Concerts

Week of May 15, 2021

Costa Rican pianist Juan Pablo Andrade is the recipient of numerous awards at several international piano competitions in Costa Rica, The U.S. and Brazil, besides being awarded the National Prize of Music by the Costa Rican Ministry of Culture. He performs extensively across the U.S., Latin America and Europe as a recitalist, collaborator and soloist with orchestras. Andrade has been a soloist with the Costa Rica and the Bolivia National Symphonies, as well as the South Bend and the Greensboro Symphonies among others. Recent performances include Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, in Gillette, Wyoming, and Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto in Costa Rica’s National Theater.  His recent CD for Centaur Records (CRC3666) titled War to Peace, a recording with violinist Betul Soykan featuring works composed during WW II, has received worldwide critical acclaim. In addition to his performance activities, Andrade is a professor of piano at UT Rio Grande Valley and at the Semper Music international Summer Festival in the Italian Alps.

 

Martha Aarons’ professional career began with her appointment as principal flute of the North Carolina Symphony, after which she played with the Cleveland Orchestra for 25 years. After becoming a freelancer in 2006, she performed often with the Philadelphia Orchestra. During this time she also appeared as guest principal flute with the Metropolitan Opera, Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Mostly Mozart Festival, Jakarta Sinfonia, and the World Orchestra for Peace. Ms. Aarons served as Artist Faculty with the Aspen Music Festival for 19 years and has played in the Grand Teton Festival as well. In May of 2015, she participated in the Cubadisco music festival in Havana, Cuba. She has been soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, Aspen Chamber Symphony, and Ohio Chamber Orchestra. In 2003 Ms. Aarons performed the Aspen Music Festival premiere of the Flute Concerto by Christopher Rouse. Her CD, The History of the Tango, is recorded on the Azica label. It additionally features pianist Frances Renzi and Grammy-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux.

 

At age 21 Lev Polyakin, violin, was appointed co-concertmaster of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra. In that position he was regularly featured as soloist, with many of his performances recorded by Melodia. In the U.S. he served as assistant concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as concertmaster of the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen Music Festival. In 1984 Lev won several prizes in two international violin competitions, Carl Flesch in London and Romanini in Brescia, Italy. In addition to his solo performances with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Mr. Polyakin has appeared as soloist with the London Mozart Players, Royal Philharmonic, and Cleveland Orchestra. Recording credits include Melodia, BBC, National Public Radio, and Decca. He is prominently featured on a CD of the chamber music of Paul Schoenfield, which was nominated for a Grammy. Mr. Polyakin has a special interest in jazz and has recorded three CDs with his group “Russian Blue