Cicely
Parnas

cellist




Madalyn
Parnas

violinist
Madalyn Parnas, Cicely Parnas, photo by Christian Steiner       duo
      parnas


NEWS

Madalyn and Cicely featured in Hudson Valley Magazine
The August issue of the Hudson Valley Magazine features Madalyn and Cicely in the photo essay, "Hudson Valley Musicians." Writer Melissa Esposito presents leading established artists paired with young, gifted up-and-comers representing five different genres. She introduces some of the "hottest talent north of NYC" through interviews, full page photographs, and video! duo parnas leads the story followed by jazz sax players, drummers, rock guitarists, and pianists. This is a first-rate look at music in this vibrant community we all love!

Read the article...

Tannery Pond Live Concert CD Available!

Tannery Pond CD Cover

A recording of the Tannery Pond Concert performed on August 22, 2009, featuring Cicely & Madalyn with Christian Steiner is available on CD. This concert, which included Beethoven's Spring Sonata, Shostakovich's Cello Sonata, and Arensky's Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, was enthusiastically received by the audience who responded with a standing ovation and four curtain calls! The music critics approved heartily as well!   Read more...

Stupendous!

Review of "Gare du Nord" by Gene Gaudette: "This is the best new chamber music disc I've heard so far this year."   Read more...

Congratulations Madalyn!

On May 8, 2010 at age 19, Madalyn received her diploma from The College of Saint Rose graduating summa cum laude with concentrations in both French and Music. Madalyn completed her college education in just three years taking more than 130 credit hours of classes and carrying a 4.0 GPA. During these college years Madalyn also performed 30 concertos with orchestra including the New York String Orchestra conducted by Jaime Laredo and the Albany Symphony Orchestra under the baton of David Alan Miller. She recorded two CDs...  Read more...



More news...


PRESS/REVIEWS

Rave reviews for duo parnas!
duo parnas debuted with Albany Symphony in three concerts held at Berkshires' Barrington Stage, Saratoga Springs Museum, and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

"The Sisters Parnas, violinist Madalyn and cellist Cicely, are poised for potential major careers in an increasingly superstar-oriented classical music business. The winsome Stephentown, N.Y., duo made that perfectly clear in their performance with the Albany Symphony..." --Clarence Fanto, Berkshire Living    Read more...

"The Parnas sisters...could just as well have been gazelle and antelope, so thoroughly did they erase programmatic connotations with the suavity and assurance of their playing... They are real talents. There is nothing showy in their playing. Everything is for musical value..." --Andrew L. Pincus, Berkshire Eagle    Read more...

"...as Duo Parnas walked on stage in gowns of peach and pink, it felt like the blooming of roses in winter. No less radiant was their playing..." --Joseph Dalton, Times Union    Read more...

Madalyn Parnas, Cicely Parnas, photo by Christian Steiner

"Although the violin-cello duo of Madalyn and Cicely Parnas have local roots, they’re destined for an international career that could make this area but a memory. Neither is 20; both have impressive virtuoso chops that they’ve already wielded to great acclaim as soloists and in chamber music performances...." --B.A. Nilsson, Metroland    Read more...

"...violinist Madalyn Parnas, 19, and cellist Cicely, 17, were the stars of the Albany Symphony Orchestra concert Thursday night at the Canfield Casino..." Geraldine Freedman, The Daily Gazette    Read more...


From The New York Times:

Madalyn Parnas, Cicely Parnas
Review and photo...

Recent Works With a Smattering of Jazz and a Pinch of Presidential Politics
-- by Allan Kozinn, The New York Times

The Duo Parnas (Madalyn Parnas, violinist, and her sister, Cicely Parnas, cellist) gave the piece an electrifying reading[...]    Read more...


From The New York Times:

Parnas/Serkin Trio

Parnas/Serkin Trio photo and review in the New York Times...

A Sister Act With a Mentor At the Piano
-- by Vivien Schweitzer, The New York Times
The musicmaking was professional and polished [...]    Read more...


SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

duo parnas to perform at Kerrytown Concert House
Madalyn and Cicely will be performing in Ann Arbor MI on August 28th at 8pm at the Kerrytown Concert House. The program includes William Bolcom's Suite for Violin and Cello and Cello Suite No. 1 in c minor, Bach's Partita No. 3 in E Major, and duos by Haydn and Martinu. Madalyn and Cicely will provide a guided tour of the literature as they discuss some interesting historical facts and stories during the concert. Please come, listen, and meet the composer and artists!

"They are phenomenally gifted, intelligent, and mature young musicians [...] I remember Leslie Parnas from the early Aspen days when I studied with Darius Milhaud and am thrilled to see his superb musicianship has passed on so stunningly."   --William Bolcom

Parnas/Kohlberg Trio
In response to a highly successful series of concerts in Fall 2009 and requests for more, Madalyn and Cicely and the exciting young Israeli pianist, Yaron Kohlberg, have planned more performances for the 2010-2011 season (and even more for Summer 2011).

Madalyn Parnas, Cicely Parnas, Yaron Kolhberg

These three charismatic young artists met and immediately began working together while Yaron was on tour in the United States, following his 2nd prize win at the 2007 Cleveland International Piano Competition. The collaboration has been truly magical. Within six months of their meeting, they performed concerts at Tuxedo Park (NY), Lenox (MA), Bard Hall at Bard College, at the Soros home in New York City, and at Temple Beth El in Oneonta, NY. These concerts were immensely successful as audience capacities were exceeded and the music was received with genuine jubilation in all cases. One long-standing member of the musical community said she had never heard a more exciting piano trio performance. We hope you will attend and hear for yourself!

Visit the official Parnas/Kohlberg Trio website...

Concerto Reengagements - Barber, Elgar, and Brahms

Being invited back is the highest compliment, and this season both the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra in Schenectady NY and Sedona Arizona’s Verde Valley Sinfonietta have done just that! On October 3, 2010, Madalyn and Cicely will collaborate with music director, Charles Schneider, and the SSO to perform Barber's Violin Concerto and Elgar's Cello Concerto, respectively. It is always a wonderful experience to step onto the stage in Proctor’s Theatre and perform with an orchestra that has such a rich history, which boasts solo performances with Mischa Elman, Joseph Szigeti, and Ruggiero Ricci! The Verde Valley Sinfonietta, though just established in 2002, has grown by leaps and bounds during its short history. Conductor David Cripps will conduct Madalyn and Cicely performing the great Brahms Double for two performances on April 16 and 17, 2011.

If you are interested in hearing an amazing recording of this piece, which features cellist Leslie Parnas and violinist Yehudi Menuhin and the Casals Festival Orchestra conducted by Pablo Casals, click here.

Prokofiev and Shostakovich Concertos with St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic

St Petersburg Russia

On May 21, 2011, during the time of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg Russia, Madalyn will perform Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 and Cicely Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 with the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic under the baton of conductor Jeffery Meyer. This most extraordinary opportunity to travel to St. Petersburg and perform in Glinka Hall with this wonderful orchestra and Maestro Meyer is a great honor!


See full 2010-2011 duo parnas schedule...

MUSIC

Parnas/Serkin Trio opens Music Mountain 81st season on June 13, 2010.


Jaime Laredo, Madalyn Parnas, Cicely Parnas
See video...

Jaime Laredo conducts guest soloists Madalyn & Cicely in their NYC debut with the New York String Orchestra     Read more...

More Music and Full Discography...

BLOGS

Cicely's Cello Blog
Cicely Parnas
Madalyn's Music Blog
Madalyn Parnas