A string quartet that “has everything” is part of a stellar lineup of musicians coming to Maui in May.
Among the other eight are a “thrillingly good pianist,” a clarinetist with “inexhaustible virtuosity,” and a violinist whose playing has been called “breathtakingly beautiful.”
Their concerts in the 42nd Maui Classical Music Festival are scheduled May 17 at Makawao Union Church, May 20 at Keawala’i Congregational Church in Makena, May 22 at Wananalua Congregational Church in Hana, and May 24 and 26 at the historic Iao Theater in Wailuku.
Returning after an acclaimed performance here in 2019 is the Formosa Quartet of violinists Jasmine Lin and Eric Gratz, violist Matthew Cohen and cellist Deborah Pae.
With them will be violinists Sean Lee and Susie Park, pianists Rohan De Silva and Zhenni Li-Cohen, cellist Amir Eldan and clarinetist Yoonah Kim, along with violist Yizhak Schotten and pianist Katherine Collier, the festival’s music directors since it began in 1982.
The Formosa Quartet plays with “focused intensity and extraordinary musicianship,” the San Diego Union has written.
Another critic wrote, “Not only does the Formosa Quartet play beautifully – each member has charm to burn. They have everything.”
Violinist Lin was a prize winner in the International Paganini Competition and took second prize in the International Naumburg Competition for a style described as “electrifying assertiveness” and “virtuosic abandon.”
Gratz, also a prize winner at national and international competitions, became the youngest concertmaster in North America at age 22 when he accepted the post in 2013 with the San Antonio Symphony.
Cohen was a special prize winner at the prestigious Primrose International Competition, and cellist Pae has been acclaimed for “extraordinary musicianship” and “magical” playing.
New to the Maui festival is pianist Li-Cohen, winner of the 2017 New York Concert Artists Worldwide Debut Audition, Astral Artist’s 2016 National Auditions, the Grieg International Competition in Norway, and the unanimous 1st Prize at the Concours Musical de France.
A “thrillingly good pianist,” said the New Yorker.
Among pianist De Silva’s awards are the best accompanist special prize at the ninth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
Violinist Sean Lee, praised by the New York Times for “breathtakingly beautiful” playing, was a recipient of Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher career grant.
Park, recently appointed first associate concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra, was won top honors at the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition, the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis and the Wieniawski Competition in Poland.
Eldan is a winner of the Juilliard Competition. He has served as principal cello of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and guest principal with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. At age 22, he became the youngest member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, where he was associate principal cello.
The “inexhaustible virtuosity” praise for clarinetist Kim came from the New York Times.
She has won the 2016 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, the Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition, the George Gershwin International Competition and the Vienna International Competition.