AUBURN - Some of the greatest pieces of classical music were written for or to be performed in a church.

On Sunday afternoon, Westminster Presbyterian Church made a fitting stage as the church played host to Joseph Kalichstein as part of the seventh Adams Foundation Piano Series, in conjunction with the Cayuga County Arts Council.

“We're very pleased to have such a high caliber musician with us,” said Tom Hussey, a member of the arts council. “John and Richard Contiguglia handle all the bookings and they always go out and find the highest caliber musicians they know of to bring here and Mr. Kalichstein is an incredibly exceptional musician that we are glad to have here.”

Kalichstein, who was born in Tel Aviv, moved to the United States in 1962 and went on to study at the Julliard School.

In his many years of performing, Kalichstein has traveled the world performing with orchestras and giving solo recitals in both Europe and the U.S. and he is also the first chamber music advisor to the Kennedy Center.

“He has performed at the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall,” Hussey said. “And other venues all over the world and we are fortunate to be able to have him here with us today.”

Kalichstein's performance drew nearly 200 attendees to Westminster.

Many of those were avid supporters of the Adams Foundation series of recitals and performances.

“I come to these every year,” Maryann Finn said. “It is great that they bring this kind of quality music to Auburn. This is great, it is a great performance and he has such great musicianship.”

Kalichstein focused on work by Brahms.

In the first half of his performance, he created an interesting juxtaposition by performing Sonata No.2 in F sharp minor, Op.2, Brahms' earliest surviving published piece and then followed with Klavierstucke, Op. 119, Brahms' last published piece.

Klaichstein also gave a little insight into Brahms and his style of music and his life.

“He was very lucky as a musician,” Kalichstein said. “He made a lot of money. He arranged and composed a lot of popular music. But he was also very critical. He burned everything that he wrote before his first piece was published when he was 19 or 20.”

Kalichstein said that Brahms often gets somewhat overlooked in the classical music cannon, but Kalichstein, who has become known for his impassioned performances, brought a new life to these pieces.

“A lot of people think that he sounds the same,” Kalichstein said. “That he doesn't change much. But I'm trying to give them life and really show how wonderful these pieces are. Close your eyes and try to imagine that you are in Dusseldorf and you are hearing these pieces for the first time.”

After a brief intermission, Kalichstein performed Bach's Chaconne from Partita No. 2 and then two more Brahms' pieces, Variations on a Theme by Schumann, Op.9 and Two Hungarian Dances for Piano Solo.

Music has an ability to transcend its more technical aspects, or the genius of the performer or the composer and ultimately reach its listener in the most important place of all, the heart.

“It is just a feeling,” Robin Ward, said. “I enjoy the spirit of it, everything about it. It is really beautiful music. I admit I don't understand all of it or how to play it, but I can feel it and I do enjoy it.”