| Our 37th season Where Coast Meets Cadence will be held July 23-August 3 in Edwards Hall at the University of Rhode Island. Tickets are now on sale! Meet Henry Kramer Pianist Henry Kramer returns to KCMF for his second season. Praised by The Cleveland Classical Review for his “astonishingly confident technique” and The New York Times for “thrilling [and] triumphant” performances, Kramer is developing a reputation as a musician of rare sensitivity who combines stylish programming with insightful and exuberant interpretations. Most recently, he was awarded a 2019 Avery Fisher Career Grant by Lincoln Center – one of the most coveted honors bestowed on young American soloists. He’ll perform a wide range of repertoire in both Concert 1: A Celebration of Latinx Music and Concert 3: “Trout“, showcasing his impressive versatility as a chamber musician. “Chamber music is one of the ways I find I’m able to be fully present with others and it doesn’t even require talking,” he says. “It’s about listening and feeling intention together. I haven’t found anything else quite like it!” Meet Hanchien Lee Pianist Hanchien Lee has established herself as a successful soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Since her debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age sixteen, she has performed throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Accepted at the Curtis Institute of Music at age eleven, she has won many prestigious awards including first prize at the Russel C. Wonderlic Piano Competition and top prizes at Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition and Yamaha Piano Competition. Lee will perform in Concert 2: A Collection of Songs. “I love the entire program,” she says. “If I had to pick a highlight, it would be the two songs by Brahms, written for alto, viola, and piano. Brahms had a fondness for mid-range sounds, which is evident in this unique composition—his only venture into ‘vocal chamber music.’ The rich tones of the alto and viola meld seamlessly, while the piano rarely rises above the mid-range. What I love most is the warmth Brahms creates and the way he conveys the emotions of both songs through simple melodic lines that beautifully correspond to the poems.” |
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Meet the pianists: Henry Kramer and Hanchien Lee
May 21, 2025
