LANCASTER, S.C. — Duo Beaux Arts, internationally known and critically acclaimed pianists, are returning to the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center next weekend for a 3 p.m. Sunday, March 24, performance.
The duo is composed of highly talented and skilled pianists Dr. Catherine Lan and Tao Lin, a couple both on and off the stage. Their chemistry, rapport and sense of humor create an uplifting performance. They enjoy the praise of critics and the love of audiences.
“We are excited to be back in Lancaster with another beautiful and exhilarating program of classical piano solo and duet music,” Lan said. “We look forward to sharing this extraordinary program with our wonderful audience in Lancaster.”
Their Sunday afternoon concert will feature music ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach to Johann Strauss Jr.
“It will include timeless favorites such as ‘Ave Maria’ by Franz Schubert, as well as one of the most challenging and original transcriptions ever made of the famous ‘Blue Danube Waltz,’ ” Lan said.
The couple has spent a very busy year touring since its last CAC performance a year ago.
They made their debut in Budapest, Hungar, at the renowned Bela Bartok Hall in the historical Buda Castle. Lan was delighted to share a little about that experience.
“This wonderful venue is a part of a historical mansion where Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven stayed and composed many works dedicated to their hosts,” she said. “Another treasure in this mansion is the music history museum, where many priceless artifacts are kept including the personal pianos of three of the most renowned Hungarian musicians: Bela Bartok, Jano Hubay and Erno von Dohnanyi.”
The Hungarian audience honored the duo with a standing ovation, filled with prolonged cheers and applause.
Concert organizer John Craig said he always receives high praise from the audiences who attend piano performances by Lan and Lin, who have earned rave reviews from their performances around the world including Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; Bern, Switzerland; Barcelona, Spain; Amsterdam and Paris.
Artists bios
Both artists are former child prodigies who are amazingly talented, yet have found a way to remain humble. Their performance is a gift from their hearts.
Lin was born into a musical family in Shanghai. He began piano lessons at age 4 and by the time he was 8, Lin was accepted into the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Lan was just 3 when she began her training. At age 8, she was enrolled in a program sponsored by the government of Taiwan, where she excelled on oboe and piano. She made her international debut that same year in Japan, after winning a competition for original composition.
Both continued to stand out in their teen years. Lin went on to perform the Chinese premiere of Bartók’s “Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion”, while Lan continued to wow judges and audiences at international competitions and festivals after her family immigrated to Vancouver.
The venue
The Cultural Arts Center is housed in the Old Presbyterian Church at 307 W. Gay St., Lancaster. Built in 1862, it was the first brick church in Lancaster County. The French Gothic Revival-style architecture features an arch over the sanctuary, a three-sided balcony, and breathtaking stained-glass windows, some reaching nearly 20 feet high.
Craig encourages patrons to buy tickets early online. Advance tickets for $15 are available at www.lcshp.org. Patrons should call 803-287-6826 if they have any difficulties buying tickets. Tickets at the door are $20. On-site parking is free.
For more information on the Cultural Arts Center and future performances, visit www.lcshp.org.
