January 25th SZALON!

1.   Soprano Shannon Coulter presents a video of “Donde Lieta” from La Bohème by Puccini with pianist Andrea Clearfield, dedicated to Louise Clearfield, from Shannon’s home in Philadelphia

2.   "Marietta's Lied" from Die tote Stadt by Erich Korngold performed by Mika Komuro (piano) and David Roode (trombone) of Vox Cor Trio, from Cincinnati, OH

3.   Singer/songwriter Phyllis Chapell performs 2 songs dedicated to Louise Clearfield, from her home studio in Bala-Cynwyd, PA 

4.   Audra Casebier presents a recording from her debut album with Reese Revak Here in Eden which explores humanity's relationship with faith through musical theatre, from her home studio in Philadelphia

5.   Carlos Bianchini, pianist, performs Paisajes Op.7 I.Calles de Madrid & II.Lunas de León, from Andrea’s Salon in Philadelphia

6.   Composer/singer/guitarist Eliza Edens performs from their apartment in Brooklyn, NY

7.   Singer/Songwriter Mary Scholz joins us to perform 2 songs from her home in Los Angeles

8.   Pianist Simon Karakulidi performs Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60, by Chopin, from the Szalon

Shannon and Andrea dedicate their performance to the memory of Louise Clearfield, mother of Andrea and Jon, wife of 68 years to Harris, mother-in-law to Nancy, grandmother to Courtney and Jack. Louise was a regular Salon attendee since 1986. 

Shannon Coulter and Andrea Clearfield

Shannon Coulter has performed as a soprano soloist and chorister for nearly four decades. Currently, she can be heard singing in choirs at Christ Church Philadelphia, with Singing City and the Temple University Singing Owls, and at the High Holy Days at Rodeph Shalom on Broad Street in Philadelphia. Shannon has performed operatic roles including Susanna in the Marriage of Figaro and premiered works by current composers like Andrea Clearfield’s Women of Valor (East Coast premiere) and Rollo Dilworth’s “Weather.” She is currently finishing a degree in Respiratory Therapy and looks forward to working in healthcare in the new year. She sings tonight to honor the memory of Andrea’s mother, and her friend, Louise Clearfield.

Andrea Clearfield is an award-winning composer who has written more than 175 works for orchestra, opera, chorus, chamber ensemble, dance and multimedia collaborations. Clearfield creates deep, emotive musical languages that build cultural and artistic bridges. She has been praised by The New York Times for her “graceful tracery and lively, rhythmically vital writing,” the Philadelphia Inquirer for her “mastery with large choral and instrumental forces,” the Los Angeles Times for her “fluid and glistening orchestration,” and by Opera News for her “vivid and galvanizing” music of “timeless beauty.” Clearfield’s music is performed widely in the U.S. and abroad. Among her works are seventeen cantatas including one commissioned and premiered by The Philadelphia Orchestra in collaboration with librettist/storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston. Her cantata, Women of Valor on the stories of biblical women was premiered at Royce Hall in Los Angeles with soloists Hila Plitmann and Gail Dubinbaum, narrator Valerie Harper and the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony in 2000 under the direction of Dr. Noreen Green. She dedicated “Ruth’s Aria” to her mother, Louise. Her opera, MILA, Great Sorcerer, to libretto by Jean-Claude van Itallie and Lois Walden was presented at the acclaimed NYC Prototype Festival in 2019. Dr. Clearfield has been awarded a 2021 Pew International Residency Award, a 2016 Pew Fellowship in the Arts, two Independence Foundation Fellowships, two Rockefeller Bellagio Center Fellowships and fellowships from the American Academy in Rome, Yaddo, MacDowell, Helene Wurlitzer Foundation and Copland House among others. She is represented by Black Tea Music.

More at www.andreaclearfield.com

Shannon and Andrea dedicate their performance to the memory of Louise Clearfield, Andrea and Jon Clearfield’s mother.

Louise Clearfield, 1935-2025

Vox Cor Trio

An unique ensemble, Vox Cor Trio is composed of piano, trumpet and trombone. The trio focuses on playing classical vocal music, aiming to share emotional journeys and stories without lyrics. In 2022, Vox Cor Trio was launched in Cincinnati, OH by pianist Mika Komuro. Since then trumpeter Dr. George Carpten, trombonist David Roode and Mika Komuro have been touring Cleveland, Cincinnati Ohio, Rehoboth, Massachusetts and Greenville, South Carolina. 

Mika Komuro is a Japanese concert pianist who is internationally performing as a soloist, chamber musician and an orchestral player. She made her solo debut in Tokyo and London as well as her concerto debut in Bucharest, Romania. Mika served as a pianist and accompanist in Odense Symphony Orchestra, Denmark during 2014-2015 season. Dr.George Carpten IV is a Memphis native and serves as Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Penn State. He is also the principal trumpet at Williamsport Symphony Orchestra and Altoona Symphony Orchestra. David Roode is principal trombone of South Bend Symphony Orchestra and associate trombonist of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. He has worked with many European orchestras such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (London) and the Royal Opera of Copenhagen.

Links:

Website:  https://www.voxcortrio.com/
Instagram:  @vox_cor_trio

Videos:

Phyllis Chapell

Phyllis Chapell performs a unique mix of originals, folk, jazz and international music, including songs in up to 13 languages from the U.S., Brazil, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Her American repertoire covers a wide range of music from jazz and folk, to pop, as well as some award-winning originals.

http://www.phyllischapell.com

Video:

Audra Casebier and Reese Revak

Audra Casebier and Reese Revak are Philadelphia based performers and educators. They released Here in Eden in 2025, an album celebrating humanity's journey with faith through musical theatre. Their combined professional credits include: Opera Philadelphia, Walnut Street Theatre, OperaDelaware, Porthouse Theatre, Wilmington Concert Opera, The Curtis Institute of Music, Liberty City Arts, the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus and Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

Links:

Website - Audra Casebier
Instagram - @audracasebiervoice
Facebook - Audra Casebier Voice
Venmo - @Audra-Casebier

Listen:

Here in Eden on Spotify
Here in Eden on Apple Music

Videos:

Carlos Bianchini

Carlos Bianchini is a pianist, composer, and multidisciplinary creator.Educated at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de la Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (Madrid) and holding a Master’s Degree in Music Research from the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR), he has developed a career that bridges contemporary music, stage creation, and audience communication.His work is defined by a poetic, visual, and emotional language, with the piano as its narrative and expressive core. He has presented his projects at major venues such as the Mercat de Música Viva de Vic, the National Auditorium of Music in Madrid, the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, and the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, among other international stages and festivals.As a composer, Bianchini has written music for orchestra, theatre, dance, and film, collaborating with directors, choreographers, and visual artists. Among his most notable works are Yo, Piano, El Sastre del Tiempo, Los Colores de la Música, and Piano & Clown Concerto, in which he explores the relationship between music and performance.With an aesthetic that combines classical tradition and contemporary sensitivity, Carlos Bianchini has established himself as one of the most distinctive voices of the new generation of composers, capable of connecting with diverse audiences through an honest and emotional musical language.

Links:

https://www.carlosbianchini.es/
https://www.facebook.com/carlosbianchini.music/ 
https://www.instagram.com/carlosbianchini.official/ 
https://www.youtube.com/@carlosbianchiniMusic

 Videos:

Eliza Edens

Born and raised in rural Massachusetts and currently living in Brooklyn, NY⁠, Eliza Edens weaves together disparate influences of people and place into her work to create mesmerizing sonic tapestries with guitar and voice. With a love for tinkering with alternate tunings à la Nick Drake, a curious harmonic ear from years of childhood classical piano lessons, and an ever-expanding affinity for words and stories, Edens’ songs build a kaleidoscopic world that documents the parallels between hope and heartbreak. The resulting sound is a diverse palette of guitar-based, experimental folk-rock centered around Edens gently cradled voice and brimming at the edges with pockets of sonic whimsy.

Links:

Website: https://www.eliza-edens.com/
Bandcamp: https://eliza-edens.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: @eliza.edens
Venmo: @Eliza-Edens

 Videos:

Mary Scholz

Mary Scholz’s stunning voice and evocative songwriting have made her a live circuit favorite for over a decade. With her unique brand of gritty folk-charm, the Philly born, LA based artist forges a personal connection with her audience every time she takes the stage. Her 2022 record, Begin Again, produced by Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty, Conor Oberst, Margo Price, Angel Olsen), paints a panoramic, starry landscape, addressing how we process life internally, to how we respond as a community. 

Her songs have been heard charting on Americana Radio, and the Billboard Compilation Chart. Her most recent release is her dark Americana interpretation of Aerosmith's Janie's Got a Gun, in support of Janie's Fund and Operation Mend. 

A dedicated activist, Mary can most often be found writing songs about the times, and hosts a weekly activism live stream called On Wednesdays We Write Letters. The weekly event provides action items for making our voices heard during this wild and crazy time, and a space to come together and connect through it all. 
You can join her at noon on Wednesdays on Instagram @maryscholz 

 Links:

www.maryscholz.com
www.instagram.com/maryscholz
www.tiktok.com/@maryscholzmusic
www.facebook.com/maryscholzmusic 
www.youtube.com/maryscholzmusic 

Videos:

Simon Karakulidi

Simon Karakulidi has been a prize-winner in more than 20 International Piano Competitions. In February 2023, Simon was awarded First Prize at the Piano Campus Competition in Cergy-Pontoise, France. In addition to the top prize, he also received five Special Awards. Simon is a 2024 fellow at LAMP Academy (Lunenburg, Nova Scotia). Simon is a U.S. “green card” holder, and he enjoys reading and long walks in his spare time. He lives and teaches in Philadelphia. His teachers have included Stanislav Ioudenitch, Wei-Yi Yang, Diego Prigollini, and Oliver Kern.

Links:

https://www.simonkarakulidi.com
https://www.instagram.com/simonkarakulidi/

Videos: