Peter Serkin, piano with guest artist Shirien Taylor-Donahue, violin.

Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 8 PM!

Peter Serkin is recognized as an artist of passion and integrity, and is one of the most thoughtful and individualistic musicians appearing before the public today. Serkin’s rich musical heritage extends back several generations, and at age eleven he entered the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He has since performed with the world’s major symphony orchestras and performed many important world premieres. Highlights of his recent and upcoming U.S. appearances include performances with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, and recitals in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center as well as summer festival appearances.

Shirien Taylor-Donahue has been a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 1987 and was appointed principal second violin in 1991. She performs regularly with James Levine and the MET Chamber Ensemble at Weill Hall and Zankel Hall. A former member of the Andrea String Quartet, Shirien studied at the Eastman School of Music and later at the Juilliard School of Music. Since 2003 Shirien has served as concertmaster of the Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra and she has appeared in many chamber music concerts including Merkin Hall in the first New York performance of Robert Manno’s Sextet for Strings.