Early Music Now Celebrates Chamber Music Month

On May 9^th, Early Music Now (earlymusicnow.org) joins Chamber Music America (chamber-music.org) in the 4^th annual celebration of the many styles of small ensemble music performed and presented in the United States. This adventurous Milwaukee presenter typically focuses on music before 1800. However, a local aficionado of the clarinet sponsored an exploration of the history of that instrument, including music for chalumeau and basset horn, during the 2013-2014 season. That same sponsor is making it possible for Early Music Now to present a follow-up concert “Celebrating the Clarinet” at Wisconsin Lutheran College at 7:30 on Saturday, May 9^th.

UW-Milwaukee Professor Emeritus George Sosnovsky (uwm.edu/chemistry/people/sosnovsky-george) and his late wife Christine are long-time supporters of the arts, in addition to endowing a biennial international Cancer Research Award. Now 94 years of age, Dr. Sosnovsky’s continues to lecture at the university, and has produced patents and authored more than 175 important scholarly publications in the area of medicinal chemistry.

But before becoming a chemist, Professor Sosnovsky played the clarinet. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, into a long line of musicians, he met his late wife, Christine (also an important chemist and physicist) when they studied together in Austria. The later moved to Australia before coming to the United States in 1956. They both taught in Chicago before coming to Milwaukee in 1967. Christine passed away in 2008.

Dr. Sosnovsky’s extensive musical repertoire has been given to Early Music Now, as has his personal clarinet, an early twentieth century instrument from the Mollenhauer firm in Fulda, Germany. Early Music Now has, in turn, given that cherished instrument to guest clarinetist Eric Hoeprich, to be added to his collection of more than 100 historic examples. Reproductions of some of the early clarinets will be heard on this concert, and Dr. Sosnovsky’s instrument will be featured in the Weber Concertino.

Now centered in London, Baltimore-born clarinetist Eric Hoeprich returns for this “Celebration of the Clarinet” after striking up a warm relationship with Dr. Sosnovsky in connection with last season’s survey of the historical clarinet. Hoeprich is on the faculties of the University of Indiana-Bloomington, the Paris Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique, and the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague. He has written the definitive book on the clarinet for Yale University Press, and his international reputation as a performer, teacher, and instrument maker has taken him around the world.

Joining Hoeprich in this chamber music concert are the members of the Zivian Duo: cellist Tanya Tomkins and pianist/fortepianist Eric Zivian. Tomkins, a virtuoso on both the Baroque and modern cello, is a student of Anner Bylsma. She has numerous recordings, and has performed as a recitalist and chamber musician throughout Europe, Israel, and the United States. She offers frequent masterclasses at Yale and Juilliard, and is on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the American Bach Soloists Academy.

Eric Zivian is a fortepianist, modern pianist, and composer. Born in Michigan, he grew up in Toronto, Canada, where he attended the Royal Conservatory of Music. His degrees are from the Curtis Institute, Juilliard, and Yale. He has performed extensively on the fortepiano since 2000, and has performed as a soloist with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, the Portland Baroque Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony, among others.

The repertoire chosen for this special chamber music concert includes four works for clarinet, cello, and piano or fortepiano: Beethoven “Trio in B-flat, Opus 11,” Glinka “Trio Pathetique,” Weber “”Concertino, Opus 26,” and Brahms “Trio in A minor.” The 7:30 concert will be introduced by Eric Hoeprich at a 6:30 lecture, and there will be a reception at intermission.

This Saturday, May 9^th concert will be presented at Wisconsin Lutheran College, 8815 West Wisconsin Avenue. Concert tickets priced at $28-$44 for adults and seniors, and $10-$15 for students (six and older) are available online at EarlyMusicNow.org, or by phone at 414.225.3113. General admission tickets only will be available at the door. Group rates are also available.

Complete program information is available at EarlyMusicNow.org.

There will also be a Masterclass offered by all three musicians from 10:00 to 12:00 on Saturday, May 9^th, at Wisconsin Lutheran College, 8815 West Wisconsin Avenue – free and open to the public.

This concert is sponsored by George and Christine Sosnovsky.

Early Music Now is an Affiliate Member of the United Performing Arts Fund.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.