CELLIST STEVEN ISSERLIS PERFORMS DECEMBER 3 ON CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF DETROIT SERIES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Farmington Hills, Michigan, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) November 17, 2011 -- FARMINGTON HILLS, MI, November 17, 2011 — Acclaimed British cellist STEVEN ISSERLIS returns to the Chamber Music Society of Detroit series with pianist CONNIE SHIH Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. The concert takes place at the Seligman Performing Arts Center, located at 22305 West 13 Mile Road (at the corner of Lahser and 13 Mile roads), Beverly Hills, on the campus of Detroit Country Day School.

Program

Mendelssohn: Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 45
Liszt: Romance oubliée, La Lugubre gondola

Janáček: Pohádka for cello and piano
Franck: Sonata for Cello and Piano in A major

With support from the Beverly Franzblau Baker Endowment Fund
and from Angela Ziegelman in memory of Isabelle and Erwin Ziegelman

Artists

Steven Isserlis

The versatile British cellist Steven Isserlis enjoys a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician and educator. Highlights of recent seasons have included concerto performances with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the National Symphony, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. He has given recitals at London’s Wigmore Hall, in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Vancouver, Milan and throughout Australia; performed chamber music concerts at the Salzburg Festival, Carnegie Hall, BBC Proms and Aldeburgh Festival with such collaborators as Joshua Bell, Thomas Adès and Anthony Marwood; and appeared in a series of concerts specially devised for the 2010 Cheltenham Festival to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Schumann’s birth.

Taking a strong interest in authentic performance, Steven Isserlis has played with many of the foremost period instrument orchestras including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with Simon Rattle, and Philharmonia Baroque with Nicholas McGegan and the Academy of Ancient Music and Richard Egarr. He is also an exponent of contemporary music; he recently gave the world première of Wolfgang Rihm¹s Cello Concerto at the Salzburg Festival, and future plans include the première performances of works written for him by Mikhail Pletnev and Thomas Adès.

Steven Isserlis’s books for children about the lives of the great composers – Why Beethoven Threw the Stew and its sequel, Why Handel Waggled his Wig – have been translated into many languages. He has recorded a CD for BIS with Stephen Hough entitled Children’s Cello, and with composer Anne Dudley he has written three musical stories for children which are published by Universal Edition.

Mr. Isserlis’s award-winning discography reflects his diverse interests in repertoire. His recording of the complete Solo Cello Suites by Bach on the Hyperion label was met with critical acclaim. Other releases include two recordings with Stephen Hough: the Brahms sonatas, coupled with works by Dvorák and Suk, for Hyperion Records, voted Listeners' Disc of the Year on BBC Radio 3's CD review; and an acclaimed disc of children's cello music for BIS Records.

Connie Shih

Canadian born pianist Connie Shih made her orchestral debut at the age of nine with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. At age 12 she became the youngest ever protégé of Gyorgy Sebok at Indiana University, and subsequently studied with Claude Frank at the Curtis Institute of Music. In recent seasons Ms. Shih has performed with orchestra and has appeared in recital throughout Canada, the United States and Europe as well as in Japan and China. She collaborates regularly with Steven Isserlis and has appeared in chamber music performances at Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, and at the Bath, Aldeburgh, Cheltenham, Kronberg and Heidelberg Festivals. Highlights of her 2010-2011 season included a tour of Japan with Steven Isserlis and a Wigmore Hall recital with Steven Isserlis and Joshua Bell.

Ms. Shih's performances are frequently broadcast via television and radio on CBC (Canada), BBC (U.K.), SWR, NDR, and WDR (Germany) as well as on other various television and radio stations in North America and Europe.

Tickets

Chamber Music Society ticket prices have not increased for four years. Single concert tickets are $43 to $75 for adults, $25 for students, and subscriptions are still available for the Opus 3 series. Subscribers save up to 37% over single ticket prices and enjoy ticket exchange privileges and other advantages. Single tickets and subscriptions may be purchased online at www.ComeHearCMSD.org or by calling the Chamber Music Society of Detroit ticket service at (248) 855-6070.

New Restaurant Partner Program
The Chamber Music Society of Detroit has partnered with four fine area restaurants – Mitchell’s Fish Market (Birmingham), Yotsuba Japanese Restaurant (West Bloomfield), Sweet Lorraine’s Café & Bar (Southfield) and Zazio’s (Birmingham) – during the 2011-2012 season. The restaurants will provide discounted or prix-fixe dinners exclusively to Chamber Music Detroit ticket holders on concert nights. For more information, please visit www.ComeHearCMSD.org or call 248-855-6070.

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