Echoes of the Romantic Soul

Echoes of the Romantic Soul is an evening of sweeping passion, breathtaking virtuosity, and intimate lyricism — an immersive journey through three cornerstones of Romantic chamber and solo literature. From the storm-driven poetry of Chopin to the glowing depth of Franck and Rachmaninov, this program promises an unforgettable concert experience.This is Romanticism at its most captivating-poetic, virtuosic, and impossible to ignore.
Even if you do not know classical music, this concert is an easy one to fall in love with. These are pieces that feel pictorial, deeply human, and full of color — music that tells stories without words.
The evening opens with all four of Frédéric Chopin's Ballades, among the most poetic and dramatic works ever written for solo piano. Each ballade feels like a different emotional journey and unfolds like a human story without words- at times tender, at times turbulent, always deeply poetic. Together, they create a sweeping arc of narrative intensity, passion and introspection, revealing Chopin at his most intimate and most powerful. From whisper-soft poetry to thrilling intensity, the emotional contrasts and breathtaking virtuosity make them a perfect introduction to the emotional world of Romantic music.

The program then turns to César Franck's monumental Sonata for Violin and Piano, a glowing and lyrical masterpiece that unfolds like a love letter in sound. This work is rich, deeply expressive, and full of beautiful dialogue between the violin and piano. Written in 1886 as a wedding gift for Eugène Ysaÿe, its melodies are unforgettable, and its emotional arc makes it one of the most beloved chamber works ever written. Its cello version, sanctioned by Franck, carries the same ardent beauty into a warmer, darker instrumental color.

The evening closes with Sergei Rachmaninoff's Sonata for Cello and Piano, a work of vast emotional scale and haunting beauty. It is music of great warmth, grandeur, nostalgia, and overwhelming feeling with both instruments sharing the virtuosity and the emotional weight. The cello sings with human warmth and aching intensity, and the piano adds a dramatic, radiant foundation. In this score, both performers stand as equal partners, weaving together long, singing lines, radiant climaxes, and moments of intense intimacy; the sonata's four movements carry listeners from ardor to reflection and, finally, to a triumphant release. Its expansive lyricism and noble intensity make it one of the most beloved chamber works of the late-Romantic era.
Together, these masterpieces form a rare and unforgettable journey through the Romantic imagination - an evening of beauty that is not polite or distant, but immediate, overwhelming, powerful and heartfelt from beginning to end.

****The Artists behind the Magic****

Michele Garzo, pianist

Michele Garzo is an Italian pianist/musicologist and rising star whose talent emerged at age seven and quickly drew national recognition.
After winning numerous competitions and appearing on Italian television, he entered the
F. Cilea Conservatory at eleven, debuting with Haydn concerto and graduating at fifteen with top honors. He later earned a master's degree in Musicology in Rome with highest distinction.
In 2021, Garzo moved to New York, where he completed a Master’s degree in Classical Piano Performance. During this time, he won first prize at the Elite International Music Competition and performed at Merkin Hall.
Praised for his powerful technique and striking octaves, he has since appeared at leading venues. A Scarlatti Prize winner, Garzo maintains an active career as soloist, chamber musician, and educator, with a repertoire spanning over thirty concertos. He performs widely across New York City today, combining fearless technique with deep poetic insight. His performances have a cinematic beauty— part fire, part dream.

Theo Payen, violinist

Theo Payen is a French violinist in New York City who performs internationally across orchestral, chamber, theater, and touring productions, with training from Berklee and top European conservatories, and appearances with major ensembles like the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. He has worked under prominent conductors such as Christoph Eschenbach and Paavo Järvi, and appeared in major venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, and Shanghai’s Grand Theater. He works beyond orchestras, performing on Broadway and international tours with a wide range of artists. One collaboration with Ferré Gola surpassed 6.5 million views online. He has performed globally across multiple countries including United States, Colombia, France, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, Qatar, China, Vietnam, and the Caribbean and also appears as a soloist playing major violin concertos. He performs on a 1810 Lorenzo Ventapane violin.

Sandro Sidamonidze, cellist

Sandro Sidamonidze is a world-renowned cellist celebrated for emotionally powerful performances, with a global career spanning classical and contemporary music and a focus on both traditional and new works.
He is an award-nominated artist (including Opus Klassik) and a core member of the Vienna-based Trio Revolution, whose debut album received major European recognition. His recent career highlights include a U.S. premiere in New York that drew attention from major media such as Georgia Today and Billboard Magazine, and a China debut with the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra, where critics praised his interpretation of Eastern-influenced music.
He has performed widely across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, collaborating with prominent musicians and composers including Lowell Liebermann, Natalia Gutman and David Geringas. Now based in New York City, he is completing a doctorate at Stony Brook University while remaining active as a performer, founder of a concert series, and managing director of a Vienna festival.

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Why you should attend

Because this is not just a concert — it is a rare chance to experience music at its most emotional, intimate, and unforgettable. Echoes of the Romantic Soul offers an evening where every work on the program tells a story, whether through Chopin's breathtaking piano poetry, Franck's radiant lyricism, or Rachmaninov's sweeping passion.
If you have ever wanted to feel classical music not as something distant or formal, but as something deeply moving and alive, this is the concert to attend. You will leave with the feeling that you have witnessed something extraordinary: three remarkable artists bringing some of the greatest Romantic masterpieces to life in a way that is thrilling, accessible, and unforgettable.

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Host or Publisher Michele Garzo