Armstrong Auditorium, Edmond OK

It was such a joy to visit Edmond, Oklahoma! We were fortunate enough to perform in the stunning Armstrong Auditorium, one of the best halls I have ever played in, and to collaborate with the gorgeous mezzo soprano, Paula Malone.



Erika adored the fantastic Steinway that Ryan Malone hand picked in Hamburg!





We were so well taken care of on every level - with a delicious pre-concert supper backstage, and pampered in luxurious dressing rooms with Swarowski crystal chanderliers! Everyone, including Chairman Gerald Flurry, was so charming...



...and Sara managed to squeeze in a quick cello lesson with the adorable and talented Seth Malone!



Thank you so much to everyone at the Armstrong Center - we had a delightful and memorable time!!

Our Houston Family

We were welcomed with open arms and countless hugs when we came to play our 10th performance for our beloved Houston Friends of Chamber Music Series- we all feel so honored to be chosen for their Golden Anniversary!

We adore our Houston "family" and it is always so inspiring to play in The Shepherd School of Music's gorgeous Stude Concert Hall ( Susie is pictured listening to balances).



I always request the famous Steinway that none other than Horowitz himself played!



Sara started it all off by giving an interview for KUHF fm...




...then a rehearsal before the audience arrives...



...then of course, what we all so look forward to- the legendary, beyond fabulous party after- this year at our dear friends', Philip and Joan Cowdin. Here's to another amazing 50 years! Congratulations HFCM!

Island fun

Sometimes touring has it's perks! We were lucky enough to start our tour with a stop in the British Virgin Islands to perform on the Performing Arts Series at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College- Sara and I were there early and got to enjoy the gorgeous beaches...we also were lucky enough to meet up with new friends Thorpe and Andrew who were there for the Spring Regatta- we had a blast sailing to Norman Island and enjoyed a stop at famous Willy T's- Sara was even Captain for some of the trip-

GOOD TIMES!

Lakeland

Post concert signing with Dr. Robert Tate, Vice President of External Relations

We've just returned from Florida Southern College in very pretty Lakeland, FL, and enjoyed the our visit so much. The John Branscomb Memorial Auditorium is truly a gem and felt wonderful to play in, so warm and resonant. It was great to meet some of the College students, as well as longtime patrons of the FSC Fine Arts series. Thank you, Lakeland, for a terrific time!



Erika here,
Just want to add that I was lucky enough to get a private tour of the campus by FSC’s own Dr. Robert Tate- I was blown away by the jaw-dropping beauty of the buildings designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright. I even got to play on the organ in one of the gorgeous chapels! I was so inspired I had images of some of his geometric shapes darting in and out of my conciousness during the concert- it must be an amazing experience to be surrounded by those structures every day.

Off to Washington state, bye for now!!

California Dreaming

We had such a great time on the west coast as usual. Beautiful weather, scenery and food! Performing in La Jolla and Bel Air doesn't give one much to complain about and we took full advantage of everything on offer.

We gave a house concert at the stunning residence of Bob and June Shillman - here's their driveway



Walking into the Shillman's home



Another view...



...and another!



With the wonderfully dapper Christopher Beach of La Jolla Music Society



Our fabulous hosts, Bob and June Shillman



We took the train from La Jolla to Los Angeles and the scenery was stunning.



All for now, come back soon!

Bravo weekend

Hi! Checking in after a couple weeks on the road, we spent a few days at Southern Illinois University giving a recital and playing the Beethoven Triple with Maestro Edward Benyas and the Southern Illinois University Orchestra in Carbondale, IL. It was great to return after a few months away and to play with everyone again, a real treat. We also gave a masterclass to some very talented students whose spirit and enthusiasm was completely infectious and contagious! It's always rewarding to work with students who have a real love for and dedication to their art; we really enjoyed hearing them all.

On another note (no pun intended!) our travels to and from Carbondale were shared by some Bravo network celebrities; Tabatha from "Tabatha's Salon Takeover" flew out with us from Newark with her signature platinum cropped cut and all black wardrobe. Serendipitously, we shared the car on our drive back to St Louis airport with a another Bravo personality who I was very stoked about - Season 5 Project Runway finalist Korto Momolu! She was sporting one of her fabulous bags and a very cute haircut! It was a blast to chat with her about her line and upcoming show at New York Fashion Week in the fall.



Check back soon to read about our recent California trip!

Ghost Story

LOVE Madison, WI- this is the 3rd or 4th time we’ve played there, and every time I go I discover something new and interesting. Kudos for having over 400 concerts a year to choose from, and many of them free. In addition to a recital, this visit we had a blast playing the Beethoven Triple with the U of W Symphony Orchestra- under the lively direction of maestro James Smith. It was such a pleasure to play with such a talented group of musicians! They did a tremendous job and it was a lot of fun to chat about various music camps and festivals, etc..
Between rehearsals and performances, we got to explore this fabulously liberal town- there is so much to see in terms of quirky architecture (my favorite). A highlight was eating at the lobby restaurant at the Orpheum Theatre- such good food! The server was nice enough to let me wander around so I visited every level of course- apparently there is a female ghost there. I am kind of skeptical about that sort of thing, but I have to say it was creepy enough to give me some chills! The Wisconsin Union Theatre also had that great historic vibe- loved all of the old posters dating back from the 30’s. I hope that when they renovate they don’t replace the fantastic art deco chairs in the dressing rooms- or mess too much with the great acoustics!
I could on and on, but before I go I just have to say thanks to Sara for recommending the Tornado Room- I had some amazing Venison there and the authentic 50’s interior was killer! I ate my way through Madison- one of the best breakfasts EVER at Marigold Kitchen- it was well worth the ridiculous wait… My stomach thanks you Madison!xo Erika

Sarasota Fun

Who doesn’t love Florida in the Winter? We were lucky enough to return a few weeks ago to possibly the most unique of all concert halls, the famed purple Van Wezel! It was designed by a disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright in the shape of a giant sea-shell, perched right next to the Sarasota Bay. Apparently Wright's widow chose the color. It’s kind of funny how much the architecture or even the color of a hall can influence my performance….even down to the gown color choice. Sara told us that the first time she ever played there, she HAPPENED to wear a purple gown without knowing about the color of the hall, and the audience went wild! The trio doesn’t have an all purple outfit (yet?!) but we did decide on our most sparkly silver ensemble, which we thought would go really well with the purple.
The concert was a blast, and of course we were thrilled that it was oversold. My flight was delayed (what else is new) so I was lucky enough to be able to shop and hang out in St. Armand’s circle. I had to see the ocean even if only for a minute so I took off my shoes and sank my toes into the incredibly wide, white-sugary sand out to the waves- it was very windy so I ended up walking along the ocean with the new jeans I had just bought wrapped around my head. I must have been Quite the fashion statement! xo Erika