AUBURN - This fall marks the start of the eighth season of the Adams Foundation Piano Series, an event which has been held at Westminster Presbyterian Church, co-sponsored by both the church and the Cayuga County Arts Council.
To celebrate, it was only fitting that brothers and Auburn natives, John and Richard Contiguglia, should perform Sunday afternoon.
The twins were born, raised and began their musical careers in Auburn when they were only 12, taking the stage to perform two-piano based pieces during a performance by pianist and composer Percy Grainger.
The brothers would go on to study at Yale, receiving bachelor and ultimately masters of music degrees from the school.
The brothers have also been instrumental in the founding of the Adams Foundation Piano Series, which began when they were approached by Stephen Adams.
Since 2000, the idea has grown turned into reality, with performances taking place at more than 25 venues across the country, all in the name of revitalizing interest in pianists in America.
While at Yale, they studied with British pianist Dame Myra Hess, who would have a profound impact on their futures. Hess prepared the brothers for their first performances in London and their first European tour.
In November, the Contiguglia brothers will travel to London to participate in the second annual Myra Hess Day.
To pay tribute to one their mentors and friends, the brothers prepared a special repertoire of pieces, ones they wanted to perform in Auburn.
“They wanted to play,” said Tom Hussey, a volunteer with the arts council. “They selected Auburn as one of the places they wanted to play to prepare, among the handful of places they will be playing before going to London.”
Among those in the audience were supporters of the series, such as Barbara Foster, of Auburn.
“I try to take in all the concerts I am able to,” Foster said. “Auburn is really blessed to have something like this.”
The brothers took to the stage before a sellout audience of friends and supporters, eager to hear their virtuosic skills on their grand pianos.
“This is the first time they've played here in three years,” Hussey said. “They are well known by a lot of people and they have a very good reputation, so we are expecting a sellout.”
The brothers performed several pieces, demonstrating the interweaving of their skills as pianists, with pieces such as “Partita,” Op. 5b, by Howard Ferguson, “Andante and Variations,” Op. 46 by Robert Schumann and “Variations on an Original Theme in A-Flat Major” by Franz Schubert, which had the two brothers playing together on one piano.
Richard said it was a piece like the Schumann one that illustrated what the brothers try to do musically.
Richard said the pieces are like the composer and his wife talking to each other and the way the music weaves together, it is like two people finishing each other's sentences.
The brothers' skills were a sight to behold for many who had only heard them on recordings.
Kathleen Cuddy, and her son Liam, of Auburn, were impressed.
“It is really great,” Kathleen said. “We've heard them on CD, but this is a really great opportunity to see them live.”
Liam, an aspiring pianist himself, was impressed.
“They are very good,” Liam, 10, said. “They are very talented. I play piano too, so I really like getting to see them.”
The brothers finished with Beethoven's 9th Symphony, arranged for two pianos by Franz Liszt, demonstrating the incredible possibilities of two pianos playing together.
“They are phenomenal,” Corey Huband, of Auburn, said. “They have such good texture and depth to their music and they blend so well, I really love it, an amazing performance.”
The twins were born, raised and began their musical careers in Auburn when they were only 12, taking the stage to perform two-piano based pieces during a performance by pianist and composer Percy Grainger.
The brothers would go on to study at Yale, receiving bachelor and ultimately masters of music degrees from the school.
The brothers have also been instrumental in the founding of the Adams Foundation Piano Series, which began when they were approached by Stephen Adams.
Since 2000, the idea has grown turned into reality, with performances taking place at more than 25 venues across the country, all in the name of revitalizing interest in pianists in America.
While at Yale, they studied with British pianist Dame Myra Hess, who would have a profound impact on their futures. Hess prepared the brothers for their first performances in London and their first European tour.
In November, the Contiguglia brothers will travel to London to participate in the second annual Myra Hess Day.
To pay tribute to one their mentors and friends, the brothers prepared a special repertoire of pieces, ones they wanted to perform in Auburn.
“They wanted to play,” said Tom Hussey, a volunteer with the arts council. “They selected Auburn as one of the places they wanted to play to prepare, among the handful of places they will be playing before going to London.”
Among those in the audience were supporters of the series, such as Barbara Foster, of Auburn.
“I try to take in all the concerts I am able to,” Foster said. “Auburn is really blessed to have something like this.”
The brothers took to the stage before a sellout audience of friends and supporters, eager to hear their virtuosic skills on their grand pianos.
“This is the first time they've played here in three years,” Hussey said. “They are well known by a lot of people and they have a very good reputation, so we are expecting a sellout.”
The brothers performed several pieces, demonstrating the interweaving of their skills as pianists, with pieces such as “Partita,” Op. 5b, by Howard Ferguson, “Andante and Variations,” Op. 46 by Robert Schumann and “Variations on an Original Theme in A-Flat Major” by Franz Schubert, which had the two brothers playing together on one piano.
Richard said it was a piece like the Schumann one that illustrated what the brothers try to do musically.
Richard said the pieces are like the composer and his wife talking to each other and the way the music weaves together, it is like two people finishing each other's sentences.
The brothers' skills were a sight to behold for many who had only heard them on recordings.
Kathleen Cuddy, and her son Liam, of Auburn, were impressed.
“It is really great,” Kathleen said. “We've heard them on CD, but this is a really great opportunity to see them live.”
Liam, an aspiring pianist himself, was impressed.
“They are very good,” Liam, 10, said. “They are very talented. I play piano too, so I really like getting to see them.”
The brothers finished with Beethoven's 9th Symphony, arranged for two pianos by Franz Liszt, demonstrating the incredible possibilities of two pianos playing together.
“They are phenomenal,” Corey Huband, of Auburn, said. “They have such good texture and depth to their music and they blend so well, I really love it, an amazing performance.”
