Polezhayev Family Gives Unforgettable Performance

Earlier this month, Yelena and Vladimir Polezhayev and sons presented a new program in homage to the 200th birthday of composer, Franz Liszt during another free, entertaining and culturally enriching Sunday afternoon show at the .

 The program called Classical & Latin Rhythms:  A Dream of Love was a perfect precursor to Valentine's Day next month.

"It's all about love," said the matriarch of the family about the emotional theme of the performance.  "It's a celebration of Liszt's 200 year anniversary.  It's a salute to a great Romantic composer."  A fitting motif considering that the ensemble is clearly the result of a labor of love.

The audience was informed that Liszt had been named the King of the Piano, and was a child prodigy.

Husband and wife, Yelena and Vladimir, performed on a single piano, utilizing four hands, simultaneously.  Sons:  Anton, the eldest; a violinist-virtuoso, winner of international violin competitions and Simon, double bass soloist and scholarship student at The Julliard School joined their parents for several standout songs during the set.  The rare performance featuring all four Polezhayevs resonated with an aural depth and palpable chemistry that can only come from the close bond of familial ties, combined with impeccable innate skill, honed by years of hard work and dedication.

The Long Island Piano Duo was founded by accomplished pianists, Yelena and Vladimir.  The couple met at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia.  They have performed numerous times in Europe, Canada and the United States.

Since coming to New York in 1990, the Polezhayevs have founded a thriving music school, co-founded a concert festival for young musicians and have been featured on various TV and radio shows.

Their programs include classical masterworks written by Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and other composers; as well as their own arrangements of Broadway, folk, tango, Gipsy, Klezmer and Jazz presented with artistic integrity, pizzazz, warmth and wit.

The performance began with Liszt's "Liebestraume" ("A Dream Of Love") with Yelena and Vladimir sharing a piano, completely in unison, and playing as one.

Simon's gifts on double bass were highlighted in "Concerto in D, Mov.1" by Dittersdorf.  Before which, Yelena explained that the composer was a classical musician, and a contemporary of Mozart, although he remained relatively unknown compared to the latter with whom he played with in the same quartet.

The audience was treated to Anton's commanding stage presence on Paganini's "Cantabile", one of the composer's magnificently slow pieces.  The elder son demonstrated that he is astonishingly adroit at wielding the difficult instrument with ease on Sarasate's "Playera" and "Zigeunerweisen."

Following a brief intermission, Yelena and Vladimir reappeared for the second half, which was dedicated to Latin rhythms, while still continuing with their ode to Eros.  It began with Piazzolla's "Libertango" and the tango "Adios Nonino."

Yelena deemed the tango, "the most passionate dance of all time."

The duo delivered "Libertango" with intensity and delight as their four hands flowed across one set of keys.  The tango was transformed into a dance played out with finesse, utilizing fingers in place of feet.

The entire musical brood, that proved the apple doesn't fall far from this talented tree, finished the show all together.  The first song featuring all four was a bit of a departure, Loewe's show tune, "My Fair Lady."  It preceded a return to Liszt for "Consolation."  The final selection was the tango, "Jalousie."

"Jealousy goes with love, so that's why we put that in the program," explained Yelena in her sonorous Russian accent.  "With this song, he became an overnight success then Jacob Gade worked never again."

"My father says, 'No matter how many times we play this tango, we still have to work the next day,'" quipped Anton.

This piece was followed by an encore of another tango, the name of which was never caught, so let's call it the "Last Tango in Sachem."

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