Violinist Leila Josefowicz and Pianist John Novacek Kick Off Classical Action’s 2012 Michael Palm Series of House Concerts in NYC on February 10

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Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS opens its 2012 Michael Palm Series of intimate house concerts on Friday, February 10, presenting violinist and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Leila Josefowicz in recital with pianist John Novacek. Held in the Tribeca loft apartment of supporters Simon Yates and Kevin Roon, who have generously hosted the Michael Palm Series since 2010, the concert marks the duo’s fourth collaboration for Classical Action as well as its debut as part of the New York City-based salon series named after the charity’s late benefactor. Music making begins at 7:30pm, with wine and hors d’oeuvres served starting at 6:30pm. Tickets for all concerts in the Michael Palm Series can be purchased online at www.classicalaction.org or by calling Classical Action at (212) 997-7717.

Josefowicz comes to the Michael Palm series hot off a string of stellar performances of violin concertos by living composers: Steven Mackey’s Beautiful Passing – written for Josefowicz in 2008 - with the National Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Adès’s Violin Concerto with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, and Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Grawemeyer Award-winning Violin Concerto with the Filarmonica della Scala, conducted by the composer. The Washington Post lauded her recent performance of Mackey’s Beautiful Passing, declaring, “The radiant Josefowicz…presented a small-scale intimacy so intense that it pulled the energy of the whole orchestra into her orbit.”

Novacek, in addition to being a renowned soloist and recitalist, is also a world-class collaborative pianist. Of a recent recital with Josefowicz, the Los Angeles Times remarked, “Novacek’s contributions cannot be exaggerated. His partnering is at once brilliant and unobtrusive; without slighting any musical values, he underplays handsomely while accomplishing technical feats many pianists can’t even consider: varieties of touch, a huge dynamic range, nuances of statement and the bold use of all his pianistic resources within the parameters imposed by the genre.”

Later this season, the 2012 Michael Palm Series continues with two additional concerts by world-class performers. First, on March 10 the award-winning baritone Thomas Hampson is joined by his son-in-law, rising star bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, in their first US appearance together, with pianist Carrie-Ann Matheson. On May 17, Christine Brewer, recently named among the BBC’s top 20 sopranos of the 20th century, performs with pianist Craig Rutenberg.

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