Aleron Trio performs at Old First Church May 22, 2011

Sunday, May 22, 4p.m.

Aleron Trio is an ensemble of three women from Taiwan, France, and the United States. They draw audiences with their energy and have been praised for their "dexterity and breathtaking perfection" by critics during their French tour last summer. The Trio has chosen American composer Paul Schoenfield's Cafe Music to balance great works by Beethoven and Dvorak. It is easy to imagine Schoenfield's piece being played in a dark smoky cafe, yet at the same time Schoenfield is influenced by early 20th-century American, Viennese, classical, gypsy, and Broadway styles, which also makes it a natural choice for performance halls. This piece is a perfect opener for Dvorak's most celebrated piano trio, the "Dumky," a work filled with beautiful melodies alternating with exciting folk dance rhythms.

Program:
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Trio No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 1
Paul Schoenfield Cafe Music
Antonin Dvorak Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor, "Dumky", B. 166, Op. 90

About Old First Concerts:
Old First Concerts, established in 1969 as a year-round concert series, presents an astonishing array of programs performed by outstanding musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. OFC has a distinctive niche within the local musical community with a solid history of creating and programming an incubator space for emerging and established musicians and ensembles of all genres.
Artists perform in an acoustically and aesthetically appealing setting, seating 450 people, with a backdrop of vividly-colored stained glass windows, and an entranceway featuring an elaborately hand painted ceiling. The venue is an ideal median between the larger local performance and recital halls, and the smaller community centers and clubs. Pianists have developed a deep fondness for performing on OFCs' excellent New York Steinway (circa 1980).
With affordable ticket prices Old First Concerts is dedicated to making a world- class concert experience truly accessible to the community and visitors.

Official Website: http://www.alerontrio.com