, please call (203) 979-6052, or log on to www.treetopscms.org.
