PIERS LANE, piano
London-based Australian pianist Piers Lane enjoys an international reputation as an engaging, searching, and highly versatile performer, equally at home in solo, chamber, and concerto repertoire. A five-time soloist at the BBC Proms, his concerto repertoire exceeds one hundred works and has led to performances with many of the world’s leading orchestras, appearing in over forty countries and in major venues including Wigmore Hall, London’s principal concert halls, and Carnegie Hall.
Lane is a familiar presence at major festivals worldwide, including Aldeburgh, Bath, Bergen, Prague Spring, La Roque d’Anthéron, Ruhr Klavierfestival, Seattle, Rockport, and the Chopin festivals in Warsaw and Paris. In 2015, he was appointed Artistic Director of the Sydney International Piano Competition, where he has championed innovative initiatives supporting pianists and composers.
An esteemed collaborator and adjudicator, Lane has worked closely with violinist Tasmin Little, actress Dame Patricia Routledge, and the Goldner String Quartet. His extensive discography for Hyperion and other labels includes acclaimed recordings of rare Romantic concertos and chamber music. A former professor and now Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and received the Sir Bernard Heinze Award in 2022.
MICHAEL BROWN, piano
Michael Stephen Brown is a pianist, composer, and artistic leader praised for his “ravishing tone and panache” (The New York Times). He appears regularly as a soloist and chamber musician at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Wigmore Hall, and on international tours.
A frequent collaborator with leading artists such as cellist Nicholas Canellakis, Brown is known for performances that seamlessly integrate classical repertoire with his own compositions and arrangements. His works have been commissioned and performed by the New York Philharmonic, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. A longtime CMS artist and former member of Ensemble Connect, Brown is also a dedicated educator and curator, bringing imaginative programming and contemporary perspectives to the concert stage.
DANBI UM, violin
Praised by The Strad as an “utterly dazzling” artist and by New York Classical Review for her “mesmerizing grace,” violinist Danbi Um captivates audiences with her virtuosity, distinctive sound, and interpretive sensitivity. A Silver Medalist at the Menuhin International Violin Competition and winner of the 2018 Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant, she appears widely as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician.
Recent and upcoming engagements include appearances with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., and festivals such as Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Santa Fe, and La Musica. An avid chamber musician, Um regularly performs with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and other leading presenters.
A recording artist for Avie Records, her debut album Much Ado: Romantic Violin Masterworks was released in 2023, with a second album forthcoming. Born in Seoul, Um studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and Indiana University and performs on a 1683 Nicolo Amati violin.
AARON BOYD, violin
Aaron Boyd has established an international career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral leader, recording artist, and educator. Since his New York recital debut in 1998, he has appeared at major venues throughout the United States, Europe, Russia, and Asia. A season artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Boyd has performed at festivals including Marlboro, La Jolla, Aspen, Music@Menlo, and Rockport.
Boyd is a former member of the Escher String Quartet and a recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Martin E. Segal Prize from Lincoln Center. Deeply interested in the history of the violin, he is a frequent lecturer and a contributing writer to The Strad, and has participated in projects such as Oberlin Acoustics and Strad3D.
A passionate advocate for new music, Boyd has collaborated with composers including Milton Babbitt and Elliott Carter. He is Director of Chamber Music and Chair of Strings at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University and performs on a 1700 Matteo Goffriller violin.
BARRY SHIFFMAN, viola
Violinist and violist Barry Shiffman has enjoyed a distinguished career as a performer, recording artist, teacher, and arts leader. He made his debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at age 15 and in 1989 co-founded the St. Lawrence String Quartet. During his 17 years with the ensemble, he performed more than 2,000 concerts worldwide, including appearances at Rockport Music, and recorded several critically acclaimed albums for EMI Classics.
A highly respected teacher and chamber music coach, Shiffman has served as artist-in-residence at Stanford University and as visiting artist at the University of Toronto, and has been involved in the premieres of hundreds of new works. He was recently named Dean of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, following many years of leadership there and at the Banff Centre. Shiffman is the recipient of the Nadia Boulanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching and an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary.
NICK CANELLAKIS, cello
Nicholas Canellakis, cello, is one of today’s most innovative and sought-after performers, known for a career that bridges classical tradition and creative exploration. He appears internationally as a soloist and chamber musician and tours widely in recital with pianist-composer Michael Stephen Brown. A longtime artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, he performs regularly at major venues and festivals worldwide and serves as Artistic Director of Chamber Music Sedona. Canellakis is a member of the cello faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music and is equally active as a filmmaker and comedian, with creative content reaching millions of viewers.
ADRIANNE PIECZONKA, soprano
Adrianne Pieczonka, soprano, is internationally acclaimed for her commanding performances in opera and concert repertoire. Renowned for her interpretations of Wagner, Strauss, Beethoven, and Mozart, she has appeared at leading houses including the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Bavarian State Opera, and Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. A frequent collaborator with major orchestras worldwide, she is also a dedicated educator and serves on the vocal faculty of the University of Toronto.
