The 92nd Street Y's Distinguished Artists in Recital series returns for another season on Thursday, February 26. The first concert welcomes violinist/violist Pinchas Zukerman, who is celebrating his 60th birthday with an exciting, globetrotting 2008-09 season. Zukerman, who regularly appears at the Y with his ensemble of protégés, the Zukerman ChamberPlayers, will present an evening of Mozart, Shostakovich, Takemitsu, and Franck with his friend and musical colleague, pianist/composer Marc Neikrug. The duo has been performing together regularly since 1975, made numerous recordings, and has given performances in the world's great concert halls.

The program begins with Mozart's Sonata for Violin and Piano in B-flat Major, K. 454, followed by Shostakovich's final work, the Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147, in which he pays homage to German music, most notably Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata. The program continues with Takemitsu's poetic From Far Beyond Chrysanthemums and November Fog for Violin and Piano, in which the Japanese composer explores his belief in the value of silence. The evening finishes back in the Romantic era with Franck's enormously popular Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, composed as a wedding present for the famous Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe in 1886.

Pinchas Zukerman has been a phenomenon for four decades. His musical genius, prodigious technique, exceptional artistic standards and devotion to younger generations of musicians who are inspired by his magnetism has been applauded worldwide. Equally respected as a violinist, violist, conductor, pedagogue and chamber musician, Pinchas Zukerman is a master of our time.

Zukerman turned 60 on July 16, 2008 and celebrates with a schedule which comprises more than 112 concert engagements and travel to 17 countries including France, India, Israel, China, Turkey, Peru, New Zealand, Austria, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. He performs orchestra, solo recital and chamber music repertoire in more than 34 cities. He spends 10 weeks teaching in his role as Director of the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music, and as Artistic Director of the National Arts Centre Summer Music Institute in Ottawa, which includes the Young Artist Programme, Conductor's Programme and Composer's Programme. Currently in his 10th season as Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Mr. Zukerman is also Principal Guest Conductor of London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Pianist/composer Marc Neikrug's career has spanned more than three decades. A composer of solo, chamber music, symphonic, musical theater, and opera, his pieces have been performed across the globe by some of the world's most acclaimed ensembles, organizations, and festivals. His work has been recorded by Deutsche Grammophon, Koch International, Stereophile, and Enya records.

The Distinguished Artists in Recital series' second concert, Sunday, March 15, features the up-and-coming violinist Nikolaj Znaider, pianist Saleem Abboud Ashkar, and musicians from the New York Philharmonic in an afternoon of chamber music by Mendelssohn and J.S. Bach. Born in Denmark to Polish-Israeli parents, Nikolaj Znaider has worked with many of the world's top ensembles and soloists, drawing on an eclectic background and studies with Russian pedagogue Boris Kushnir. Saleem Abboud Ashkar, a young Palestinian-Israeli pianist who made his New York debut at Carnegie Hall at age 22, frequently performs with major Israeli orchestras and world-renown conductors. This concert also continues the Y's partnership with the New York Philharmonic, which offers its players the opportunity to play chamber music with guest soloists from around the world.

The series' final concert, Wednesday, April 22, is one of two concerts dedicated to Elliott Carter & Heinz Holliger: A Musical Friendship. The 92nd Street Y is joining many institutions in celebrating Elliott Carter's 100th birthday, but it is taking a unique approach by focusing on the long-time friendship and musical relationship between Carter and oboist/composer Heinz Holliger. The program not only celebrates Carter's 100th and Holliger's 70th birthdays, but allows these two musicians to come together for a remarkable series highlighting their partnership. Holliger is considered one of the world's foremost oboists, but he rarely performers in the U.S., making this celebration all the more newsworthy. The April 22 schedule includes a pre-concert performance of works by Carter, Holliger, Ruth Crawford Seeger, and Stefan Wolpe, followed by the 8pm program of five Carter chamber works along with Mozart's Adagio and Rondo for Harp, Flute, Oboe, Viola and Cello in C minor, K. 617 and Quartet for Oboe and Strings in F Major, K. 370. The concert is also part of the 92nd Street Y's New Horizons series.


Single Tickets: $48/$38 ($25 ages 35 and under) Series subscription: $125/$95 ($60 ages 35 and under). Tickets may be purchased by calling 212.415.5500, visiting www.92Y.org/concerts, or at the box office. The 92nd Street Y is located at 1395 Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street.


DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS IN RECITAL 2008-2009 SERIES PROGRAM INFORMATION

Thursday, February 26, 2009, 8pm
Pinchas Zukerman, violin/viola | Marc Neikrug, piano
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791): Sonata for Violin and Piano in B-flat Major, K. 454 (1784)
DMITRY SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975): Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147 (1975)
TORU TAKEMITSU (1930-1996): From Far Beyond Chrysanthemums and November Fog for Violin and Piano (1983)
CÉSAR FRANCK (1822-1890): Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major (1886)

Sunday, March 15, 2009, 3pm
Nikolaj Znaider, violin | Saleem Abboud Ashkar, piano
Musicians from the New York Philharmonic
Carol Webb, violin | Lisa GiHae Kim, violin | Lisa Kim, violin | Cynthia Phelps, viola |
Rebecca Young, viola | Sumire Kudo, cello | Maria Kitsopoulos, cello
FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847): Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 (1839)
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750): Sonata for Violin & Harpsichord, BWV 1014-1019
MENDELSSOHN: String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20 (1825)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 8pm
ELLIOTT CARTER & HEINZ HOLLIGER: A MUSICAL FRIENDSHIP
Heinz Holliger, oboe | Members of the Zehetmair Quartet
with Tara Helen O'Connor, flute | Charles Neidich, clarinet | Ayako Oshima, clarinet | Peter Kolkay, bassoon | Lily Francis, violin |
Hsin-Yun Huang, viola | Fred Sherry, cello | Donald Palma, bass | Ursula Holliger, harp | Jo Ellen Miller, soprano

Pre-Concert Performance at 6:30
HEINZ HOLLIGER (b. 1939): "Emily Dickinson Song (To Elliott with Love)" for Soprano and Harp
ELLIOTT CARTER (b. 1908): Au Quai for Bassoon and Viola (2002)
CARTER: HBHH for Solo Oboe (2007)
HOLLIGER: Three for two from Duo II for Violin and Cello (1994)
CARTER: Figment IV for Solo Viola (2007)
RUTH CRAWFORD SEEGER (1901-1953): Diaphonic Suite No. 1 for Solo Oboe (1930)
CRAWFORD SEEGER: Diaphonic Suite No. 2 for Bassoon and Cello (1930)
STEFAN WOLPE (1902-1972): Suite im Hexachord for Oboe and Clarinet (1936)
CARTER: Retracing for Solo Bassoon (2002)
CARTER: Hiyoku for Two Clarinets (2001)

Concert at 8pm
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791): Adagio and Rondo for Harp, Flute, Oboe, Viola and Cello in C minor, K. 617 (1791)
ELLIOTT CARTER (b. 1908): A 6 Letter Letter for Solo English Horn (1996)
CARTER: Trilogy for Oboe and Harp (1992)
CARTER: Four Lauds for Violin Solo (1984-2001)
CARTER: Quartet for Oboe and Strings (2001)
CARTER: Mosaic for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Harp, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass (2004)
MOZART: Quartet for Oboe and Strings in F Major, K. 370 (1781)

Pinchas Zukerman electronic press kit
Marc Neikrug electronic press kit