Menahem Pressler and his Orchestra

Menahem Pressler joins an orchestra made up of his friends in the New York Chamber Soloists to offer two unique programs.

Program #1 with Richard Stoltzman:
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto, K. 622
Brahms: Sonata No. 2 for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120
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Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17, K. 453


Program #2:
Haydn: Concertante, Op. 84
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17, K. 453
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Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 19

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Menahem Pressler is one of the world's most distinguished and honored musicians, with a career that spans nearly six decades. Born in Magdeburg, Germany, Pressler received most of his musical training in Israel and began his international musical odyssey when he was awarded first prize at the Debussy International Piano Competition in San Francisco in 1946, followed by his North American concerto debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Ormandy.

Since then, Mr. Pressler has appeared with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the National Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Pittsburg Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, the Orchestre de Paris, the Orchestre National de Belgique, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under the baton of Kurt Masur.

In 1955, Mr. Pressler co-founded the Beaux Arts Trio, which has become one of the most enduring and widely acclaimed chamber music ensembles in musical history. The Beaux Arts has made more than 50 recordings on the Philips label, and has performed around the globe, winning numerous international honors.

Richard Stoltzman's virtuosity, musicianship and sheer personal magnetism have made him one of today's most sought-after concert artists. As soloist with more than a hundred orchestras, as a captivating recitalist and chamber music performer, as an innovative jazz artist, and as a prolific recording artist, two-time Grammy Award winner Stoltzman has defied categorization, dazzling critics and audiences alike throughout many musical genres.

Richard Stoltzman has a discography numbering over 50 releases on BMG/RCA, SONY Classical, MMC, BIS, Albany and other labels, including a Grammy-winning recording of Brahms Sonatas with Richard Goode. Among Stoltzman's most beloved releases are "Amber Waves", a CD of American works, and the Trios of Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart with Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma, which won Stoltzman his second Grammy Award. Recent releases include the acclaimed recordings of Hartke's "Landscapes with Blues" with IRIS, conducted by Michael Stern (Naxos), a New York Times "Best of 2003", and Rautavaara's Clarinet Concerto recorded with Leif Segerstam and the Helsinki Philharmonic, released on Ondine (2005). Tom McKinley's "RAP" with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and an all-Bach recording are two forthcoming releases.

*In cooperation with Frank Salomon Associates*