Violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi & friends perform Berg and Brahms at Lincoln Center, Sat 4/12 @ 11am

Classical 91.5 WXXO-FM

Published March 31, 2025 at 11:28 AM EDT

Born in Israel, from the age of eight Shmuel Ashkenasi studied with the Hungarian violinist Ilona Fehér, a formidable teacher known for training the likes of Pinchas Zukerman and Shlomo Mintz. Ashkenasi left for the US at the age of 15 to study with Efrem Zimbalist at Curtis, which he regards as the first time he really learnt about music. Read an interview about his studies and career.

Violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi, former Vermeer Quartet leader and Curtis Institute professor with two other string players — Violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi, former Vermeer Quartet leader and Curtis Institute professor

4/5 French Treasures Saint-Saëns: Caprice on Danish and Russian Airs for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Piano (Adam Walker, f; James Austin Smith, ob; David Shifrin, cl; Michael Stephen Brown, p) Chausson: Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet (Arnaud Sussmann, v; Wu Han, p; Kristin Lee, Yura Lee, v; Richard O'Neill, vla; Nicholas Canellakis, c)

4/12 Berg: Quartet for Strings Brahms: Quintet (David Southorn, Katie Hyun, v; Andy Lin, vla; Mihai Marica, c; Philip Setzer, Shmuel Ashkenasi, v; Richard O'Neill, Arnaud Sussmann, vla; Paul Watkins, c)

4/19 Schubert: Trio for Violin, Viola, and Cello, Fantasy Violin and Piano (Kristin Lee and Benjamin Beilman, v; Richard O'Neill, vla; Clive Greensmith, c; Gloria Chien, p)

4/26 Françaix: Trio for Violin, Viola, and Cello Schoenfield: Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano Prokofiev: Quartet No. 2 (Yura Lee, v; Richard O'Neill, vla; Nicholas Canellakis, c; David Shifrin, c;; Ida Kavafian, v; Anne-Marie McDermott, p; Jeffrey Myers, Ryan Meehan, v; Jeremy Berry, vla; Estelle Choi, c)