West Center Church to Host Raj Bhimani Concert 'Lisbon Calling' Sunday, April 6
Apr. 2, 2014: "Lisbon Calling," a concert at 2:00 pm on April 6 at West Center Congregational Church, features critically acclaimed pianist Raj Bhimani and two of Portugal's finest musicians, António Carrilho on recorders and Katharine Rawdon on flutes and traverso (a variation of the flute). Mr. Bhimani said, "Part of the fun for the audience will be to see them switch instruments."
They will perform a program of solos, duos, and trios ranging from music of the Renaissance ("Our Father in Heaven" by Jacob van Eyck) to the present with the premiere of a new work (Lyrebird by Ivan Moody). They will also play "Lamentabile" by W. F. Bach, Sonata "Arpeggione" by Franz Schubert, Sonata for Flute and Piano by Francis Poulenc, "Oiseaux Tristes" by Maurice Ravel, and more.
Raj Bhimani performs a wide range of repertoire and has particular expertise in French piano literature; he is also a champion of new music. He worked closely with composers Henri Dutilleux and Thérèse Brenet. Ms. Brenet, moved by Mr. Bhimani's performance of her works, composed several pieces for him, including Three Preludes and To the West Wind. Mr. Bhimani performs regularly in the United States, Canada, Europe, and India. Recent performances in New York include Merkin Concert Hall, the 92nd Street Y, St. Paul's Chapel, and St. Peter's Church, where he plays frequently. He performs annually in the Atelier Concert Series at the American Church in Paris and this year celebrates his 30th anniversary of playing there. He has toured Portugal, Italy, and India and has played in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Time Out New York notes that he is a "gifted and highly expressive pianist."
He has released two CDs on the Delatour label and a third has just been released in France. His recordings are available on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, and other sites. In addition to his performance career, Mr. Bhimani has an excellent reputation as an educator; he has a private teaching studio in Manhattan and teaches master classes across the country.
António Carrilho is well known for his energetic and virtuoso playing and performs regularly throughout the world in music festivals and concert halls as a soloist and chamber music player. His repertory spans the Middle Ages to the present. He has played with many orchestras, including Sinfónica Portuguesa, Lisbon Symphonietta, the Royal Conservatory of The Hague Orchestra, and the Baroque Orchestra of Haifa. Many composers have written chamber music and concertos for him, including Ivan Moody, whose piece is being performed at this concert. Mr. Carrilho has made a number of recordings of both old and contemporary music and is currently recording several Portuguese contemporary works for the recorder.
Katharine Rawdon has played as principal flute in the Portuguese Symphony since 1993 and is one of the most versatile flute players in Portugal. She performs concertos with various Portuguese orchestras with repertoire ranging from J. S. Bach to Pierre Boulez. She has performed as a soloist and with chamber groups in Portugal, Spain, France, England, Italy, Austria, and Germany. Ms. Rawdon plays on the extended family of flutes as a soloist with the Lisbon new music ensemble Orchestr Utópica and has premiered more than 100 commissioned works, many by prominent Portuguese composers. In the US, Ms. Rawdon performed in the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein and Kurt Masur and at Carnegie Hall in the National Orchestra of New York as principal flute.
While there is no admission charge, there is a suggested donation of $10. The sanctuary is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, and there is parking available on the street. The church is located at 101 Pondfield Road West.
For further information, please call the church office in the morning at 914-337-3829, send an email to
Pictured here: The front doors of West Center Congregational Church.
Photo by A. Warner
