Congratulations and bravo again to all of the amazing recipients of Salon de Virtuosi 2021 Career Grants* who performed at our Gala Awards Concert presented live at Merkin Concert Hall:
We are thrilled to announce the return to live concerts with our 2021-2022 Season. We can’t wait to welcome you back to a series of unforgettable concerts in intimate settings featuring a new array of the most talented young musicians from around the world.
The protocols for our concerts and post-concert receptions will be guided by applicable governmental guidelines and the requirements of our host venues. We also recognize that circumstances may change as the situation evolves, and we will be prepared to adapt and adjust as needed. More detailed information will be shared prior to our performances.
With deepest thanks to the support of our members, benefactors and friends and a generous grant from the Alphadyne Foundation for enabling us to continue our mission!
We have continued our partnership with Mount Sinai Hospital and have begun to bring our artists back to the lovely Guggenheim Atrium to provide musical uplift to the doctors, staff and patients and celebrate the reduction in COVID-19 cases. Artistic Director Lora Tchekoratova and alumna Rieko Tsuchida have already performed there in early May, and we are putting together a roster of alumni and other musicians eager to perform.
We have also been working with Northwell Health to provide videos of performances by our alumni and other artists that can be streamed to patients in their hospital room.
Announcing our 2021 - 2022 Season!
PRIOR NEWSLETTERS
Support the Salon
Now more than ever we need your support in order to continue to provide opportunities for talented young musicians to perform virtually or participate in live outreach events for the community, including concerts in tribute to our medical heroes and those most affected by the pandemic.
Please consider making a donation of any amount via the link below.
PREVIOUS STREAMED CONCERTS
PHOTOS FROM RECENT EVENTS
ANNOUNCING OUR 2021 CAREER GRANT WINNERS!
EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH
Calling all teachers, children, and parents! The Salon de Virtuosi is excited to announce its new partnership with the Aizuri Quartet! Together, we are creating a series of educational videos for young audiences which will be accessible to music teachers and public schools across the country. The Salon is co-sponsoring three episodes, set to stream between January and May of 2021. The Aizuri Quartet has already released three episodes, available on their website, which you can access HERE. Be sure to share these jewels with young audiences, teachers, and music lovers everywhere!
NEW MUSIC COMMISSIONING OPPORTUNITIES
We are thrilled to announce the establishment of a fund for commissioning new works by emerging composers of any nationality. This fund will provide talented young composers with an opportunity to collaborate with the Salon's exceptionally gifted alumni and make a meaningful impact in their careers.
Through this initiative, The Salon de Virtuosi will commission several new works per season. Composers will be nominated by our distinguished alumni artists and selected by the Salon Board of Directors. Each commissioned work will be specially composed for the Salon de Virtuosi to be performed by Salon alumni in performances that will be scheduled in the following season.
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new initiative!
We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Salon de Virtuosi 2021 Career Grants:
Sterling Elliott, Cello
Randall Goosby, Violin
Quartet Amabile
Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, Piano
Ulysses Quartet
Elliot Wuu, Piano
Kevin Zhu, Violin
Congratulations to all our amazing winning artists!
Save the Date for our 2021 Gala Awards Concert on October 14 which will be presented live at Merkin Concert Hall
Watch our
We invite you to join us on this exciting musical journey by subscribing for a Salon season membership! As members, you will be invited to attend an entire season of concerts presented in 19th Century "salon" settings, where you will have the chance to hear and get to know exceptional young artists who are destined to become our future “greats.”
We rely on your generous support to fulfill the Salon’s vital mission of providing encouragement, performance opportunities, and financial assistance to our deserving young artists, which makes such a meaningful impact on the lives and careers of young artists.
New Year’s Concert
2021 - 2022 SEASON
FALL / WINTER
Gala Awards Concert
Thursday, October 14, 2021 / 7:30 PM
Merkin Concert Hall
129 West 67th Street
Our acclaimed Gala Awards Concert will feature our 2021 grant winners Sterling Elliott, cello, Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, piano, Elliot Wuu, piano, Kevin Zhu, violin, and the Ulysses Quartet, with the renowned musicologist Robert Sherman of WQXR’s Young Artists Showcase as Master of Ceremonies.
Czech Serenade
Wednesday, November 3, 2021 / 7 PM
Bohemian National Hall
321 East 73rd Street
Savor an evening of Czech culture featuring the talented Czech singer Martina Barta and the rising young American cellist Derek Louie in an exciting program focusing on works by Czech composers.
Holiday Concert
Sunday, December 12, 2021 / 4 PM
and Monday, December 13, 2021 / 7 PM
Des Artistes Apartments
1 West 67th Street
Join us as we celebrate the season at the beautiful home of Lewis and Elizabeth Bryden. We will feature the remarkable 13-year old flutist Nikka Gershman-Pepper and the exciting violinist KayCee Galano with a special appearance of 2021 Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant Winner Randall Goosby, violin.
New Year’s Concert
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 / 7 PM
and Wednesday, January 26, 2022 / 7 PM
Kosciuszko Foundation
15 East 65th Street
We ring in the New Year with a delightful concert at the elegant Kosciuszko Foundation, featuring the talented pianist Zhu Wang the up and coming young Cuban cellist Ismael Guerrero with a special appearance by 2020 Career Grant winner pianist Albert Cano Smit.
Valentine Piano Extravaganza
Wednesday, February 16, 2022 / 7 PM
And Thursday, February 17, 2022 / 7 PM
Chelsea Loft
31 West 21st Street
We will celebrate the February holidays with an exciting all-piano program at the home of one of our board members, where we will feature two exciting young pianists - Evren Ozel and Zheyi (Crystal) Jiang, who will be joined by a special guest appearance by the Salon’s alumnus Alon Goldstein, who is Crystal’s teacher.
SPRING
Four additional concerts are currently in the works for the Spring of 2022. In March, we plan to present our Spring Song from Japan, featuring talented young Japanese artists. In April, we plan to present our Musical Soul of Hungary concert, featuring an exciting program of Hungarian works. In May, we are working on plans to present a Salute to France, featuring an evening of French composers. We will end the season with our traditional Grand Finale East Meets West concert in early June, combining the musical traditions of India and the West. The dates of our spring concerts will be announced as soon as the schedules of our diplomatic hosts are finalized.
* For concerts listed on two consecutive dates, the same program will be performed on each date. We plan to offer a post-concert reception following our concerts, but the precise format of our events will depend on applicable health and safety guidelines and the requirements of our host venues. In some cases this may require proof of vaccination status.
Please read our Covid acknowledgment.
More information will be provided prior to each concert.
Individual tickets to select concerts for non-members may be available if space allows.
View our 2020-2021 Season Streamed Concerts HERE
2021 -2022 SEASON STREAMED CONCERTS
2021 Czech Serenade featuring Derek Louie, cello and Martina Barta, voice.
Click on the photo to view the concert
on February 5!
Our New Year's Concert will be presented virtually on February 5, 2022 at 7:30 PM EDT on the Violin Channel's Facebook Page and the Salon’s YouTube Channel.
Due to the surge of Covid-19 cases triggered by the Omicron variant, we have made the decision to present our highly anticipated New Year's Concert virtually without an audience.
Please join us online to celebrate the New Year with our talented artists!
Introducing two exceptional young artists:
Ismael Ariel Guerrero Bombut, cello. Hailing from Havana, Cuba, Ismael began his cello studies at the age of eight. He has won several prestigious competitions and participated in masterclasses in Cuba as a young man. Ismael finished his undergraduate studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University on full scholarship with Prof. Amit Peled, a Salon alumnus, last year.
Ismael is currently pursuing his Master's Degree under Prof. Ralph Kirshbaum at USC Thornton School of Music, also on full scholarship. He has already performed in numerous concerts around the world sharing the stage with renowned musicians such as Vadim Gluzman, Michael Kannen, Alon Goldstein, Amit Peled, Nicholas Kitchen, and Yeesun Kim. Learn more about Ismael HERE and enjoy his remarkable performance with his teacher Amit Peled HERE.
and
Zhu Wang, piano. We had the pleasure of hearing Zhu perform with Randall Goosby at our Holiday concert, and are now delighted to present him as a soloist. Zhu is praised for his “technical mastery and a deep sense of lyricism,” (The Durango Herald). He was awarded First Prize in the 2020 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, and is also the first prize winner of the 2nd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians, 4th Manhattan International Music Competition, Hilton Head Young Artist Piano Competition, and the Juilliard Gina Bachauer International Scholarship Piano Competition, and was a recipient of the Juilliard Mieczyslaw Munz Scholarship.
In 2019 Zhu was one of three finalists in the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition and he has been a featured soloist on WQXR’s Young Artist Showcase and WFMT’s Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts. The world-renowned pianist Fou T’song recognized Zhu as an “excellent pianist with a natural sense of harmony and imagination,” whose sensitive and engaging performances exhibit a remarkable depth of musicianship and poise beyond his age. Learn more about Zhu HERE and enjoy a preview of what's in store HERE .
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We will also feature a special appearance by 2020 Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant Winner Albert Cano Smit, piano, who has been performing to great international acclaim throughout the world. He will perform a new work written especially for him by the renowned pianist and composer Stephen Hough. Read more about Albert and his impressive accomplishments and accolades HERE.
Watch the concert on Feb. 5 at 7:30 PM at the links below:
We are optimistic that the current virus surge will subside quickly the way it did in South Africa and Great Britain and that we will be able to present our events in person again in February. Until then, we are hoping that many of you will tune in and watch our virtual content, which will be recorded especially for Salon de Virtuosi members and friends!
2021 Holiday Concert featuring KayCee Galano, violin and Nikka Gershman-Pepper, flute. Click on the photo to view the concert.