Casa Afternoons

Casa Afternoons invite our neighbors and their families to enjoy the arts in a relaxed atmosphere.

Romantic Gems for the Piano Trio
Music by Schumann, Hartmann, Mendelssohn, Dvořák, and Robert Kahn – a composer banned under the Nazi regime

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 63
Mit Energie und Leidenschaft

Sophia Stoyanovich, violin
Samuel DeCaprio, cello
León Bernsdorf, piano

Emil Hartmann (1836-1898)
Serenade, Op. 24
Idylle. Andante–Allegro
Romance. Andante

Kostja Kostic, clarinet
Samuel DeCaprio, cello
León Bernsdorf, piano

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49
Andante con moto tranquillo
Scherzo: Leggero e vivace

Sophia Stoyanovich, violin
Samuel DeCaprio, cello
León Bernsdorf, piano

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)
Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor, Op. 65
III. Poco adagio

Sophia Stoyanovich, violin
Samuel DeCaprio, cello
León Bernsdorf, piano

Robert Kahn (1865-1951)
Trio in G minor, Op. 45
Allegro

Kostja Kostic, clarinet
Samuel DeCaprio, cello
León Bernsdorf, piano

Hailed as “…a spectacular young violinist” by Seattle Times Music Critic Bernard Jacobson, American-born violinist Sophia Stoyanovich has captivated audiences since her premiere at age ten with the Bremerton Symphony. She has soloed with numerous orchestras including highlights with the Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall, and has performed across North America, Europe, Russia, and Vietnam. Recent awards include winning Silver Prize at the 2019 Les Musicales du Centre Paris Competition, prize-winner at the Vršac International Music Competition, featured artist on The Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center’s Masterclass Series, Classical King FM’s Northwest Focus Live with Sean MacLean, and The University of Washington Women’s Society Featured Artist Series. Ms. Stoyanovich presented her first professional solo recital for the Collected Works Concert Series at age twelve, and continues as a frequent recitalist in New York City and at home in Seattle, Washington. This past summer she won 1st place at the New York Golden Classical Competition with an invitation to perform at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. An avid chamber musician, Ms. Stoyanovich serves as Communications Director and violinist of The Versoi Ensemble, which had its November 2018 debut at Merkin Hall most recently reviewed by New York Classical Review and The Strad Magazine. The Versoi Ensemble toured Finland in August of 2019 and will return for their tour of the USA in August of 2020, pursuing their belief in international cultural diplomacy through chamber music. Ms. Stoyanovich received her Bachelor of Music from The Juilliard School in May of 2018 and is currently returning to pursue her Master’s degree under the tutelage of Li Lin, as recipient of the Irene Diamond Graduate Fellowship and the Drs. & Kassie Biros Neuman Scholarship.

Currently a C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellow at The Juilliard School, cellist Samuel DeCaprio is quickly establishing himself as one of today’s most creative artists and collaborators. Winner of the 2018 Aldo Parisot Prize from the Yale School of Music, awarded to “gifted cellists who show promise for concert careers,” he has won numerous prizes throughout his career including the Arlington, Eastern Connecticut Symphony, National Federation of Music Clubs, Oneppo Chamber Music, William C. Byrd, and Windham Arts Council Young Artist competitions, as well as the Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. Upcoming events in the 2019-2020 season include his Lincoln Center concerto debut presenting Grażyna Bacewicz’s Cello Concerto No. 2 with the Juilliard Orchestra and conductor Anne Manson in January 2020, as well as numerous solo and chamber performances in the UK and across the East Coast. Recent highlights include appearances on WQXR Midday Masterpieces, Lincoln Center’s Focus! Festival, Juilliard’s ChamberFest, the Schneider Concerts at The New School, and a series of recitals in Indonesia with pianist Edith Widayani. His festival participations include Aspen, IMS Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music, Kneisel Hall, Lake George, and Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute. Mr. DeCaprio holds degrees from the University of Connecticut (Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude), Eastman School of Music (Master of Music), Mannes School of Music (Professional Studies Diploma), and Yale School of Music (Master of Musical Arts).

Kostja Kostic, clarinetist, has performed as soloist and in chamber music recital series including the 92nd Street Y Meet the Virtuoso series, the Leschetizky Association series and Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at New York University. He has also collaborated with Underworld Productions Opera and Salon Sanctuary Concerts series. His solo and chamber appearances abroad include recitals and series in Italy, Austria, Brazil and Slovenia. He graduated from Bologna Conservatory of Music and completed his post-diploma studies in Florence.

Lauded for his “technically superb and musically convincing playing” (Hamburger Abendblatt), pianist León Bernsdorf continues to establish himself in the international classical music scene. Born in Hamburg, León began his journey at the piano at age 5. After studies with Carol Tainton and Volker Banfield, he moved to the East Coast of the US, now his artistic home. León gave his orchestra debut at age 15 in the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, performing Grieg’s piano concerto with the Hamburg Youth Symphony Orchestra. Further orchestral engagements soon followed, including the Heidelberg Philharmonic and the Hamburg Camerata. Aside from Germany and the US, he has performed concerts in Canada, Italy, Spain, Russia, Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Through his success at the Liszt Competition in Budapest in 2016 (3rd Prize), León has concertized extensively in all parts of Hungary, and will be returning there in the 2019-20 season to perform numerous recitals and piano concerti with the orchestras of Budapest and Eger. As a competition veteran, León has succeeded at both national and international contests. In 2017, he was awarded the 3rd prize at the Dallas International Piano Competition. A few months later, he won the 3rd prize at the Jaen Competition in Spain, as well as the “Rosa Sabater” Award for the best performance of a Spanish work. León holds Bachelor and Master’s degrees from Boston University, where he studied with Boaz Sharon and Pavel Nersessian. After finishing his Artist Diploma with John Perry and David Louie at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, he is now a second-year DMA student at The Juilliard School in the studio of Prof. Robert McDonald.