The Shelter Island Friends of Music, which was founded in 1977 to bring free concerts by renowned artists to the East End, will open its 2020 concert series with a performance by Eric Silberger, an award-winning violinist, on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Silberger has performed as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician throughout the United States and abroad, including solo performances with the San Francisco Symphony, Mariinsky Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonia, London Philharmonia, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and many others. His prizes include the XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition and the Michael Hill International Violin Competition in 2011.
In a review of Mr. Silberger’s debut in Barcelona, Spain, the critic Berta del Olivo said, “A new star is to be added to the ‘Walk of Fame’ of classical music: violinist Eric Silberger’s charisma, unusual security, and mastery are the threads that tie him to virtuosos such as Paganini and Sarasate.” He plays on a rare J.B. Guadagnini violin from 1757 that is on loan from the Sau-Wing Lam Collection of Rare Stringed Instruments.
The series will continue on April 18, when Hao Jiang Tian, a Chinese basso who has appeared in 26 operas over the past 20 years at the Metropolitan Opera, leads a vocal ensemble in concert. He will be joined by Holly Flack, coloratura, Jose Rubio, baritone, and Tom Mulder, tenor.
Subsequent programs will feature Alice Ivy-Pemberton, a violinist, on May 30, Brandon Ridenour, a trumpeter, on Sept. 6, and the Merz Trio, a chamber ensemble, on Oct. 11.
