Sarah Hagen - Devoted: Music of Robert & Clara Schumann

History is full of countless tales of musicians' woes: unrequited love, broken hearts, unattainable relationships. Robert and Clara Schumann, while not escaping heartache by any means, were blessed souls, finding love and getting to keep it. After Robert died, Clara's heart remained with him and she dedicated herself primarily to the interpretation and performance of his works. Theirs is a story of devotion to each other and to their music. While DEVOTED is largely dedicated to two solo piano works of Robert Schumann, an idea was spun between Martin Chalifour and Sarah Hagen to include Clara Schumann's Opus 22 Romances as a symbol of the Schumanns' musical partnership. Produced by Denise Ball and engineered by Don Harder, DEVOTED was recorded at Pyatt Hall in Vancouver, BC. Performer Bios: Originally from the enchanting Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, Sarah Hagen has been heard in concert halls and on the airwaves to critical acclaim throughout North America and Europe. A visionary and an idealist, her performances are often conceptually innovative, involving photography, dance and theatre. Sarah is also a firm believer in old school hardcore classical music, and first fell in love with Robert Schumann's music when she raced through "The Wild Horseman" as a child. She finds particular inspiration in the lyrical lines of Henri Matisse and the revealing satire of Mordecai Richler. Sarah's motivation is the belief that music has the power to be a window into our souls regardless of age or knowledge. Martin Chalifour began his tenure as Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1995. He has concertized extensively, playing hundreds of concerto performances from a repertoire of more than 50 works. He has appeared as soloist with conductors Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Sir Neville Marriner, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Outside the U.S., he has performed as a guest soloist with the Auckland Philharmonia, the Montreal Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the National Orchestra of Taiwan, and the Malaysian Philharmonic, among others. Martin is an avid photographer of birds and wildlife and serves as the archivist of the L.A. Phil. He also enjoys hiking and has completed four marathons.