JANICE WEBER, PIANO
Janice Weber's New York recital debut, performed under the pseudonym Lily von Ballmoos, was an early indication of the eclecticism and fluency for which she has become known.  A summa cum laude graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Miss Weber has performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, National Gallery of Art, and Boston's Symphony Hall. She has appeared with the Boston Pops, Chautauqua Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Hilton Head Orchestra, Sarajevo Philharmonic, and Syracuse Symphony in concertos of Hanson, Sowerby, Stenhammar, Bernstein, and Leroy Anderson as well as the standard repertoire. She has performed at the Bard, Newport, La Gesse, Husum, and Monadnock summer festivals and has twice toured China under the auspices of the American Liszt Society. Her interest in the uncommon avenues of the piano literature led to a world premiere recording of Liszt's 1838 Transcendental Etudes. Time Magazine noted, "Liszt later simplified these pieces into the still ferociously difficult Transcendental Etudes (1852 version) for fear that no one else could play them. There may now be several fire-eating piano virtuosos who can execute the original notes, but few can liberate the prophetic music they contain as masterfully as Janice Weber does here." Her recordings include Rachmaninoff's complete transcriptions; with the Lydian Quartet, Leo Ornstein's vast Piano Quintet; flute and piano works of Sigfrid Karg-Elert; and waltz transcriptions of Godowsky, Rosenthal, and Friedman. Miss Weber recorded Liszt's last Hungarian Rhapsody, one of only two living pianists to be included in a compendium of historic performances by nineteen legendary artists. This disc subsequently won the International Liszt Prize. Her Naxos recording of Leo Ornstein's radical works introduced the charismatic composer to a worldwide audience. She is heard in Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time on Ongaku Records and her newest disc, Cascade of Roses (Dorian Sono Luminus),features works of twenty-one composers from Adolf Jensen to Billy Mayerl.  She is a member of the piano faculty at Boston Conservatory and MIT. Miss Weber produced the tones for Ivory, the worldwide bestselling virtual piano software. She is a Steinway artist.
 

YELENA DUDOCHKIN, SOPRANO
Soprano Yelena Dudochkin has captivated audiences across the US and Europe with her seductive stage presence, expressive and rich voice, and sensitive interpretations. Her roles have included Podtochina’s Daughter in The Nose, Violetta in La Traviata, Gilda in Rigoletto, Snow Maiden in Snow Maiden, Marfa in Tsar’s Bride, Brigitta in Iolanta, Norina in Don Pasquale, Chernyafka in Magic Mirror, and Manon in Manon with notable of companies including Opera Boston and The Mariinsky Opera Young Artists among others. A recipient of over 20 awards and honors, and notably, her recent world-premier performance in Magic Mirror (Chernyafka) was honored with the 2014 American Prize in Opera, Yelena has been described as "a true pearl of the opera” (Voice of America) and touted for her “dramatic intelligence” (Boston Globe). Radio and television appearances include the Russian Radio, Russian Television RTVI and Rai Italian television. She is sought after as both an operatic performer and concert soloist, with performances at venues including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Jordan Hall, andBoston's Symphony Hall. Yelena’s current season includes performances of Bachianas Brasileiras no. 5 in Jordan Hall, a special event with Longwood Symphony, The Mahler 4th Symphony with Eureka Orchestra and the US premier of Nazaykinskaya’s Akhmatova Song Cycle in New York and a world premier of her new commission in Boston.