February 25th ZALON!

1. Ortakides will perform Greek Folk music of the island of Crete, from the AMuSe studio of Antonis Mikelis in London

2.     Azabache Tango string quartet will perform modern tangos, from Buenos Aires, Argentina 

3.     Flutist Suzanne Teng and multi-instrumentalist Gilbert Levy will perform two of their scintillating original world music compositions, from their home studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico

4.     As a Valentine to the Zalon audience Noëlle Streuber-Eden (violin) and Sonja Streuber (piano) will perform Andrea Clearfield's "Aria for Stephen", from their home at the Main Line, PA

5.     Iris Malkin, mezzo-soprano, and Daniel Gledhill, piano, perform Hebrew songs and prayers, from Iris's home in Los Angeles, CA

6.     Leo Sussman and Teagan Faran present groovy new pieces for flute and strings, including premieres by Yaz Lancaster and Abby Swidler, from the Electronic Experiment Lab at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana

7.     Jeffrey Solow and Elise Auerbach will play Divertimento in D Major by Franz Joseph Haydn (arr. Gregor Piatigorsky), from Jeffrey's studio at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA

8.     Piano duo Mada & Hugh will perform their arrangements of "Can You Read My Mind?" by John Williams, "Lullabye" by Billy Joel, and "Beyond the Sea" (arr. Jeremy Siskind), from Mada & Hugh’s home studio in King of Prussia, PA

9.     The Acoustic Trio, featuring Dirk Quinn (guitar), Rory Flynn (upright bass), and Cody Munzert (piano), will perform funky/jazzy originals, from Rory's home studio in Coatesville, PA

10.  Vocalist Ella Gahnt and pianist Aaron Graves will perform original jazz selections, from Aaron's studio in Philadelphia, PA

11.  “Kanta dAb dAb": Sunit Kansakar on Sitar, Nikhil Tuladhar on Drums and Percussions and Riju Tuladhar on Bass, perform a blend of ethnic, traditional, Asian cross genre music, from their studio in Kathmandu, Nepal

Ortakides

Ortakides, a London-based Greek folk music ensemble established in 2023, is committed to the exploration of Cretan traditional music and a broader spectrum of Greek and Cypriot folk songs. Founded by Christos Angelidakis (cretan lyra), Giorgos Angelopoulos (mandolin), Miltos Boumis (cretan lute), and Simon Mercouris (cretan lute), the group embraces the diversity of musical genres from across Greece and Cyprus. Despite being a new band, each member brings a wealth of experience, having collaborated with various musicians over the years and performed gigs in London, beyond the city, and even abroad. Though not all members originate from Crete, Ortakides shares a profound love for Cretan music while expanding their repertoire to encompass traditional and folk songs from the entire Greek and Cypriot cultural landscape.

Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554331316150
PayPal: ezsonglessons@gmail.com

Videos: 

Azabache Tango

Azabache Tango emerges from the current tango scene of Buenos Aires, offering a new and surprising interpretation of Argentine popular music in the format of a classical string quartet. Since 2017, they have been performing a repertoire consisting exclusively of new works, largely composed by themselves. This year, their second album was released under the Acqua Records label, titled "MUNDO MANIJA." The musicians' artistic exploration delves into the percussive elements and sound effects of the string instrument family, always seeking to playfully subvert expectations regarding the ensemble's traditional roles.

Links:
PayPal: paypal.me/azabachetango
Bandcamp: https://azabachetango.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: instagram.com/azabache_tango
Spotify: sptfy.com/azabachetango www.azabachetango.com

Videos:

Suzanne Teng and Gilbert Levy

Suzanne Teng and Gilbert Levy are married musical partners who compose original global instrumental music that is influenced by Suzanne’s classical training and Gilbert’s background in jazz and R&B. They have released seven critically acclaimed albums that have garnered numerous prestigious international awards such as the Independent Music Awards (twice), International Acoustic Music Awards, Los Angeles Music Awards, New Mexico Music Awards, Akademia Music Awards, Global Music Awards, Peace Song Awards, Native American Style Flute Awards (album of the year) and the InterContinental Music Awards. Their recordings have been licensed for numerous soundtracks and was featured on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Suzanne has been described by the Los Angeles Times as a “brilliant flutist” who “plays music for the soul.” Originally from Berkeley, California, she received her Master’s degree in music from Boston University’s School for the Arts and, after enjoying world travels, furthered her passion for world music, pursuing her Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at UCLA. She plays an array of wind instruments from around the world and is an endorsed artist for YAMAHA representing their alto and bass flutes. She has performed on hundreds of albums, film/television/commercial soundtracks and performed on the Survivor Live finale shows that had 50 million viewers. Gilbert was born and raised in New Orleans where he began playing drums at an early age and by his late teens was performing professionally in R&B bands in clubs on Bourbon Street and with jazz greats such as Wynton and Branford Marsalis. He moved to Los Angeles in his late 20’s and played pop music in numerous bands and on several major label recording projects before gravitating towards world drums.

Links:
Website: mysticjourney.net 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCW23w6odIMI-KsfBKPratQ?view_as=subscriber
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1fI91xqYyNyyq1DeYfFRAS

Video:

Noëlle Streuber-Eden

A ninth-grader with a knack for advanced mathematics, Noëlle Streuber-Eden is excited to be back at the Szalon with one of her dreams coming true: Premiering an original work by a living female composer--our very own gracious host, Andrea Clearfield herself. Since her debut in 2021 in the Greater Chicago area, Noëlle has routinely enchanted audiences with virtuosic and inspired performances whose maturity belies her age. Currently a student of Guillaume Combet in Philadelphia, she has graced renowned stages like Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Center, and Iceland's Harpa, and performed in master classes for Almita Vamos, Jennifer Koh, Desirée Ruhstrat, and Robert Chen. A versatile musician, she has served as concertmaster, section leader, and soloist for Temple University's Youth Chamber Orchestra, the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra, the Chicago Youth Symphony, and various chamber ensembles, including the Settlement School’s Ann Newman Quartet, for which her talent has been recognized with the prestigious Advanced Study Scholarship since 2022. Noëlle has won first prizes in several competitions, including the Lansdowne Symphony and Ambler Symphony Concerto Competitions, last year's PYAO Young Artists Solo Competition, the International Clara Schumann Competition, the Pennsylvania Opus Music Competition, the Elite International Music Competition, and many more. In fact, this evening, she is just coming from performing the second and third movements of the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Ambler Symphony. Noëlle balances her passion for music with interests in advanced mathematics and biology and her two feline companions, Herman and Millie. Noëlle will be accompanied by her mother, pianist Sonja Streuber.

Website: noelleviolin.art  
YouTube Playlist

Video:

Iris Malkin and Daniel Gledhill

Israeli born Mezzo-Soprano Iris Malkin graduated from the Jerusalem Academy of Music with a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance and an Artist Diploma in Piano - with a Vocal Coaching emphasis. Iris has performed widely in concerts and festivals in Israel, Europe, and the United States, and her performances have been broadcast worldwide. In addition to the mainstream operatic repertoire, Iris has distinguished herself in the world of Hebrew and Jewish works as well as the highly nuanced Spanish song repertoire. Iris has performed under the baton of Pierre Boulez during the 2006 Lucerne Festival, including collaboration with Boulez’ celebrated Ensemble Intercontemporain, and in 2011 was a guest soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay. In 2012 she released her CD Cadencia, with songs from England, Spain, and Puerto Rico with award-winning guitarist Edward Trybek. She is the featured soloist on Stig Jonas Pettersson’s 2015 Album The Dracula Letters. Iris is in demand as a vocalist for films, video games and movie trailers. She is a featured soloist on the soundtrack of the film Kill Zone, nominated for Best Original Score at the 2009 Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Iris is on the faculty of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Recently, she was a featured soloist with the LA Jewish symphony, performing works by women composers, including Andrea Clearfield's Women of Valor. 

www.irismalkin.com

Daniel Gledhill began studying the piano at the age of 5. Since then, he has become an accomplished pianist, winning 1st prizes on both national and international stages. As a boy, a large part of Daniel’s musical influence came from videogames. The way they were able to portray the complex moods and emotions of simple pixelated characters greatly inspired him and he began composing melodies himself. Since beginning that journey he has developed many styles, but his favorite music to write has always been the lush, sweeping themes found in modern games that introduce the player to new worlds with the promises of grand adventures to come. His education continued at the University of Southern California where he attended the Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program. Currently he works as a collaborative pianist for the University of California, Los Angeles and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Hollywood. He also free-lances as a composer, writing for solo piano as well as small and large orchestral ensembles for film and concert settings.

www.danielgledhill.com

Videos:

Teagan Faran and Leo Sussman

A native of Buffalo, NY, Teagan Faran is a multidisciplinary musician focused on enacting social change through the arts. Faran has collaborated with the International Contemporary Ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, Palaver Strings, and the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra. Recent recording features include albums with Carlos Simon, La Martino Orquesta Típica, and loadbang. Also active in the world of tango music, she has performed with Victor Lavallén and the Orquesta Escuela de Emilio Balcarce, as well as at festivals across the United States. Faran holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the Manhattan School of Music. She has held fellowships with the Fulbright Program, Turn the Spotlight, Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Woodshed Network, and OneBeat. Faran teaches at DePauw University and the Sa’Oaxaca International Strings Festival as well as being a certified personal trainer, with a focus on career longevity for performers.

Flutist Leo Sussman grew up playing chamber music in living rooms and gigging with a salsa band in his hometown of San Francisco. Passionate about the power of music to build community, he delights in engaging audiences and mentoring students across New York City and beyond. Some highlights include performances at the Philharmonie de Paris, Tippet Rise Art Center, and Black Rock City; the premiere recording of Julia Wolfe’s Oxygen; and shows around NYC with groups including Alarm Will Sound, SEM Ensemble, and Metropolis Ensemble. Leo is a recent alum of Carnegie Hall's Ensemble Connect, and his wind quintet, ConnectFive, received Chamber Music America’s 2021 Ensemble Forward grant. Currently a doctoral candidate at Manhattan School of Music, Leo holds degrees from Yale School of Music and Lawrence University.

You can support them directly here or via Venmo (@Teagan-Faran).

Videos:

Jeffrey Solow and Elise Auerbach

Cellist Jeffrey Solow has performed as soloist with orchestras worldwide and has been a guest artist at many national and international festivals. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he earned a degree in Philosophy magna cum laude from UCLA while studying with and assisting the legendary Gregor Piatigorsky at USC. He has recorded for numerous record labels and received two Grammy Award nominations, and his editions are published by Henle Urtext, the International Music Company, Ovation Online editions, and Theodore Presser. A noted teacher, Jeffrey has been professor of cello at Temple University since 1989 and received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2020. He is past president of the Violoncello Society of NY and of the American String Teachers Association.

Pianist Elise Auerbach has performed around the world and enjoys an active and diverse career as a collaborative artist. She has participated in many international festivals including the Opera Theater of Lucca, Italy, the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, and Canada’s Banff Centre for the Arts and Grandin Festival for Vocal Chamber Music.  She holds degrees from Temple University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, is a member of the vocal coaching faculty at Temple and pianist for the Symphony in C in Haddonfield, New Jersey

Videos:

Mada & Hugh

Romanian-born pianist Madalina Danila and Korean-American pianist Hugh Sung join creative forces to present innovative 4-hand piano duo programs that thrill audiences around the world. The award-winning Mada & Hugh Piano Duo performs a wide variety of works ranging from unique classics to their own dazzling arrangements of popular tunes.

Fans can support our music by joining us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/madahughpianoduo

Video:

Dirk Quinn

Dirk Quinn is the guitarist for the jazz/funk band that coincidentally bears his name.  Based out of Philadelphia, the group travels extensively throughout the US and Canada.  Utilizing over a decade of steady performing, they've developed a unique and sincere style - one that appeals to a wide variety of music listeners with fans ranging from the beard stroking jazz aficionados to the jam band hippies.

Links:

http://www.dirkquinn.com/music
http://www.facebook.com/dirkquinnband
http://www.reverbnation.com/dirkquinnband
http://www.soundcloud.com/dirkquinn
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXG1bjiOhlhwOsbMnV7RFtA
Venmo: DirkQuinn
Paypal: DirkQuinn@Gmail.com

 Videos:

Ella Gahnt and Aaron Graves

Ella Gahnt is a Philly-based Jazz vocalist who has been dubbed “Philly’s Class Act” by local media and fans. She has “wowed” audiences at major venues and Jazz Festivals in the area for many years and is the featured vocalist performing regularly with her own Trio and with several other Bands in the Tri-State area. On March 28, 2019, Ella was honored by the City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy at City Hall where she became a recipient of the “2019 Philly Celebrates Jazz Award.” Earlier this year, Ella did a wonderful concert at Washington DC’s acclaimed Westminster Presbyterian Church hosted by Dick Smith where she received several standing ovations for her performance. Ella will also be one of the featured vocalists performing at the Mid Atlantic Jazz Festival Club on Saturday, February 17, 2024. The Festival is held during President’s Day Weekend from Friday February 16 through Sunday February 18, 2024 at the Hilton Hotel in Rockville, MD. Ella’s 3 CDs – “Immaculate Union,” “By Request” and “Third Stage of Elegance” are in rotation on WRTI-FM. “Third Stage of Elegance” showcases her songwriting abilities. Ella is working on a 4th CD along with pianist extraordinaire Aaron Graves for upcoming release. Look out for Ella Gahnt – she’s traveling at the speed of swing!

www.ellagahnt.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ella.gahnt/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ella+gahnt –
PayPal: www.paypal.me/ellagahnt 

Aaron Graves was raised in Reidsville, North Carolina. He learned to play various instruments including piano, bass, organ, and drums, in the church where his father, a great musician with a musical family, was pastor. Aaron eventually moved to Washington, D.C. at the age of sixteen to play bass guitar with Richard Smallwood and attended The Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts. This where he began haring the art form that some call jazz. After touring with various artists that included Richard Smallwood, Myrna Summers, The Voices Supreme, and Henry Davis, Aaron entered Howard University and received a Special Talent Scholarship. After two years study he transferred to the University of the District of Columbia to study with Jazz Master Calvin Jones. Aaron received a National Endowment of the Arts grant and studied with Jazz Master Kenny Barron. He has also studied with Jazz Masters Barry Harris and Stanley Cowell. Aaron has been blessed to perform and/or record with greats that include Stanley Turrentine, Oscar Brown, Jr., Dakota Staton, Houston Person, Ernie Andrews, Marlena Shaw, Linda Hopkins, Cassandra Wilson, Antonio Hart, Greg Osby, Keter Betts, Bill Lee, Grady Tate, Kenny Burrell, Frank Foster, Grover Washington, Jr., Vanessa Rubin, Earl May, The Blackbyrds, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and many others.

Videos:

Kanta dAb dAb

Kanta dAb dAb through sitar, bass and percussion blends ethnic, traditional, Nepali classical and various western musical influences to create a groovy, soulful Asian cross genre music which is distinctly contemporary with Nepali sound. The band uses traditional and folk music of Nepal in a contemporary music format with a belief that the musical heritage of Nepal is an inspiration and a source for any musicians and its scholars. Kanta dAb dAb is also a co-founder of the only free world music festival in Nepal called Echoes In The Valley, Festival of Music (EitV).  The band, Kanta dab dab (KDD) was formed in 2014 and released its debut self-titled album in 2016 and second album Manushaka in 2023. The band was successful to receive an immense appreciation from public and music critics alike since the day of its album release. KDD gained a reputation of bringing the traditional sounds of Kathmandu into a contemporary musical format. The band has toured and played physically at various folk, world music and world jazz festivals around the globe.

Links:

http://kantadabdab.com/
https://www.echoesinthevalley.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kantadabdab
https://www.instagram.com/kantadabdab/
https://twitter.com/home?lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbmcyyIzZ6jBLX9snOqrGAw/videos

Music:

https://soundcloud.com/kanta-dab-dab
all major streaming platforms including apple music and spotify

Media:

https://theannapurnaexpress.com/news/distilling-the-sounds-of-the-valley-966
https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Kanta-dAb-dAb-review,2876
https://thehimalayantimes.com/entertainment/events/kanta-dab-dab-release-debut-album/

Video: