Role

:

Ensemble

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

Solisti New York is a classical music ensemble that was founded in 1981 by a group of musicians who shared a passion for chamber music. The ensemble is based in New York City and is known for its innovative programming and virtuosic performances. The founding members of Solisti New York were violinist Alan Gilbert, cellist Fred Sherry, and pianist David Deveau. They were soon joined by clarinetist David Krakauer and violist Toby Appel, and the ensemble began performing regularly in New York City and throughout the United States. Over the years, Solisti New York has featured a rotating cast of musicians, but the core members have remained the same. In addition to Gilbert, Sherry, Deveau, Krakauer, and Appel, the ensemble has included violinists Ani Kavafian, Ida Kavafian, and Cho-Liang Lin, cellist Nathaniel Rosen, and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, among others. One of the highlights of Solisti New York's early career was a performance at the 1982 Mostly Mozart Festival in New York City. The ensemble performed Mozart's Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581, with Krakauer as the soloist. The performance was widely praised for its energy and precision, and it helped establish Solisti New York as one of the leading chamber ensembles in the United States. In the years that followed, Solisti New York continued to perform at major festivals and concert halls around the world. The ensemble made its European debut in 1985 at the Salzburg Festival in Austria, where it performed works by Mozart, Brahms, and Schumann. The following year, Solisti New York made its debut at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, where it performed works by Beethoven, Schubert, and Dvorak. In 1988, Solisti New York was invited to perform at the White House for President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan. The ensemble performed works by Mozart, Brahms, and Gershwin, and the performance was broadcast on national television. In addition to its performances, Solisti New York has also recorded extensively. The ensemble's recordings include works by Mozart, Brahms, Schumann, Dvorak, and Bartok, among others. The ensemble's recording of Brahms' Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115, with Krakauer as the soloist, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1991. In recent years, Solisti New York has continued to perform and record, with a focus on contemporary music. The ensemble has commissioned and premiered works by composers such as John Zorn, Osvaldo Golijov, and Aaron Jay Kernis. One of the highlights of Solisti New York's recent career was a performance at the 2017 Lincoln Center Festival in New York City. The ensemble performed a program of works by John Zorn, including his piece "The Alchemist," which was written specifically for Solisti New York. Throughout its history, Solisti New York has been praised for its virtuosic performances, innovative programming, and commitment to contemporary music. The ensemble has won numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy nomination, a Chamber Music America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, and a citation from the New York State Assembly for its contributions to the arts.

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