L'Ermitage Foundation Concert Series Presents Cellist RusLan Biryukov and Harpsichordist Nathan Lewis In Concert

L’Ermitage Foundation Concert Series will present Cellist Ruslan Biryukov (of Encino, CA) and Harpsichordist Nathan Lewis (of Newport Beach, CA) in concert performing three Italian Baroque virtuoso Cello Sonatas on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel, 11461 Sunset Boulevard (at Church Lane/I-405), Los Angeles, CA  90049.  

Nathan Lewis will be playing a legendary and famous 60-year-old Neupert Harpsichord from Kasimoff-Blüthner Piano Co. in Los Angeles, which will be making a rare public appearance.  Ruslan Biryukov will be playing a Cello crafted by Pierre Gaggini (1976) provided by Robert Cauer, the Hollywood-based string instrument restorer for The Colburn instrument collection and the Los Angeles Philharmonic string instrument collection.

Renee Cherniak, Executive Director of L’Ermitage Foundation said, “We are honored to present critically acclaimed Russian/American Cellist Ruslan Biryukov in recital with noted Pianist Nathan Lewis who will be playing a renowned 60-year-old Neupert Harpsichord.  We are very grateful to the Kasimoff-Blüthner Piano Co. for providing us with this crown jewel instrument in their collection for this concert for our concertgoers to see and hear this magnificent instrument in person, which is an occasion in and of itself.”

Helga Kasimoff, 92-year-old Owner of Kasimoff-Blüthner Piano Co., said, “My late husband, Bill and I acquired the Neupert Harpsichord 60 years ago in August 1963, when we started our business.  It was built by J.C. Neupert in Bamberg, West Germany in 1963. The harpsichord is eight feet, seven inches long; three feet, five inches wide; weighs 375 pounds and has two manual keyboards and seven pedals.  This particular ‘star’ harpsichord is unlike no other, in that it has been featured in countless Hollywood films, television shows, commercials, in concerts, and on recordings.  From opera singers Marilyn Horne and Beverly Sills, to “Titanic” and “The Little Mermaid,” to “The Partridge Family” and “Kung Fu,” to New York City Opera and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Neupert Harpsichord is the most heard, recorded and traveled harpsichord in the world.”

The August 31st L’Ermitage Foundation program will include three Baroque Italian Sonatas for Cello and Harpsichord, including Antonio Vivaldi’s (1678-1741) “Sonata in E minor. No. 5,” Luigi Boccherini’s (1743-1805) “Cello Sonata No. 6 in A Major,” and Pietro Locatelli’s (1695-1764) “Sonata in D Major.”

During the concert the audience will also be offered a demonstration of the various sound qualities of the unique historic harpsichord, as well as some comments about the general historic perspective of the Italian Baroque styles and 18th century virtuoso instrumental music.

Admission to the concert is $60.00 per person.  Due to limited seating, Advance Reservations for the 60-minute concert are required and can be made by calling the L’Ermitage Foundation at 310-472-3330 or by E-mailing reneelcherniak@aol.com, or via Eventbrite.

Valet parking is available at the hotel for $16 per car. To learn more about this concert and tax-deductible membership in L’Ermitage Foundation, please visit online at http://lermitagefoundation.org

The August 31st program will be a live preview of a video film recording of the same program to be released, September 8th at 8:00 p.m. PST on Ruslan Biryukov’s YouTube Channel.

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