Review Text
Ottorino Respighi (1789-1936) earned a special place as a composer of unusually colorful musical works. The Sonata in D minor from 1897 is suffused with the romantic spirit. The later Sonata in B minor (1917) is a more ambitious work that expresses a gigantic emotional range. The three song arrangements fit beautifully into the program from violinist Jameson Cooper and pianist Eli Kalman. Originally from Sheffield, England, Jameson Cooper began playing the violin at age 6. At 13 he joined the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and later became concertmaster of the National Youth Chamber Orchestra. He studied at The Royal Northern College of Music, where he earned a Graduate of Music Degree with Honors and a Professional Performance Diploma. He is a founding member and first violinist of the Euclid Quartet, with whom he has won numerous national and international chamber competition prizes and performed to critical acclaim across the country. Pianist Eli Kalman has performed extensively in Romania, Israel, Germany, Hungary, Japan, United States and Canada. Hailing from Romania and Israel, he was the recipient of the Paul Collins Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship for Excellence at UW-Madison. Prior to his teaching appointment at UW-Oshkosh in 2006, he has held educator positions on the piano faculty at the Center of Arts, Mizra in Israel and previously at the Lyceum of Arts, Baia Mare in Romania.
