Cayman Arts Festival is set to present an evening of chamber music featuring award-winning violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky and pianist Wu Qian during a recital at the George Town Public Library on 29 May from 6-7pm as part of CAF’s Music at the Library series.
“We are simply continuing our efforts to bring major performers to the island and to expose our community—especially our children—to exceptional music. We believe that hearing these artists’ stories will inspire our young audiences and serve as a tremendous source of motivation for them,” Marius Gaina, CAF’s executive director, told the Cayman Compass.
Sitkovetsky, born in Moscow, made his concert debut at the age of 8, the same year he moved to the UK to study at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School.
Renowned for his virtuosity and musical insight, Sitkovetsky is in high demand as a soloist and director, performing regularly with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, London Mozart Players, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, and New York Chamber Players.
The Sitkovetsky Trio, of which the violinist is a founding member, won the BBC Music Magazine award for Chamber Music in 2022.
He is also an alumnus of the Lincoln Center’s ‘Chamber Music Society Two’ programme and a recipient of the 2016 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award.
Sitkovetsky is no stranger to the Cayman Arts Festival stage, having performed for last year’s first edition of the SoNoRo Chamber Music Festival.
He will perform alongside his wife and duo partner, Wu Qian, and will present works by Bach (‘Chaconne’), Grieg (‘Violin Sonata No. 3’), and a collection of salon pieces.
The couple met at music school in Surrey and have become a powerhouse worldwide with their performances. The musical duo won first prize at the Trio di Trieste duo competition.
Qian has presented recitals throughout Europe, including the Steinway Halls of Hamburg where her performance was broadcast throughout Asia. Other international engagements have included appearances at the Wigmore Hall, the Steinway Hall in New York, the Hong Kong City Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Koblenz Festival in Germany, the Santander International Festival, the Yale Summer Music Festival and the Kennedy Center.
Her orchestral engagements include appearances with the Brussels Philharmonic, the London Mozart Players, I Virtuosi Italiani and the Munich Symphoniker.
The monthly Music at the Library series, which has become a staple on the arts calendar for CAF, showcases Cayman’s up-and-coming musicians alongside internationally renowned talent, while also raising funds to support music education.