| The
Lewin-Muresanu Duo
Irina Muresanu - violin • Michael Lewin
- piano
New
CD: World-wide release in Fall 2007.
The Lewin-Muresanu Duo
will also make their New York recital debut on Nov 2, 2007
at Bargemusic, playing the Four Bolcom Sonatas on the new "Here
and Now" series.
|
Photo: Lucy Cobos |
"Bringing
fervor and range to Bolcom:
The Bolcom Sonatas are also phenomenally difficult, something
that seemed of no consequence to Muresanu and Lewin….almost
telepathic rapport…Their playing was marked by passion
and tremendous rhythmic vitality."
- The Boston Globe,
April, 2006 (Read
the entire rave review!)
|
skip to: bios
| sample programs | concert schedule | contact info | top
of page
About the Duo:
skip to: bios | sample
programs | concert schedule | contact
info | top of page

|
Photo: Lucy Cobos |
The
Lewin-Muresanu Duo, combining the extraordinary gifts of Romanian
violinist Irina Muresanu and American pianist Michael Lewin, has
quickly become well-known and sought after for their dynamic performances
of the rich violin and piano repertoire. The Duo brings together
two internationally applauded soloists and chamber musicians who
combine in a compelling synergy of charisma, musical command, synchronicity
and virtuosity. Winners of the 2005 Aaron Copland Recording Fund
Grant, they are currently giving wide-ranging concert performances
and recording the four Sonatas and the Graceful Ghost Rag by William
Bolcom for Centaur Records. Their first recording together is “Kreutzette”
by Andy Vores, a performance praised in Gramophone Magazine of a
work that was written for them. The Duo was named ensemble-in-residence
at The Boston Conservatory in 2005, where they both serve on the
Artist-Faculty, and they also share a summer residency at the Killington
Music Festival. Their Canadian debut in 2004 brought an immediate
reengagement and was hailed by the Waterloo Gazette for its “power,
affection and insight…a sensational concert!” In 2006
the Boston Globe wrote: “They’ve played together for
only three years, but you wouldn’t know it from their almost
telepathic rapport. Their playing was marked by passion and tremendous
rhythmic vitality.”
This season the Duo will perform throughout the Northeast and Canada,
and perform the Martinu Concerto da Camera with the Boston Conservatory
Orchestra under Bruce Hangen. Their 2005-06 season included recitals
in Vermont at the Killington Music Festival, on Rhode Island’s
Music on the Hill series, for Canada’s Kitchener-Waterloo
Music Society as well as their European debut, giving a recital
and masterclasses in Italy at the United World College of the Adriatic.
In Massachusetts they played on the Boston Conservatory’s
Faculty Recital Series and New Music Festival, the Kalliroscope
Gallery Chamber Series in Groton, as well as in Rehoboth, Westwood,
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the St. Botolph Club, the Harvard-Epworth
Church and on WGBH. Irina and Michael began playing together in
January 2003, their early concerts taking place in Puerto Rico at
the Tapia Theatre and El Convento, on WGBH Radio and throughout
New England. The Blizzard of 2003 thwarted their initial attempt
at a Boston debut- that occasion instead took place at the Franklin
Institute during the Boston Conservatory’s 2004 Winterfest,
a year that also included recitals in Worcester, the WCRB-Copley
Plaza series, the All-Newton Music School, in Canada, and an orchestral
performance of the rarely heard Concerto in F Major by Haydn for
Violin, Piano and String Orchestra, with the Boston Virtuosi. They
are involved in ongoing explorations of the Beethoven, Brahms, Bolcom
and Prokofiev Sonata cycles, a wide variety of recital pieces, and
various Double Concertos with orchestra.
Irina Muresanu, Violinist
The Romanian violinist Irina Muresanu has won international acclaim
as an outstanding young soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.
Ms. Muresanu’s competition honors include top prizes in the
Montreal International Competition, Queen Elizabeth Violin Competition,
UNISA International String Competition, and the Washington International.
She has also won the Pro Musicis International Award, the Presser
Music Award, and the Arthur Foote Award from the Harvard Musical
Association. Ms. Muresanu has appeared as soloist with the Orchestre
de la Suisse Romande, the Boston Pops, the Metropolitaine Orchestra
in Montreal, the Boston Philharmonic, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra,
the Romanian National Radio Orchestra, and the Miami and Syracuse
Symphonies. In addition to the Lewin-Muresanu Duo, Ms. Muresanu
performs as a member of the Boston Trio and the Walden Chamber Players.
She is a frequent guest of the Boston Chamber Music Society and
a popular Festival guest artist. Ms. Muresanu currently serves on
the violin faculty of The Boston Conservatory, and the Music Department
at MIT. She plays an 1856 Joseph Rocca violin and a Charles Peccat
bow.
www.irinamuresanu.com
Michael Lewin, Pianist
The American pianist Michael Lewin enjoys a distinguished international
career and reputation, launched by victories in the Liszt International
Competition, the William Kapell International Competition and the
American Pianists Association Beethoven Fellowship. He has appeared
as soloist with orchestras including the Netherlands Philharmonic,
Cairo Symphony, Guadalajara Philharmonic, Bucharest ‘Enescu’
Philharmonic, and the Symphonies of Phoenix, Indianapolis, North
Carolina, West Virginia, Nevada, New Orleans, Miami, Colorado, Thessaloniki,
Puerto Rico and the Boston Pops. He has performed in New York’s
Lincoln Center, Taiwan’s National Concert Hall, Hong Kong’s
City Hall Theatre, Holland’s Muziekcentrum, the Great Hall
in Moscow, the Megaron in Athens, the SpoletoFestival and on PBS
Television. His six solo recordings, on Naxos and Centaur, include
the complete piano music of Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Scarlatti
Piano Sonatas, a Liszt album, a Russian recital and Bamboula!, piano
music by Louis Moreau Gottschalk. A Steinway Artist, Mr. Lewin is
a member of the Lewin-Muresanu Duo and Piano Chair at The Boston
Conservatory.
www.michaellewin.com
"At the KWCMS Music Room, Michael
Lewin, one of our favorite pianists, performed with Rumanian
violinist Irina Muresanu, who turns out to be one of the finest
violinists we've ever heard. She has a beautiful, sweet sound,
yet can raise the roof where needed, and is technically equal
to anything. Fine duo playing, with stylistic unanimity, throughout.
Kreutzette, by Andy Vores, is an oddity, pretty arcanely related
to the Kreutzer Sonata, though cute in its zany way. The Beethoven
Sonata itself got a breathtaking performance, with the finale
at breakneck speed but crystal clear -- no mean feat! The
great variations movement was tender and lovely. Yehudi Wyner's
two Dances of Atonement are intense works and couldn't be
played better; Brahms Sonata No. 3 showed the violinist's
power as well as both players' affection and insight. A sensational
concert!"
- Waterloo Gazette, Canada, 2005 |
Sample Recital
Programs
skip to: bios | sample
programs | concert schedule | contact
info | top of page
| The
Three Brahms Sonatas for Violin and Piano (on one program) |
The Ten Beethoven
Sonatas for Violin and Piano
(The complete cycle, in 3 concerts, available in 2006-07) |
| *The
Four Bolcom Sonatas and the Graceful Ghost Rag (on one program) |
Beethoven - Sonata
no. 8 in G-minor
Paganini - Caprice no.24 (violin solo)
Liszt - Paganini Etude no.6 (piano solo)
Lutoslawski - Subito
Franck - Sonata |
Brahms –
Sonatensatz
Prokofiev – Sonata no. 1 in F-minor
Debussy – Sonata
Beethoven – Sonata no. 7 in C-minor |
Yehudi Wyner –
Dances of Atonement
Brahms – Sonata no. 3 in D-minor, op.108
*Andy Vores – Kreutzette
(commissioned by the Lewin-Muresanu Duo)
Beethoven – “Kreutzer” Sonata |
Brahms Sonata no.
2 in A Major, op. 100
Bolcom Sonata no.2 (1978)
Busoni “Carmen”Fantasy (piano solo)
Sarasate “Carmen” Fantasy |
*
recorded by the Lewin-Muresanu Duo |
Concert
Schedule
skip to: bios | sample
programs | concert schedule | contact
info | top of page
Upcoming
Concerts |
|
May 3
2007 |
Foxhill Village
Westwood, MA
8:00 p.m. |
Lewin-Muresanu Duo recital
Call 781-329-4433 for more information |
| May 6
2007 |
Duxbury Art Complex.
Duxbury, MA
4:00pm |
Program TBA www.artcomplex.org |
Oct. 16
2007 |
Houghton Library
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA |
Lewin-Muresanu Duo Recital
Program to include Sonatas by Beethoven and Bolcom |
Nov. 2 |
The Barge
Brooklyn, NY
8:00 p.m. |
Lewin-Muresanu Duo Program: The Four
Violin Sonatas of William Bolcom
http://www.bargemusic.org |
| Feb. 24
2008 |
Century Village East
Deerfield Beach, FL
8:00pm |
program TBA
tel: 954-428-7095 |
| Feb. 26
2008 |
Century Village West
Boca Raton, FL
8:00pm |
program TBA
tel: 561-451-1227 |
| Feb. 27
2008 |
Century Village at Pembroke Pines
Hollywood, FL
8:00pm |
program TBA
tel: 954-435-6001 |
Feb.28
2008 |
Century Village
West Palm Beach, FL
8:00pm |
program TBA
tel: 561-640-3120 |
Apr. 13 |
KW Chamber Music Society
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
8:00 p.m. |
the Lewin-Muresanu Duo play the complete
violin and piano sonatas of William Bolcolm.
http://www.k-wcms.com |
|
|
| Jan.
31 |
Duo Debut
Tapia Theatre
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|
| Feb.
2 |
El Convento, Puerto
Rico |
Beethoven, Brahms, Sarasate |
| Feb
11 |
WGBH Radio
|
Program:
Brahms, Sonatensatz
Beethoven, Son. #7
Debussy, Sonata
Prokofiev, Son.#1 |
| Feb
15 |
Worcester Polytechnic
Institute Worcester, MA |
" |
| Feb
17 |
Boston Conservatory
Recital, WinterFest |
" |
| Feb
18 |
Westwood, MA |
" |
| April
22, 27 |
|
An all-Brahms program, including the Horn
Trio |
| June
12 |
WCRB-Copley Square
Series
Boston MA |
Brahms, Liszt, Paganini |
| Oct.
18 |
Longy School
Cambridge, MA. |
Haydn Concerto for Violin and Piano, Boston
Virtuosi |
| Nov.
9 |
Harvard Epworth
Church
Cambridge, MA |
Vores "Kreutzette"
Beethoven "Kreutzer" |
| Nov.
10 |
New England Conservatory
Boston, MA |
Vores & Beethoven |
|
|
| Jan.
23 |
Worcester Polytechnic
Institute
Worcester, MA
|
Program:
Yehudi Wyner, "Dances and Incantations"
Brahms, Sonata #3
Vores, "Kreutzette"
Beethoven, "Kreutzer" Sonata |
| Jan.
25 |
Canadian Debut
Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
" |
| Jan.
29 |
Fox Hill Village
Westwood, MA |
" |
| Jan
30 |
WGBH Radio, Live |
" |
| Feb.
1 |
WinterFest
Franklin Institute, Boston Conservatory
Boston, MA |
" |
| March
28 |
All-Newton Music
School |
All-Beethoven, Sonatas 5, 8, 9 |
| April
4 |
Seully Hall
The Boston Conservatory |
Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2, with the Boston
Conservatory Chamber Players. |
| April
20 |
The Castle
Boston University |
Beethoven Sonatas, "Spring" &
"Kreutzer" |
| May
6 |
Sonic Temple
Roslindale, MA. |
Recording Session: "Kreutzette",
by Andy Vores. For fall 2004 release. |
| Dec.
3 |
WGBH Radio Live.
|
Beethoven Sonata No. 8 & Franck Sonata |
| Dec.
4 |
Faculty Recital,
The Boston Conservatory |
Program:
Beethoven Sonata No. 8 in G Major
Prokofiev Sonata No. 2 in D Major
Lutoslawski Subito (1992)
Franck Sonata in A Major |
|
|
| March 29 |
Fox Hill Village, Westwood MA. |
Beethoven, Franck, Chopin |
| July 31 |
Killington Music Festival
Killington, VT |
Program:
Brahms Sonata No.2
Bolcom Sonata No. 2
Chopin Nocturne
Franck Sonata |
| Oct 30 |
Harvard-Epworth Church
Cambridge, MA |
Brahms, Bolcom, and Franck |
|
|
| Feb 25 |
Indian Hill Music
Kalliroscope Gallery Chamber Series
Littleton, MA |
Program:
The Three Brahms Sonatas |
| March 11 |
Arts in the Village
Goff Memorial Hall
Rehoboth, MA |
" |
| March 12 |
Music on the Hill
St. Luke's Church
E. Greenwich, RI |
" |
| March
26 |
Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
" |
| April 2 |
Faculty Artist Series
The Boston Conservatory |
" |
Nov. 10 |
Sanders Theatre,
Cambridge, MA.
8:00pm |
Martinu Concerto da Camera for Violin, Piano,
Strings and Percussion,
with The Boston Conservatory Orchestra,
Bruce Hangen, conductor
www.bostonconservatory.edu |
Dec. 2
|
Goff Memorial Hall. Recital.
Rehoboth, MA
7:30pm |
Program to include Bolcom "Sonata Stramba",
Franck Sonata, and solo works. |

Irina Muresanu and Michael Lewin in Studio One with WGBH Radio Host
Richard Knisely. March 2006
Contact the
Lewin-Muresanu Duo:
skip to: bios | sample
programs | concert schedule | contact
info | top of page
| Michael Lewin: |
|
| Irina Muresanu: |
|
|