By Roy Ziegler
“Gail Niwa…achieved a heroic tone and perfect marksmanship, raved the Chicago Tribune following the continent-hopping virtuoso pianist’s performance of Schumann’s Piano Concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The Chicago Sun added that Ms. Niwa created a “big and velvety tone.”
On Sunday, April 6, 2003 Gail Niwa will perform with the Concordia Chamber Players to present Robert Schumann’s Piano Quartet, Opus 47 in E Flat Major, another favorite of Schumann fans. Ms. Niwa continues to be sought out by orchestras around the world. She has performed in Holland, Greece, Korea, Canada and Russia, and has toured Scandanavia. In the United States she has been featured by the Chicago Symphony, and the Utah, Memphis, Fort Wayne, Augusta, Reno, Evanston and Grant Park symphonies.
Michelle Djokic, music director and cellist with the Concordia Chamber Players will lead the ensemble. “Gail Niwa adds so much luster to our concert programs,” she noted. “We are truly pleased that she will be returning for our season finale.”
The concert will open with Ludwig Von Beethoven’s Piano Trio, Opus 1, Number 3, the first composition that Beethoven ever performed before an audience. Walter Piston’s exiciting duo for viola and cello will round out the concert.
Joining Djokic and Niwa will be New York Philharmonic violist, Robert Rinehart, a grammy award winner and founder of the Ridge String Quartet, and violinist, Carmit Zori, who appears regularly with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and is a music director of Bargemusic in New York City.
The Concordia Chamber Players will perform in the Stephen Buck Theater at the New Hope-Solebury High School, 180 West Bridge Street in New Hope at 3 PM on April 6. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or by calling 215-297-5972. Children accompanied by an adult are always admitted free and free parking is available directly outside the concert hall. For more information about Concordia contact its web-site: www.concordiaplayers.org.