Performers

NICHOLAS CANELLAKIS, cello MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN, piano

Cellist Nicholas Canellakis is widely admired for the richness of his sound and the unmistakable personality he brings to the stage. Described by The New York Times as “a superb young soloist,” he has appeared with leading orchestras and chamber music festivals across the world, while also becoming known to many audiences through the hilarious Conversations with Nick Canellakis video series. He is joined by pianist and composer Michael Stephen Brown, whom The New York Times hailed as “one of the leading figures in the current renaissance of performer-composers.” His artistry combines exceptional pianism with a composer’s imagination, earning him an Avery Fisher Career Grant among many other honors.

Opening with the wit of Lukas Foss and the lyrical motion of Brown’s Spinning Song, Nick and Michael’s program moves through moments of reflection, and virtuosity. Debussy’s ravishing Beau Soir sets the scene for the expansive emotional tapestry of Brahms’ sonata — one of the great masterpieces of the cello repertoire. The evening concludes with Nick’s virtuosic arrangement of Bulgarian Bulge, a whirlwind inspired by the rhythmic vitality of Eastern European folk traditions. Moving effortlessly between musical worlds, the program revels in the rich expressive partnership of cello and piano — instruments capable of speaking many musical languages.

Program

LUKAS FOSS Capriccio MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN Spinning Song  CLAUDE DEBUSSY Beau Soir (arr. Canellakis) JOHANNES BRAHMS Sonata No. 2 in F Major for Cello and Piano, Op. 99
DON ELLIS Bulgarian Bulge (arr. Canellakis)

Tickets

Age 35+: $42 | 22-34: $20 | 21 & Under: Pay What You Wish.