Formed in 2005, the Escher String Quartet has attracted the attention of numerous artists who immediately admired the young ensemble for their individual sound, bold artistic decisions and unique cohesiveness.

Since making her international debut at age 12, violinist Viviane Hagner has won exceptional praise for her substantial and beautiful sound, highly intelligent musicality and passionate artistry. As well as bringing insight and virtuosity to the core concerto repertoire, she is an ardent advocate of new, neglected and undiscovered music.

Pianist Benjamin Hochman has achieved widespread acclaim for his performances as orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. An imaginatively mature artist, Mr. Hochman's innate ability to combine beauty of line within the overall shape of a piece sets him apart from other young pianists.

One of the brightest young instrumental talents to emerge from Finland today, Juho Pohjonen has attracted great attention as one of the Nordic country's most intriguing and talented pianists.

Mr. Kirshbaum enjoys exploring the riches of chamber music and has collaborated with numerous musicians including Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman, Gil Shaham, Yefim Bronfman, Garrick Ohlsson and the Juilliard and Tokyo String Quartets.

These three distinguished artists met and performed together for the first time at the Aspen Music Festival. After an evening of string trios to a sold out audience, they were greeted with an immediate and prolonged standing ovation. At that time the three artists made the decision to tour together in North America as their schedule allowed.

A shimmering soprano with enchanting stage presence, Heidi Grant Murphy is one of the outstanding vocal talents of her generation. She has established a reputation not only for her radiant musicianship and impeccable vocal technique, but also for her warm personality and generosity of spirit.

Since its inception, the Orion String Quartet has been consistently praised for the fresh perspective and individuality it brings to performances, offering diverse programs that juxtapose classic works of the standard quartet literature with masterworks by living composers.

Formed in 1985, the Quatuor Mosaïques is the most prominent period-instrument quartet performing today. The ensemble has been praised for their atypical decision to use gut-stringed instruments which, combined with their celebrated musicianship, has cultivated a unique sound for the group.

During the next few seasons, the focus of Mr. Schiff's orchestral activities will be conducting programs of Bach, Beethoven and Mozart from the keyboard.

Named one of the "10 Brightest New Stars for 2007" by BBC Music Magazine, Scottish conductor Garry Walker is widely recognized for the intense rapport he creates with musicians and audiences as well as his thoughtful and wide ranging programs.

In the summer of 2003, the ensemble, formerly known as the NAC Chamber Players, performed at the Ravinia, Verbier, Schleswig-Holstein, Tivoli (Denmark) and Musica Mundi (Belgium) Festivals, as well as the Festival of the Sound and Domaine Forget in its native Canada, all to great critical acclaim.

Equally respected as a violinist, violist, conductor, pedagogue and chamber musician, Pinchas Zukerman is indeed a master of our time.

92nd Street Y is a world-class nonprofit community and cultural center that connects people to the worlds of education, the arts, health and wellness, and Jewish life.

The Dublin International Piano Competition was inaugurated in 1988. A triennial event, the Competition has grown in stature, and now ranks with the most important such international events, not least for its generous first prize monies, but more importantly for the prestigious list of engagements. These include debut recitals in London, New York, appearances at international festivals and concerts with leading orchestras.

Founded in Cleveland in 1975, the Cleveland International Piano Competition has supported some of the world's most promising young pianists for 30 years and presents the largest cash prize of any contest of its kind worldwide, known as the Mixon First Prize in honor of its sponsors, Mr. and Mrs. A. Malachi Mixon III. The finalists are given the unique opportunity to perform piano concertos with the renowned Cleveland Orchestra. The Competition is sponsored by the Piano International Association of Northern Ohio (PIANO), and strives to help preserve music for future generations.

Throughout its 35-year history, the Emerson String Quartet has garnered an international reputation for groundbreaking chamber music projects and correlated recordings for Deutsche Grammophon.

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A proponent of contemporary works, Mr. Spano has reinstated regular performances of 20th and 21st century repertoire including Jennifer Higdon's City Scape, which is the ASO's first commission in six years, as well as world premieres of ASO-commissioned works.

Composer Tod Machover's new opera, Death and the Powers, is a one-act work that tells the story of Simon Powers, a successful and powerful businessman and inventor, who wants to go beyond the bounds of humanity. Currently under development at the MIT Media Lab in collaboration with the American Repertory Theater, Death and Powers features new, cutting-edge performance technologies. Premiere performances of the opera are being planned for the 2010/2011 season in Monaco and the U.S., including the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) and Chicago Opera Theater.

The Mirror Visions Ensemble explores song repertoire from multiple points of view, often featuring back-to-back performances of diverse settings of a single text. Formed in 1992 by Tobé Malawista, Richard Lalli, and Scott Murphree, the New Haven-based not-for-profit organization continues to create new works, original and dramatic concerts, and develop programs designed to partner with visual exhibitions and events throughout the United States and Europe.

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is one of Israel's oldest and most influential cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1936, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has dedicated itself to presenting the world's greatest music to audiences in Israel and around the world. Founded by Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra represents the fulfillment of his dream "to unite the desire of the country for an orchestra with the desire of the Jewish musicians for a country." Huberman spent countless hours persuading first-chair musicians of Eastern European and German orchestras, who had lost their jobs as a result of Nazism, to immigrate to Palestine. In doing so, Huberman created an "orchestra of soloists" which, under the esteemed leadership of Zubin Mehta, continues to absorb new immigrants and serve as a gathering point for musicians from all over the world.

GRAMMY nominated mandolinist Avi Avital is recognized as one of the world's most exciting and entrepreneurial young musicians who is deeply committed to building a fresh legacy for the mandolin, through virtuosic performance and exciting new repertoire.

Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano is recognized for her naturally lustrous sound as well as a fresh and appealing presence on symphonic, operatic and recital stages.

Manoukian has been praised for her innate musicality and imaginative artistry on orchestral, chamber music and recital stages. Her unique interest in both philosophy and music has led to a thoughtful career filled with international engagements and numerous recording projects.

The inaugural Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, to be held in Los Angeles, March 9-18, 2012, brings together masters of the cello and young cellists from around the world for a unique celebration of the cello, its music and its musicians.

Tenebrae blends the passion of a large cathedral choir with the precision of a chamber ensemble to create a unique and enchanting sound, one which is as dazzlingly effective in mediaeval chant as it is in contemporary works.

Recognized as an artist of passion and integrity, American pianist Peter Serkin is one of the most thoughtful and individualistic musicians appearing before the public today. Throughout his career he has conveyed the essence of five centuries of musical repertoire. His performances with symphony orchestras, recital appearances, chamber music collaborations and recordings are respected worldwide. "He is one of the supreme musicians of our time" (New York Magazine).

Recently named to Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's prestigious CMS2 program, the Danish String Quartet - formerly known as the Young Danish String Quartet, made its debut in the Copenhagen Summer Festival in 2002. In the course of a remarkably short time, the quartet drew attention to itself for its highly committed musicianship and enthralling style, and the ensemble quickly became the most promising news in the classical music world in Denmark.