Yakov Kasman - Pianist  September 20, 2008 - His silver medal at the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was the culmination of several competition triumphs, including the 1991 London World Piano Competition, the 1992 Artur  Rubinstein International Competition, and the 1995 International Prokofiev Competition. He has garnered numerous recording awards in France, as well as “Superlative” ratings from the American Record Guide. Performing to raving audiences in the United States, Russia, Europe, and Asia with more than forty orchestras, including the Orchestra de Lille in France, the Singapore Symphony, the Moscow Philharmonia Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic, Yakov Kasman consistently displays equal parts fierce technique and fluent emotion.

“…his playing transcended the notes…” - The Oregonian

http://www.yakovkasman.com/index.html

Thüringer Salonquintett  - October 13, 2008 - A shining example of the central European tradition of light and entertaining music. The quintet is comprised of the classic Kaffeehaus instrumentation of two violins (one doubling viola), cello, double bass and piano, and is widely renowned for achieving technical brilliance with a light-hearted, seemingly effortless approach. Having mastered music from mid-1700’s Vienna through early 20th Century America with consistently sold-out tours, this season’s impeccable, all-new program is entitled Springtime in Denver and showcases the works of American music icon, John Denver. With delightfully unforgettable arrangements, Thüringer Salonquintet continues to masterfully shatter pre-existing notions of “classical” and “pop” delineations.

Is it bluegrass? Is it jazz? Is it classical, ragtime, or Celtic? If Pianafiddle is performing, the answer is YES! Starting with only the framework of familiar melody, pianist Lynn Wright and violinist/fiddler Adam DeGraff improvise as they go, blending the known and the unknown in gripping performances that make toes tap and hands clap! Wright (longtime jazz pianist with a 10-year stint at the legendary Silver Dollar Saloon) and DeGraff (classical violinist, 5 years with The Richmond Symphony) immediately recognized in the other a complimentary talent and a shared passion to explore all musical genres. Traditionally grounded yet spontaneous, Pianafiddle transcends performance paradigms, engrossing the audience with each note.

http://www.pianafiddle.com/index.html