2pm: Semplice Players with Alexander Fiterstein and Mark Peskanov

Mark Peskanov, violin– American virtuoso violinist and artistic visionary Mark Peskanov was born in Odessa. Peskanov sang before he could walk or talk, and soon became a star violin student at the famed Stolyarsky school. His phenomenal facility and musicianship won him both the Aspen and Juilliard concerto competitions, bringing him to the notice of Isaac Stern and Mstislav Rostropovich and rocketing him into the top echelons of the music world. Peskanov’s major accolades include the Avery Fischer Career Grant, the first Frederick R.Mann Award, and Carnegie Hall’s first Isaac Stern Award. Since 2005, he is president and artistic/executive director of Bargemusic. Peskanov has curated over 3,000 chamber concerts at Bargemusic, encompassing a vast range of genres and styles, presenting over 200 concerts annually to New York audiences. Under his leadership Bargemusic continues to evolve as an innovative, influential, and integral component of New York City’s cultural world.

Alexander Fiterstein, clarinet– Clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein is considered one of today’s most exceptional artists. Fiterstein has performed in recital, with distinguished orchestras, and with chamber music ensembles throughout the world. He won first prize at the Carl Nielsen International Clarinet Competition and received the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant Award. The Washington Post has described his playing as “dazzling in its spectrum of colors, agility, and range. Every sound he makes is finely measured without inhibiting expressiveness” and The New York Times described him as “a clarinetist with a warm tone and powerful technique.” As soloist he has appeared with the Czech, Israel, Vienna, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestras, Belgrade Philharmonic, Danish National Radio Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, China National Symphony Orchestra, KBS Orchestra of South Korea, Jerusalem Symphony, Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Lincoln Center, Kansas City Symphony, and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela.

SEMPLICE PLAYERS In music, the Italian marking “Semplice” means the performance should sound fresh, simple, and satisfying. Semplice Players has taken that approach in close to one hundred concerts in beautiful New York City venues since its founding in 2016. The concerts have attracted listings and critical attention from the New York Times (most recently in the NYT’s “Fall Preview” of must-see music performances for the 2020-21 season in New York and the US), the New Yorker, and the New York Classical Review. Whether playing the great masterworks or a piece written yesterday, expert musicians and emerging artists join together in bringing the always living, evolving tradition of music-making to audiences of every age and walk of life, wherever chamber music can be enjoyed.

Salley Koo, violin- A violinist of great range and energy, Salley Koo has performed internationally as a solo, chamber, and orchestral musician. Salley has appeared in concert at the Musikverein in Vienna, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, Central Park, Music from Salem, the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, the National Cathedral and National Gallery in Washington D.C., Columbia Museum of Art, the Harris Theater in Chicago, the Nasher Series in Dallas, the Peoples Symphony Concerts, the Ojai, Tanglewood, Ravinia, Skaneateles, and Caramoor Festivals, and on tour alongside artists ranging from Bela Fleck to Dawn Upshaw to Gil Shaham.

Colin Brookes, viola- Praised by ConcertoNet as a “master of the strong lines”, versatile violist Colin Brookes is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mr. Brookes is a founding member of the award-winning Ulysses Quartet, and has performed as a soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Colin is a winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society, Symphony North Competition, Tuesday Musical Club and Music For Mount Lebanon Competition.

Noah Chen, cello- is currently studying with Joel Krosnick and Clara Kim at the Juilliard School. He recently performed the Schoenberg-Monn Cello Concerto in D Major with Juilliard’s AXIOM Ensemble. As a member of the Chen Quartet, he performed over 200 virtual concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his spare time, he can be found cooking, watching the latest sumo tournaments, and hiking.

Nathaniel Chase, double bass- performs a wide range of music, from period performance with the Sebastians and the Trinity Baroque Orchestra, to new music with Ensemble LPR and Ensemble Échappé, to orchestral repertoire with the Experiential Orchestra and Riverside and Allentown Symphonies. He performed on Broadway in the critically acclaimed production of Farinelli and the King with countertenor Iestyn Davies.

Sarah Boxmeyer, french horn- is a freelance French horn player and educator based in New York City. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and Yale School of Music, she has had success in the orchestral world as well as on Broadway. After auditioning for and winning a job with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Sarah was offered a job in the orchestra of King Kong on Broadway. Most recently, Sarah was the horn player at Sweeney Todd and is currently in the orchestra at Pirates! The Penzance Musical.

Patti Wang, bassoon- Taiwanese American Bassoonist in New York. Performs with symphony orchestras, classical music ensembles such as New York City Ballet, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, American Ballet Theatre, American Symphony Orchestra, Queens Symphony, New York City Opera, etc. in New York.

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