Performance #1
Wine & Cheese Reception: 6:00 - 7:00PM
Concert: 7:00PM - 8:00PM
Performance #2
Wine & Cheese Reception: 7:30 - 8:30PM
Concert: 8:30PM - 9:30PM
How do you find your voice in the loudest city in the world? The second show in our Ghosts of Gotham mini-series features the dynamic duo of bassoonist/vocalist Eleni Katz and pianist/composer Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner, with a program of musical gems that have been unearthed from the endless hustle and bustle of NYC, diamonds of sound that were forged in the stress and pressure of the city, the loneliness, and the vibrant life that quivers on every street corner. We’ll hear from the titans of the past (Bernstein, Copland, and Gershwin) as well as voices of tomorrow like Cindi Hsu, Lila Meretzky, Jeff Scott, and Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner himself.
From peaceful parks to lonely coffee shops, NYC has always felt loudest in its moments of silence. This pensive program will take us through the sounds - and absence thereof - that gives true voice to this marvelous metropolis.
Cindi Hsu: Spring Fever Pastoral Fever
Leonard Bernstein: One Hand, One Heart, from West Side Story
Aaron Copland: Dirge in the Woods
Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner: Balada Mexicana
Consuelo Velázquez, arr. Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner: Bésame Mucho
Leonard Bernstein: Somewhere from West Side Story
George Gershwin: Summertime from Porgy and Bess Bassoon and Voice
Lila Meretzky: Sea Glass Partita for Singing Bassoonist
I. Whole
II. Crescent Moon
III. Translucent Electric Blue
IV. Dawn on the Edges
V. Again
Jeff Scott: Elegy for Innocence
Eleni Katz
Hailed for her virtuosity and vibrant musical spirit, bassoonist Eleni Katz has established herself as a prominent soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. Eleni is a winner of the 2022 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and has performed with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony, the Sarasota Orchestra, and as a member of the New World Symphony. Other recent appearances include La Jolla Chamber Music Society’s SummerFest, a Carnegie Hall Debut with Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner through Young Performers Career Advancement (YPCA) and a 2022 fellowship with the Phoenix Chamber Music Society, Music Academy of the West, Artosphere Festival Orchestra, and Spoleto Festival USA. Eleni was a winner of Yale’s Concerto Competition and was a semifinalist in the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition. Her approach to playing the bassoon has been described as “uncannily human” (The Royal Gazette) and has always believed the bassoon should emulate the organic nature of the human voice. As a chamber musician, Eleni always strives to perform in a “thoughtful and expressive” manner (San Diego Union Tribune).
Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner
Lauded as “a gifted virtuoso” (San Francisco Chronicle), 25-year-old Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner’s performances have enthralled his audiences. He was selected as a winner of the 2022 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and has been distinguished as a Gilmore Young Artist, an honor awarded to the most promising American pianists of the new generation. His multifaceted artistry has been featured on NPR, PBS, CNN International, and in The Wall Street Journal; recent performances include the Concertgebouw, the Louvre, the Verbier Festival, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. Mr. Sánchez-Werner holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Juilliard, where he was awarded the Kovner Fellowship, won the concerto competition, and was the youngest admittee to each program, at ages 14 and 18, respectively. He received an Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music, where he was awarded the Charles S. Miller Prize.