Laura Kaminsky Celebrates Her Friendship with Only at Merkin Performer Ursula Oppens

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THREE INTIMATE EVENINGS OF CONVERSATION AND PERFORMANCE.

Kaufman Music Center's brand new series, Only at Merkin with Terrance McKnight, begins Sat, Feb 2, with a 75th Birthday Tribute to Ursula Oppens. Featuring WQXR's Terrance McKnight, renowned pianist Ursula Oppens and the Cassatt String Quartet.

 The program includes the world premiere of Laura Kaminsky's new Piano Quintet and works by John Corigliano, Elliott Carter and Tobias Picker, plus Ravel's String Quartet. Get tickets today!


Laura Kaminsky Celebrates Friendship with Only at Merkin Performer Ursula Oppens

"About my new Piano Quintet…it all comes to down to food, drink, and friendship. Ursula, my dear friend since the 1980s, when I presented her at The Town Hall for the premiere of Conlon Nancarrow’s Two Canons for Ursula, now celebrates her 75th birthday. Having had the distinct honor of eating borscht and drinking vodka with her in Russia when she premiered my Piano Concerto with the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic (under Maestro Jeffery Meyer), sharing a great after-meal with her following her New York premiere of my solo Fantasy at Bargemusic, it is only fitting that now we collaborate on a chamber work, the Piano Quintet, which she has generously commissioned (with the support of the Newburgh Institute For The Arts and Ideas). We are joined by my other friends in food, drink and music, The Cassatt String Quartet. With these four distinguished artists, I have shared many a lobster and glass of wine at their glorious Seal Bay Festival in Vinalhaven, ME, and, with Ursula, many great post-concert evenings at the Bar Thalia at Symphony Space, where the five of them first performed together. The new Piano Quintet, dedicated to Ursula on her birthday, will surely be followed by more good food and wine, and many years of devoted and delight-filled friendship.

— Laura Kaminsky

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