PREformances With Allison Charney To Present Preeminent Classical Musicians; Contemporary American Classical Works

"PREFORMANCES WITH Allison Charney" returns with a dynamic classical music program for the third concert of its 2017-18 Season on Monday March 5th at 7:30PM, Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 W 67th St, New York, NY 10036

Joining noted soprano and host Allison Charney and PREformances' collaborative pianist Craig Ketter are guest artists, pianists Blair McMillen and Navah Perlman, cellist Jia Kim, violinist Areta Zhulla and Orchestra of St. Luke's violist Daniel Panner. The March 5th selections will feature these preeminent classical musicians in works spanning the Baroque to the modern era, engaging audiences in "PREformances" anticipating their upcoming engagements in the worlds' greatest concert halls.

The program will feature acclaimed violist Daniel Panner in Bach's Suite No. 6 in D-Major; pianist Navah Perlman, violinist Areta Zhulla and cellist Jia Kim performing the first movement of Beethoven's grand "Archduke Trio." Operatic selections from Alfredo Catalani 's "La Wally" and Wagner's "Tannhauser" will be performed by soprano Allison Charney and pianist Craig Ketter.

PREformances March 5th concert will feature contemporary classical works by American composers Mary Ellen Childs and Russell Platt. - expanding a practice which most recently included works by Michael Ching, Moshe Knoll, Kim D. Sherman and Dina Pruzhansky.

Blair McMillen and Craig Ketter will perform Mary Ellen Childs "Kilter" - a work for two pianos composed in 1992. Timely and provocative, Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Morelock said "Kilter ... displays Mary Ellen's habit of insisting we remember what, if left to ourselves, we'd be quite happy to forget. She's moved on, compelled like the rest of us to negotiate a strange, often lovely land, in an oddly menacing time. What she writes are signposts in that land, or lanterns which led the way home one night."

Russell Plattt's composition "Three Poems of Elizabeth Bishop" for soprano and piano, based on the works of the 20th century American poet Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979), will be performed by Allison Charney and pianist Blair McMillen. Premiered by the Curtis Institute of Music in 2014, "Three Poems of Elizabeth Bishop" was commissioned by Curtis for inclusion in "A Ned Rorem Songbook" an homage to the renowned composer, Curtis graduate and emeritus faculty member.

Now in its 9th year, the innovative classical concert series PREFORMANCES WITH Allison Charney invites audiences to experience celebrated classical musicians in "PREformances" anticipating their upcoming engagements on the world's most prestigious stages. Acclaimed opera singer Allison Charney hosts a behind-the-scenes glimpse into top-level artists' practices and performance, deliberately blurring the traditional barriers which exist between classical musicians and the audience in concerts. Ms. Charney promises a complete concert experience that provides entertainment and insight providing audiences with classical music knowledge that she promises "is simply not Googleable."

Throughout its previous eight seasons, PREFORMANCES WITH Allison Charney has presented over 95 of the preeminent musicians of our time. Notable appearances include those by New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert, Metropolitan Opera stars William Burden and Maria Zifchak, flutist Carol Wincenc, violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins, pianists Joel Fan and Navah Perlman, just to name a few. In addition, the series has presented new classical works by composers Michael Ching, Moshe Knoll, Kim D. Sherman and Dina Pruzhansky. Together with Craig Ketter, PREFORMANCES' noted collaborative pianist, soprano Allison Charney, performs on every concert. Concerts take place at Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufmann Music Center and typically run an hour and a half, with no intermission. To learn more visit www.preformances.org