Piano Chamber Series Features Kneisel Trio April 21

MILWAUKEE - Sunday, April 21 the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Piano Chamber Series, directed by Judit Jaimes, presents its final concert of the 2001/2002 season at 3 p.m. in the Peck School of the Arts Recital Hall, 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd. Featured is the Kneisel Trio--Jeannie Yu, piano; Claire Chen, violinist; and Stefan Kartman, cello.

The program includes Piano Trio in G, "Gypsy Rondo" Hob. XV by Joseph Haydn, "Cafe Music" for Piano Trio by Paul Schoenfeld, and Trio in Eb, D. 929 by Franz Schubert.

The Kneisel Trio is a trio of like-minded soloists who share the same concept of an ideal sound, musical expressiveness, and excellence. They carry on a tradition whose lineage reaches directly back to the romantic period of Johannes Brahms. This tradition is the basis of inspiration for these shared ideals. The name "Kneisel" represents a period of history and an affinity of style which draws these musicians together. At the turn of the century, Franz Kneisel was sent by Brahms to bring the tradition of European chamber music to the Americas. He responded by traversing the Atlantic, settling in New York, and forming the Kneisel Quartet.

Members of that quartet taught members of the Primrose Quartet--namely Joseph Fuchs and Harvey Shapiro--who then passed on their knowledge to today's Kneisel Trio, who began playing together in 1990 as students at The Juilliard School. In addition to Fuchs and Shapiro, they also have been coached by members of the Beaux Arts Trio, The Juilliard Quartet, The Guarneri Quartet, and Myron Kartman. They have been in residence at the Mid America Chamber Music Institute, Troy Youth Chamber Music Institute, and currently hold a residency in the Milwaukee Chamber Music Festival.

A review of the Kneisel Trio by Ted Shen of The Chicago Tribune describes them as "Zesty" with "exquisite phrasing."

Lyman Leathers of the Delaware Gazette says: "The performance was superb, with an intensity and concentration necessary to bring off so challenging a work (Schubert BbTrio). I was impressed once again by the high level of musicianship and professionalism displayed by the group as a whole and by these three performers in particular."

The Piano Chamber Series of the UWM Department of Music is made possible in part by a grant from the Bradley Foundation.

Tickets ($14/general and $5/student) are available by phone, mail or in person through the Peck School of the Arts Box Office, 414-229-4308. The box office is open for phone and walk-up business between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and one hour prior to performances. Because the box office will be relocating from the lobby of the Theatre Building to the Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts this spring, the public is advised to call ahead for further information before coming in person to purchase tickets. Parking is free on Sundays in the UWM Union Parking Garage, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.

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