Sunday, March 5th 2006

Program

Beethoven: Sonata in D major, Op. 10, No.3
Beethoven: Sonata in E major, Opus 109
Schumann: Fantasy, Opus 17
Schoenberg: Six Little Pieces, Opus 19
Lewis Spratlan: (new work)

The twenty-four year-old American pianist, Jonathan Biss, has already proven himself an accomplished and exceptional musician with a flourishing international reputation. Noted for his intriguing programs, artistic maturity and versatility, Mr. Biss performs a diverse repertoire ranging from Mozart and Beethoven through the Romantics to Janacek and Schoenberg, as well as works by many contemporary composers.

Mr. Biss has performed with most major North American orchestras, including the Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago and Dallas Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonic Orchestras, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony and the Pittsburgh Symphony. Among the orchestras he has performed with abroad are the BBC, the Israel Philharmonic, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Staatskapelle Berlin.

During this past summer, Mr. Biss returned to the Ravinia Festival and made his debut at six international music festivals: Aspen, the Hollywood Bowl, Tanglewood, the Risor Festival in Norway, London’s Mostly Mozart Festival, and the Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Germany. In past seasons he has performed at Caramoor, Marlboro, Bad Kissingen, the Spoleto Festival in Italy, at Verbier, and the Klavier Festival Ruhr in Germany.

Mr. Biss’ first commercial recording: a CD on the EMI lable comprising Schumann’s Davidsbuedlertaenze, Op. 6 and Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata has won wide acclaim. He represents the third generation in a family of professional musicians that includes his grandmother, the cellist Raya Garbousove (for whom Samuel Barber composed his Cello Concerto) and his parents, violinist Miriam Fried and violist/violinist Paul Biss. Mr. Biss studied at Indiana University with Evelyne Brancart and at The Curtis Institute of Music with Leon Fleisher.

Mr. Biss’ March 5th recital will take place at the Wilton Congregational Church, Route 33 just north of Wilton Center. Tickets will be available at the door one-half hour prior to the performance for $25 (Seniors pay $18, Students pay $10). For more information, or to pre-reserve a ticket, phone (203) 762-3401 or (203) 762-5019. Please note that seating is not assigned. The Candlelight Concerts benefit the Wilton Library.