Watchung Arts Center presents "Tribute to Earth" - The Long Duo

Pianists Beatrice and Christina Long present a selection of pieces celebrating nature, in honor of Earth Day.

The program will include:

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 (1788), I. Molto Allegro
• Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): Andante and Allegro Brillante, Op 92
• Christopher Gluck (1714-1787): ‘ Dance of the Blessed Spirit’, from “Orfeo ed Euridice”
• Frederic Chopin (1810-1849): Etude Op 25, No.11 ‘Winter wind’, No. 12 ‘Ocean’
• Charles Griffes ( 1884-1920): The White Peacock, from “Roman Sketches”
• Franz Liszt (1810-1887): “Tarantella”, from “The Years of Pilgrimage: 2nd year- Italy”
• Alexander Scriabin (1871-1915) Fantasie, op. 28
• Robert Schumann (1810-1856) : “Evening Song” and ‘By the Fountain’
• Taiwanese Folk Song ‘Ali Mountain’ (arr. by Long Duo)
• Astro Piazzolla (1921-1992): Libertango (arr. Long Duo)

As one of the most sought-after piano duo, the Long Duo was hailed as artists ‘who brings new life to duo piano recitals’ (The Washington Post), and ‘superb performers’ (Audiophile Audition). Long Duo performed in venues in three continents, including such Alice Tully Hall Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall Carnegie Hall, National Concert Hall in Taiwan, Dallas Museum of Arts, Phillips Gallery in Washington D.C., Spoleto Festival, International Piano Series in Charleston, Grand Theatre (Hangzhou) and Xinghai Theatre (Guangzhou) in China, and Jordan Hall in Boston among others.

As concerto soloists, they played with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey, Boston’s St. Botolph Strings and Eskisehir Symphony Orchestra in Turkey. Long Duo recorded the world premiere of Dana Suesse Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, as well as Vaughan Williams and Harl MacDonald two-piano concerti in 2010 (Sono Luminus) which received raving reviews from the American Record Guide, Fanfare Magazine and Arts Desk of London. Their live and recorded performances were broadcast on National Public Radio, WQXR New York, WRR Dallas, CBC Canada. Most recently they performed at the InterHamony Festival in Piedmont , Italy; and in recitals in Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay.

The Long sisters has played duo since their childhood. They have enjoyed distinguished solo careers as well. Beatrice Long has performed as a soloist with the Baltimore Symphony, the National Symphony of Mexico, National Orchestra of Taiwan, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Jura Symphony Orchestra (France), Ensemble du Monde, New Amsterdam Orchestra (New York) among others. She has given recitals at Chicago's Ravinia Festival, Festivals of Champagne and Fontainebleau (France), Kunsthalle (Appenzelle, Switzerland), the American Embassies in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras, and throughout the U.S. Her recordings on Naxos and live performances were featured on NPR, Radio France and TV-NY 1; and received favorable reviews from BBC, Fanfare, and American Record Guide. She graduated with honors from Curtis Institute ; studying with Seymour Lipkin and Mieczyslaw Horszowski; and with Leon Fleisher from Peabody Conservatory. In addition she was under the tutelage of Enrique Graf, FouTs’ong and Gaby Casadesus. Currently she is a faculty at the Music Conservatory of Brooklyn College CUNY.

Christina Long holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of North Texas, where she received the Dissertation Award for Excellence in Musical Performance. As an active contemporary and chamber musician, she was a founding member of the New England Lyrical Trio and has performed in Canada, Poland, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan. Her solo performances were praised for her music interpretations filled with “elasticity, colors, rhythmic clarity and creative fantasies.” She has recorded for Centaur Records and was commissioned by the Ubiquitous Publishing Co. to translate the book “My Life with Great Pianists” by Franz Mohr. Christina served as the Artist-in-Residence in Southeast Oklahoma State University, an Assistant Professor of Piano at Tabor College, KS, and Westfield State College, MA.

Beatrice and Christina is the recipient of the First Prize in the National Federation of Music Clubs Ellis Duo Piano Competition, as well as 'Best Performance of American Music Award' .