The Program

Mozart:  Sonata in D Major, K. 381
Schubert: Fantasy in F Minor, D. 940
Barber: From Souvenirs, Op. 28
Ravel: Ma Mere L'oye
Dvorák: Two Slavonic Dances:  Op. 72, No. 2 in E Minor & Op. 46, No. 1 in C Major

The Artists

Now living in the United States, Brazilian-born pianist Arnaldo Cohen has long had a reputation for astonishing his audiences with the musical authority and virtuosity of his performances.  After winning First Prize at the 1972 Busoni International Festival he scored a triumph at the the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and, soon after, moved to London and went on to build a repertoire of some 50 concertos.  He has performed with such orchestras as the Royal Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra de la Suisse Romande and the Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome, collaborating with conductors Kurt Masur, Kurt Sanderling, Klaus Tennstedt and Yehudi Menuhin (who described Cohen as "one of the greatest pianists I have ever heard").  Also an active recitalist and chamber player, Mr. Cohen made a triumphant New York debut in 1997 at the Frick Museum, and for five years he was a member of the prestigious Amadeus Trio.  He has also performed with many string quartets, including the Lindsay, Chillingirian, Orlando and Vanbrugh Quartets.  For more information on Arnaldo Cohen visit www.arnaldocohen.com.

The unique combination of vivacious playing, highest technical finesse and lyrical talent heralds Mihaela Ursuleasa as one of today’s remarkable pianists.  Born in Romania in 1978, she had already given several public concerts by the age of 7 and as a young teenager won second prize at the International Piano Competition in Senigallia.  Upon the advice of Claudio Abbado, she went to study at the Vienna Conservatory and reaped the fruits of that decision in 1995 when she won the Clara Haskil Competition at the age of 16.  Soon thereafter she gave her concerto debut with Sir Colin Davis and the Orchestre National de France in Paris and made significant debuts with the Concertgebouw Orchestra under the direction of Kurt Sanderling playing Mozart; her Salzburg debut with the Mozarteum Orchestra; and her U.S. concerto debut performing Ravel with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.  Her oft-noted poetic qualities at the keyboard and great emotional depth have impressed audiences no less in recital.  She has appeared on series worldwide, including in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Philharmonie Cologne, Konzerthaus Vienna, Tonhalle Zürich and Carnegie Hall in New York.  She currently resides in Vienna, where she performs regularly at Konzerthaus and Musikverein.  For more information on Mihaela Ursuleasa visit www.ursuleasa.com.