Tuesday, June 21, 2016 3:00-5:00pm

Bard Graduate Center Gallery, 18 West 86th St., NYC

Reviewed by Ladd Boris

l-r Virginia Chang Chien, Medina Crystal-Gloria, Oren Fader, Jessica Bowers, Peri Mauer, Douglas Schultz, Lynn Chao, France Rovelli

On Tuesday June 21, 2016 in the Bard Graduate Center Gallery off of Central Park West in Manhattan, several of us were treated to a concert in the fashion of a “musicale” from days gone by.

Peri Mauer & Friends offered up a heartfelt rendering of favorites and original music to entertain the crowd in a parlor setting.

The concert opened with the beautiful Haydn Trio in D Major with France Rovelli, on violin, Douglas Schultz on piano and the ever-winning and gifted Peri Mauer on cello. A photo of their performance is seen above this review.

This was followed by the Webern Drei Kleine Stucke, Op.11 beautifully played by Peri Mauer and Douglas Schultz.

While Peri’s playing is beautiful, the highlights of the afternoon came in the haunting quality of her own compositions which followed.  Journey (a lovely Virginia Chang Chien on oboe), Red Sky (a sonorous Lynn Chao on trumpet – seen at right) and Morning in Minute and Quietly, at Dusk (ethereal playing by Medina Crystal-Gloria on clarinet) are compositions that demand attention.

Her style is unique and original.  Classical and Jazz influence marry beautifully in her works.

Particular note should be given also to Daniel Sclafani, baritone sax, who played an exciting performance of Wolfson’s Bloothooft and Plomp.

The afternoon ended with the stylish pairing of husband and wife team of Jessica Bowers, mezzo-soprano and Oren Fader, guitar (seen at left).  They are clearly “in sync” on stage as a pairing, here interpreting songs of Brahms, Mozart, and Salerni with excitement and skill. My favorite being the lesser known Alley Cat Love Song, a contemporary composition by Salerni/Gioia.  Her diction and communicative skills were a master class in song interpretation while his accompaniment was sensitive and playful.

A wonderful afternoon, made even more wonderful by the haunting and original compositions of Peri Mauer.  Truly the highlight!

Ladd Boris is a New York based actor/singer who’s credits include The Metropolitan Opera, Broadway shows, first National tours (She Loves Me, State Fair), film (Fame), and “tons” of regional theatre.