Skandinavian Pianist To Play Edmond Town Hall

The venerable Knabe concert grand piano that Newtown Benefactress Elizabeth Hawley provided so generously to the town when she equipped Edmond Town Hall with the best of everything during the early 20th Century will be put to good use on Sunday, October 14, beginning at 3 pm. That afternoon, Newtown Friends of Music will host a performance by the pianist Jens Elvekjaer.

This young virtuoso from Denmark has proven himself to be one of the leading Scandinavian pianists, and he impressed music fans tremendously when he performed in Newtown four seasons ago with the Trio Con Brio Copenhagen in 2008.

He then made his US recital début in 2009 in Washington, D.C.’s distinguished Dumbarton Oaks series, and returned to DC to play a solo recital at the National Gallery later that year. He has also performed as soloist with Danish National Symphony and Leipzig Chamber Orchestras, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, and Aalborg Symphony Orchestra.

Earlier this year, he appeared as soloist with Copenhagen Philharmonic, Danish National Symphony and Tivoli Symphony Orchestra. He has been invited to such prestigious festivals such as the Pablo Casals Festival in Prades, France; the Bergen Festival, Norway; the Kuhmo and Korsholm Chamber Music Festivals in Finland; and the Umeå Festival, in Sweden.

Mr Elvekjaer studied with Kämmerling in Salzburg, as well as Leonid Brumberg in Vienna, Ferenc Radosc in Budapest, and the Alban Berg Quartett in Cologne. His début solo CD of works by Ravel, Debussy and Franck was nominated for two Danish Music Awards. His latest release is a CD of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto (with Trio con Brio Copenhagen) and Piano Concerto No. 3.

International critical praise for Elvekjaer includes everything from “exceptional grace and fluidity” (The New York Times) and “élan, touch, accuracy, power, the whole package” (The San Jose Mercury) to “regal piano-playing” (Kieler Nachrichten, Germany) and “electrifying joy in playing ... effervescent energy and the ability to create magical dialogues with the orchestra” (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany).

For his program in Newtown Mr Elvekjaer has chosen music both old and new: “Turn” by Per Norgard, Gaspard de la nuit by Maurice Ravel and music by Franz Schubert.

Single tickets for this performance will be available at the Box Office for $25 (cash or check only); season tickets (for all five remaining concerts) are still available.

As always, students K through 12 are admitted free of charge when accompanied by a ticket-holding adult. The box office at Edmond Town Hall will open at 2 pm on the day of the concert. Tickets may also be purchased in advance by sending check and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Newtown Friends of Music, at PO Box 295, Newtown CT 06470-0295. Tickets will be reserved on a first come, first served basis. They may also be reserved by calling 203-426-6470.

Parking is free behind Edmond Town Hall and the facility is handicap accessible.

An informal reception following the concert will offer concertgoers the opportunity to meet and mingle with the musician.

For information regarding this and other concerts and to print out an order form, or to learn about other programs sponsored by Newtown Friends of Music, visit NewtownFriendsOfMusic.org.