G - Sharp Duo

(Photo: Joe Patrych)

G-Sharp Duo

Emilie-Anne Gendron, violin
Yelena Grinberg, piano

Founded in 2003, the G-Sharp Duo is a dynamic ensemble established by violinist Emilie-Anne Gendron and pianist Yelena Grinberg when both were students in the Barnard-Columbia-Juilliard (BCJ) dual degree program. Over the past six years, they have garnered enthusiastic praise from New York's classical music scene for their highly expressive and insightful performances.

Infusing their interpretations with a keen musical intellect, Ms. Gendron and Ms. Grinberg are committed to presenting not only the hallmarks of the violin-piano literature, but also non-standard and contemporary works. Notably, they gave the world premiere of Hiroya Miura's "Moon Petals" (2005), a composition dedicated to the duo and written in memory of composer and music theorist Jonathan Kramer. The duo's acclaimed first performance of this work at Miller Theatre was recently broadcast over New York Public Radio's arts program Ear to Ear hosted by David Garland. They will also be presenting a US premiere of Philip Lasser’s “Chaconne Variations” (2007) in spring 2009.

Prizing dual commitment to intellectual and musical exchange, Ms. Gendron and Ms. Grinberg have given joint lecture-performances, exploring various musical and aesthetic aspects of the sonata-duo repertoire at the Juilliard School, New York University, and Columbia University. Forthcoming projects include the recording of the complete violin-piano works of Schubert and the recording album of the three violin-piano sonatas of Schumann.

The G-Sharp Duo won First Prize in the duo category of the 2006 International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition, sponsored by the Chamber Music Foundation of New England. For the summer of 2008 they were awarded a performing residency at the renowned Banff Centre in Canada, where they worked closely with such artists as Philip Setzer, Mark Steinberg, Barry Shiffman, and Denis Brott.

In addition to having just presented their NY debut recital at the Kaufman Center’s Merkin Hall, the duo's active engagements have included performances at Miller Theatre, Brooklyn Bargemusic, Steinway Hall, Weill Recital Hall, the Bates College Concert Series, the Harvard Club of New York, and the chamber music series at St. Paul Church in Brookline, Massachusetts. This season marks a return to several of these venues, in addition to special concert appearances at the Tenri Cultural Institute of New York and Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York.

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NOTE: G-Sharp Duo can be readily contacted for private events, such as banquets, parties, receptions, weddings, corporate gatherings, and more, at gsharpduo@gmail.com