Brahms & Mendelssohn
$41
- Elisa Barston, violin
- Noah Geller, violin
- Mikhail Shmidt, violin
- Mara Gearman, viola
- Nathan Chan, cello
- Meeka Quan DiLorenzo, cello
- Jessica Choe, piano
Felix Mendelssohn — Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49
Two titans of chamber repertoire join on this series-opening program. Brahms' most profound music, rich, expansive, and lyrical, explores every color and combination of the intimate ensemble. Mendelssohn's Piano Trio is sparkling, sweet and intimate music at the heart of the Romantic chamber tradition.
About Seattle Symphony
Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives, and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 26 Grammy nominations, and two Emmy Awards, and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle.
https://www.seattlesymphony.org/About Elisa Barston, violin
About Noah Geller, violin
Noah Geller is the David and Amy Fulton Concertmaster of the Grammy- and Gramophone-winning Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Named to that post at the conclusion of a multi-year search, Mr. Geller is among a small cadre of elite violinists who serve as both leaders and featured performers for the nation’s acclaimed orchestras. He will perform the Saint-Saëns la muse et le poète double concerto with Principal Cello Efe Baltacigil for the symphony’s 2022-23 opening night concert in September and the Bartók Violin Concerto No. 2 with the Seattle Symphony in March 2023. He has previously brought to life the Glazunov and Mendelssohn concerti, Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending, Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherezade, and Mozart Requiem in Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony.
In addition to serving as SSO concertmaster, Mr. Geller has performed as guest concertmaster with the Symphony Orchestras of Pittsburgh, Houston, and Beijing (China National Symphony) and as acting assistant concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. An in-demand chamber musician, he has performed in the Marlboro, Kingston, Saratoga, Seattle, and Taos festivals and has appeared in numerous concert series including those of Lyon & Healy Hall, Dolce Suono Ensemble, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Lyric Chamber Music Society. A student of Jennifer Cappelli, Geller received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Juilliard School where he studied with Hyo Kang, Cho-Liang Lin, and Donald Weilerstein. He now resides in Seattle with his wife, percussionist Mari Yoshinaga, and their canine companion, Monkey.
An enthusiastic supporter of contemporary makers, Mr. Geller performs on a c. 2020 violin by Philadelphia luthier Justin Hess, from whom he has commissioned a second instrument, using a c. 1830 bow by Claude Joseph Fonclause for Etienne Pajeot.
https://seattlesymphony.org/en/about/meetthemusicians/theorchestra/artists/first-violin/geller-noahAbout Mikhail Shmidt, violin
About Mara Gearman, viola
About Nathan Chan, cello
Cellist Nathan Chan made his musical debut at age three conducting the San Jose Chamber Orchestra. He has performed as a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony and The Royal Philharmonic, among others and was hailed by San Francisco Chronicle’s Joshua Kosman for his "profound technical gift and... his mastery of musical narrative." Chan was a chosen artist for Fondation Louis Vuitton's Classe d'Excellence du Violoncelle with renowned cellist Gautier Capuçon. Nathan earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics from Columbia University and has a growing internet presence with over 25 million views on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. (@nathanchancello) Nathan studied with Richard Aaron at The Juilliard School, where he earned his Masters of Music. Nathan recently released his first NFT, collaborating with AI Artist Lia Coleman, combining classical music with machine learning art. He is currently Assistant Principal Cello of the Seattle Symphony.
https://nathanchan.com/About Meeka Quan DiLorenzo, cello
Multi-award-winning cellist Meeka Quan DiLorenzo, who thrills audiences with playing described as "incredibly nuanced" and "exquisitely beautiful," began her professional career as first-prize winner of the Khuner Concerto Competition at age 15 and debuted soon after, performing the Antonín Dvořák Cello Concerto with the Pacific Symphony under the direction of Carl St. Clair. A graduate of the Young Artist Program of the Cleveland Institute of Music and subsequent recipient of the Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance, Ms. Quan DiLorenzo was awarded the highly competitive position of Associate Principal of the Utah Symphony in her inaugural professional audition and remained with that ensemble for five years before joining the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
An avid chamber musician, Ms. Quan DiLorenzo, a frequent collaborator with Dmitry Sinkovsky; has performed with members of the Juilliard and Cleveland string quartets; and received invitations to the Aspen, Ravinia, Taos, Kingston, Sun Valley, Seattle, Oregon Bach, and Kneisel Hall festivals. She began her cello studies at age 6 with Suzuki teacher Beth Goldstein and has since studied under Julie Feldman, Irene Sharp, Richard Aaron, and Stephan Geber.
https://www.seattlesymphony.org/about/meetthemusicians/theorchestra/artists/orchestra%20order/cello/dilorenzo-quan-meekaIllsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall
200 University St.Seattle, WA 98101
United States