Alumni News
October 2009
By Robert W. Weinman
Pianist Vassily Primakov's ('98) CD Chopin: 21 Mazurkas has come in for strong praise from American Record Guide: "Every phrase is perfectly conceived, every hesitation is perfect, and yet the flow is unimpeded and nothing seems calculated or neurotic." ... Pianists Orion Weiss ('00) and Anna Polonsky ('97 and '98) are engaged; they will perform in recital together here in October for Camerata Pacifica. ... Pianists Jeffrey Savage ('93) and Karen Hsiao Savage ('00), who perform together as 88² (88 squared), recently took top honors and received the Abild American Music Award at the National Federation of Music Clubs' (NFMC) Ellis Duo-Pianist Competition in South Carolina. In addition to receiving $10,000, 88² will present recitals arranged by the NFMC over the next two years. In February the duo premiered Centaurus A by Heather Schmidt and performed Pieces of Reich by Daniel Ott at Weill Recital Hall. ... Violinist Giora Schmidt ('01) returned to the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival this summer for performances of works by Brahms, Beethoven, and Vivaldi as well as the Schubert Octet. He will next solo with the Las Vegas Philharmonic (Tchaikovsky) and the Napa Valley Symphony (Beethoven). ... Violinist Soran Lee ('09) recently soloed with the Korean Symphony. ... Violinist William Harvey ('02) was interviewed on NPR about his successful program "Cultures in Harmony," which does musical outreach in less-developed countries. ... Bass-baritone Evan Hughes ('05 and '06) was a big success as Leporello at Tanglewood with James Levine conducting. ... Violinist Josh Weilerstein ('07 and '08) has won the international Malko Competition for Young Conductors in Copenhagen, Denmark. His spoils include 20,000 euros and performance dates with 16 Scandinavian orchestras over the next three years. Josh also won the Audience Prize based on Internet polling that took place during the competition. ... Sopranos Erica Strauss ('03) and Wendy Bryn Harmer ('02 and '03) each won $10,000 in the Lissner Competition. Former Academy faculty member Jonathan Kelley, now an assistant conductor at the Met, accompanied them both. ... Soprano Jessica Rivera ('01) performed in the world premiere of John Adams' A Flowering Tree. ... Pianist Minju Choi ('04 and '05) augments her international concertizing with a program in Indianapolis that provides talented children with free private lessons. ... Pianist Theresa Kim ('06) recently performed in China and North Korea, performing Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in Pyongyang. ... Mezzo-soprano Deb Domanski ('03) will perform the title role in La Cenerentola with Albuquerque Opera. ... Clarinetist Michael Wayne ('02) is now assistant principal in Boston. ... Double bassist Paul DeNola ('00) is now with the National Symphony. ... Violinist Karl Sweeney ('07) is on the faculty of the Dublin Conservatory and performs with the Dublin Symphony. ... Gwen Seaton ('07 and '08) has been named second bassoon in Vancouver. ... Andrew Cuneo (bassoon '05) is principal with Sarasota Opera. ... Cellist Zuill Bailey ('89, '94, and '95), who regularly appears as part of the Perlman/Schmidt/Bailey Trio, has performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras all over the globe and recently shared the stage with Itzhak Perlman in Israel. ... Trombonists Vanessa Fralick and Louis Bremer (both '09) have won one-year positions with the San Antonio Symphony for the coming season. ... Nan Harrison Washburn (flute '74 and '75), who serves as music director and conductor of the Plymouth Canton Symphony Orchestras, was the driving force behind the recently released children's CD Magical Tunes & Marvelous Tales.
Robert W. Weinman is a member of the Music Academy Board of Directors. He chairs the Board's Student Activities and Alumni Committee.
