About the Artists
Sandrine Erdely-Sayo
Sandrine Erdely-Sayo, pianist, composer and Artistic Director of Piano on the Rocks International Festival, began piano studies at the age four and has won numerous prizes across a career that began in Perpignan, France. She continued her musical studies with Denyse Rivière in Paris and with Christian Manen at the Paris Superior Conservatory where she received first prize for specialization in music theory. There, she pursued special studies in harmony, counterpoint and fugue. At fourteen she wrote Three Pieces for Chamber Orchestra that were played at the Chatelet Theater in Paris.
She became the youngest recipient of the French Minister of Culture Prize at the age of thirteen, and four years later won first prize at the Scène Française International Piano Competition in Paris. She was also a prize winner at the Ibla International Competition in Italy. In 1990 she came to Philadelphia to study with Susan Starr at the University of the Arts, receiving a master's degree in piano and composition. Her Chicago debut took place at Preston Bradley Hall for the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert in 1999, and in 2014 she made her Carnegie Hall debut. She has played the major repertoire by Poulenc, Messiaen and Bartok, performing as a soloist, in chamber music and with orchestras in Italy, France, Spain, Argentina, the United States, and for radio and television in various countries. She was described by Gary Graffman as “one of the finest pianists with exceptional quality who brings a fresh style which is clearly European in approach
An active composer and recording artist, Sandrine has recorded the integral piano music of Primitivo Lazaro for Randolfo Records, as well as music by Poulenc, Liszt, Thalberg, Scriabin, Debussy, Christian Manen, and Piazolla. She made the first recording of Poulenc's early Trois Pastorales (discovered by Dr. Schmidt), that she played at Towson in 1995. As a composer, she has written a number of works including Platero y Yo for piano and narrator and the Hymn to Sedona that was nominated for the American Song-Writing Award. She is also a member of the International Society for Philosophical Enquiry and of the Mega Society. From Bach to Liszt, from Fauré to Yiddish and Contemporary music, Sandrine Erdely-Sayo is an eclectic pianist who handles a range of styles and emotions with the greatest of ease. She has been described as "electrifying" (Philadelphia Inquirer), and as "A pianist with idealism, passion and lyricism" (La Prensa, Spain). In 2023, Erdely-Sayo established the Anna-Maria Moggio International Piano and Voice Competition. Sandrine Erdely-Sayo’s new recording “Majestic Liszt” will be released June 28, 2024 under Navona Records. She is represented by Port-Royal Pinnacle Productions. www.erdelysayo.com
Cynthia Raim
Cynthia Raim who was unanimously chosen as the First Prize winner of the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition, has been acclaimed for her concerto and recital appearances throughout the United States and abroad. In summing up the performance that won Raim the coveted Clara Haskil prize, La Suisse (Geneva) noted that “Miss Raim showed a musical nature that has gone far beyond tech nical mastery. Without affectation, without useless bravado, Cynthia Raim has imprinted herself on us and cannot escape our admiration.” Le Monde (Paris) called her “a new Clara Haskil.” Raim has won the prestigious Pro Musicis Award and, in 1987, was the first recipient of the “Distinguished Artist Award” of The Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia (America’s oldest continuing musical organization), which was given for “outstanding achievement and artistic merit.”
Raim has made numerous recital as well as radio and television appearances. She has appeared as soloist with leading orchestras in major cities such as Detroit, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Prague, Hamburg, Lausanne, and Vienna. She has also participated in many lead ing international music festivals including Marlboro, Ravinia, Tanglewood, Meadow Brook, Grand Teton, Bard, Mostly Mozart, Santa Fe, Luzern, and Montreux. She has recorded for Gallo, Pantheon, and Connoisseur Society. Before graduating in 1977 from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Rudolf Serkin and Mieczyslaw Horszowski, Raim had won the Festorazzi Award for Most Promising Pianist at Curtis, as well as first prizes in the J.S. Bach International and Three Rivers National Piano Competitions. This is her third appearance at the Piano on the Rocks International Festival.
Jean-Marc Luisada
Jean-Marc Luisada studied piano at the Yehudi Menuhin school in London then at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris, where in 1977 he won the First Prize for piano in Dominique Merlet's class and in 1978 the First Prize for music in room in Geneviève Joy-Dutilleux's class. He is a laureate of the Dino Ciani Competition (1983) and the famous Chopin Competition in Warsaw (1985).
The pianist received advices from great masters such as Denyse Rivière, Marcel Ciampi, Paul Badura-Skoda, Vlado Perlemuter, etc.
Jean-Marc Luisada has had an extraordinary concert career for more than thirty years. He plays in prestigious venues around the world, Europe of course but also the United States, Canada and Japan. Let us cite Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Théâtre du Châtelet, Salle Pleyel or Salle Gaveau in Paris, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Tonhalle in Zurich, Bozar in Brussels, Herkulessaal in Munich, Wigmore Hall in London, Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, as well as at renowned festivals such as Chopin Festival in Paris, La Roque-d'Anthéron Festival, Besançon Festival, La Folle Journée in Nantes, Berlioz Festival in La Côte-Saint-André, La Grange aux Pianos en Berry…
He has performed with such illustrious conductors as Charles Dutoit, Ádám Fischer, Theodor Guschlbauer, Eliahu Inbal, Emmanuel Krivine, Marek Janowski, Yehudi Menuhin, Michel Plasson and Michael Tilson Thomas, with the London Symphony Orchestra, NHK Orchester, Sinfonia Varsovia, Orchester National of France, Orchester of Suisse Romande, the Orchester of Toulouse Capitole.
In chamber music, he surrounds himself with Gary Hoffman, Pierre Amoyal, Philippe Bernold, the Talich and Modigliani Quartets, the Fine Arts Quartet, etc.
He has recorded several discs for Deutsche Grammophon and Sony (RCA), in particular Waltzes, Mazurkas and Chopin's Concerto No. 1 in E minor in its original version with the Talich Quartet and double bassist Benjamin Berlioz; the Goyescas by Granados, The Story of Babar by Poulenc with Jeanne Moreau and Sacred Fire with Macha Méril.
A disc dedicated to Schumann, rewarded with rave reviews including a Choc from Classica magazine, precedes a recording of Schubert's Sonatas D.840 and D.960, which marks the start of a collaboration with the La Dolce Volta label.
With works by Rota, Mahler, Mozart, Brahms, Joplin and Chopin, the latest album Au cinéma ce soir pays homage to his parents, to the cinema masterpieces which marked his existence and nourished his life as an artist.
Alongside this concert activity, Jean-Marc Luisada teaches at École Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot in Paris.
Jean-Marc Luisada is Officer des Arts et des Lettres.
Madeleine Hehn
Madeleine Hehn is a piano student of Jean-Marc Luisada at the École Normale de Musique de Paris, and of Sandrine Erdely-Sayo with whom she also studies musical writing. Madeleine is a two time finalist with the Philadelphia Orchestra Greenfield Competition, and a first prize winner of the Boulder Bach Festival World Bach Competition. She is also a scholarship recipient of the Chopin Foundation’s Young Pianists Scholarship Program, and received an honorable mention from the XII Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford, Ct. As a competition winner, Madeleine has performed with the Warminster Symphony Orchestra, the Washington International Piano Festival Young Artist Concert Series, and the Lancaster International Piano Festival. Madeleine has also performed at the Piano on the Rocks International Festival in Sedona, AZ as recipient of the festival’s Young Artist Award.
Sonja Bruzauskas
Sonja Bruzauskas received her undergraduate diploma in Voice, Acting and Dance in Germany where she was born and raised and her Master of Music degree with Marlena Malas in the United States. Sonja made her professional Opera debuts singing Hänsel in ‘Hänsel und Gretel’ with the Nordharzer Staedtebundtheater as well as Nancy in ‘Martha’ with the Staatsoperette Dresden, Germany, where she was under a full-time soloist contract for several years prior to her move to the United States. In the U.S. Sonja made her debut covering Beatrice in ‘Beatrice et Benedict’ and singing the Maidservant in ‘Simon Boccanegra’ during her stay as Apprentice Artist with the Santa Fe Opera.
Sonja’s repertoire embraces a wide range of operatic roles (Rosina in ‘The Barber of Seville’, Hänsel in ‘Hänsel und Gretel’, Nancy in ‘Martha’, Beatrice in ‘Beatrice et Benedict’, Orlovsky in ‘Die Fledermaus’, The Mother in ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’, to name a few), Musical Theatre ( Eliza in ‘My Fair Lady’, Anita in ‘West Side Story’, Mary Magdalene in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’), as well as Concert (Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Händel’s Messiah, Stravinsky’s Les Noces, Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, St. John’s Passion, Christmas Oratorio, Caldara’s Christmas Oratorio, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Durufle’s Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass, Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky and many more). Appearances include the Staatsoperette Dresden, the Santa Fe Opera, Volkstheater Rostock, Nordharzer Staedtebundtheater, Babelsberger Filmorchester, Bochumer Symphoniker, Baton Rouge Symphony among others. Recent appearances include the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Da Camera, the Bach Society, Mercury the Orchestra redefined, the Greenbriar Consortium, the Houston Chamber Orchestra, the Houston Chamber Choir, ROCO and The Roundtop Institute. Sonja is also an active and passionate recitalist, specializing in German Art Song and contemporary repertoire.
Sonja has sung and lectured at institutions such as Cal Arts, Vanderbilt, LSU, Rice University, the University of Houston, the Philosophical Society of Houston, Grinell College, as well as numerous health institutions. She has served on the board of directors for the Houston Chamber Choir, the Philosophical Society at Rice, the Houston Tuesday Musical Club and the German Center Houston and Ars Lyrica Houston. She teaches collaborative projects for CSSSA at at CalArts, Los Angeles, she serves as director for the Theatre Forum at Round Top and is the founder and director of pARTnerschools, a project that connects students through the Arts to empower diversity and strengthen communities.
Elizabeth Peña
Elizabeth Peña, Narrator and Co-Director of the Piano on the Rocks International Festival, is currently the director of the Spanish Language School in Philadelphia. After studying in Cali, Colombia, where she was born, she immigrated to the United States in 1991. Her interest and love for languages took her to a different path. She specialized in the field of languages and became an expert in teaching Spanish as a second language. With a great talent in prose and narrative, Elizabeth Peña received a proposal to work with artist Sandrine Erdely-Sayo. In 2010, she narrated Platero y Yo in New York City for the annual NPR conference, repeating it in 2014 in Carnegie Hall. Since then she has performed it in many different states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Texas and Arizona.
In 2012 Elizabeth Peña, made the recording of Platero y Yo in Texas with pianist/composer Sandrine Erdely-Sayo followed by a second recording called "Intelligent Series" of The Dove and the Jaguar. With her lyrical voice, she brings words to life and life to words.
Connor Chee
Originally from Page, Arizona, Navajo pianist Connor Chee is known for combining his classical piano training with his Navajo heritage. Chee began piano lessons at age 6 with Sue Barney, and later Debbie Mitchell. At age 10, his family relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts. While there, he studied under Anna Weinstein and Simon Goykhman. At age 12, Chee won a gold medal in the World Piano Competition’s Young Artist Division, earning him his first performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. In the following years, he went on to win multiple awards in the World Piano Competition, earning performances at the United Nations, and an international feature on CNN. While in Cincinnati, Chee performed with the Cincinnati Pops, the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra, and the Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra. At Age 17, he graduated from the School for Creative and Performing Arts, and began studies at the Eastman School of Music under Professor Rebecca Penneys. Chee received his Bachelor of Music from Eastman in 2009, and went on to earn a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, studying under Professor Elizabeth Pridonoff. Chee was Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.awarded a First Prize in the 2016 Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, and performed in the winners' recital at Carnegie Hall. Chee has released 3 studio albums of original pieces and piano transcriptions of Navajo music. The Navajo Piano won Best Instrumental Recording at the 16th Annual Native American Music Awards, and his piece “Beginnings” won Best New Age Song. In addition to winning Best Instrumental Recording, Chee was also nominated for Best New Artist and Record of the Year. Chee’s most recent release, Scenes from Dinétah, features piano pieces written about elements of Navajo life and culture. It has been accompanied by the release of several music videos filmed on the reservation, directed by Navajo filmmaker Michael Etcitty Jr.
Chee is currently a voting member of The Recording Academy (the GRAMMY® Awards), and continues to perform throughout the United States. He is currently located in Phoenix, Arizona.
Andersen Bloomberg
Andersen Bloomberg 17, is thrilled and honored to be welcomed back to a Piano on the Rocks event! Previously Andersen had the joy to accompany Ms. Sandrine in her spectacular Holiday Concert of 2024 Sounds of the Seasons where he sang many songs to her beautiful playing and narrated The Story of the Nutcracker interspersed with selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. Mr. Bloomberg is a quadruple threat in the entertainment industry with singing, dancing, acting and being an impressive young pianist as well. He loves to perform and throws his fun personality and energy into all roles he is cast in. Andersen has enjoyed performing in many different mediums such as Network TV, independent films, commercials and being on stage in plays and has the most fun in musicals. Some favorite leading roles being Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, Jester in Once upon a Mattress, Dr. Doolittle in Dr. Doolittle, all with MoezArt Productions and as Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz in a special presentation for the City of Goodyear, AZ. Most recently Arizona audiences saw him singing, tapping and acting in Patriot Productions presentation of Singin’ in the Rain (a favorite genre of his). Andersen earned the role of Nutcracker Prince in TRIAD-AZ’s Holiday performance of The Nutcracker Fantasy Ballet 2 years in a row, as well as Rat King, Grandfather and of course it all started as little Fritz in their first season. Piano is his passion and he has studied professionally for 4 years and has apidly excelled beyond those years! Andersen comes from a line of performers with his Grandfather being a child prodigy concert pianist playing in the Hollywood bowl at age 4 and his Great Grandfather a teacher of Benny Goodman. Music fills his soul and he is a performer through and through! A chance meeting at a spectacular Steinway concert has led to the beginning of a beautiful friendship with Ms. Erdely-Sayo, for which he is grateful. He would like to thank Sandrine for this amazing and blessed opportunity to celebrate with her and the amazing talents both pianists and voices on her 10th anniversary of Piano on the Rocks!
Bravo!! Thank you friends and family for the love, support and encouragement. And most of all thank you, the audience, for being here and sharing your enthusiasm and listening hearts. We hope to envelope you in the joy of music and the energy of the majestic red rocks of Sedona.
Andersen is represented theatrically by Danis Agency in AZ & The Osbrink Agency in L.A..
Barbara Di Toro
BARBARA DI TORO, soprano,has been a part of the Piano on the Rocks family since 2016 and is thrilled to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Her operatic roles have included Susanna in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, the First Lady and Papagena in Mozart’s Magic Flute, Monica in Menotti’s The Medium, among others.
Barbara has appeared in musical theater productions in the Philadelphia area, her favorite roles being Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, and Tuptim in King and I. She continues to enjoy sharing her musical gifts with her local communities by presenting solo recitals and chamber ensemble performances at area retirement communities and by serving weekly as a soloist and a leader of song at three different churches.
A passionate educator, Dr. Di Toro’s teaching experiences over the years have included being lecturer in voice at the collegiate level, music director and co-producer of high school musical theater productions, a classroom music instructor at the elementary and pre-school levels as well as providing individual voice lessons to teens and adults. Her educational achievements include a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration, Bachelor and Master Degrees in Vocal Performance all from Temple University, and a Bachelor degree in Elementary Education from Holy Family University. In 2018 Barbara retired from her duties as Associate Director of Temple Music Prep and is enjoying time with family and friends and, as always, continues to share her love of singing. She dedicates her performances during this year’s festivals in loving memory of her dear husband, Anthony, who was her most devoted supporter throughout their 44 years of marriage.
Anna Rubin
Anna Rubin’s lyrical and dynamic music has been heard around the globe. She has composed many chamber and orchestral pieces as well as works that integrate acoustic instruments with electronic media. Her work was introduced on the world stage in Germany in 1982. Her work has been recorded on the Capstone, Everglade, SEAMUS, Albany and Neuma labels. Virtuoso performers of her work include Airi Yoshioka, F. Gerard Errante, Madeleine Shapiro, Tom Buckner, Maria Loos, Margaret Lucia, and Sandrine Erdely-Sayo. Ensembles such as Nash Ensemble, Da Capo, and Relâche have also performed her works.
Recent commissions include those from Piano on the Rocks International Festival (2021 and 2022, Sedona, AZ) and the Washington International Chorus (2019, Washington, DC). Among her awards are those from the Delta Ensemble in Amsterdam, Arts Councils in Ohio, New York and Maryland, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and the National Orchestral Association.
Performances of her works in New York City have been hosted in Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Roulette and BargeMusic. Performances have also taken place on college campuses including Princeton University, the California Institute of the Arts, New York University, and Wesleyan University. Her work has been featured at two New York City Electroacoustic Festivals (2016, 2019) and at several conferences of the Society for Electroacoustic Music, US (from 2000-2019). She has been in residence at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Brahmshaus in Baden-Baden Germany, and the Brooklyn College Center for Computer Music.
Rubin was on the faculty of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County from 2002 to 2018. Before that, she taught at Oberlin College and Lafayette College. She earned her MFA from the California Institute of the Arts where her principal teachers were Mel Powell, Earle Brown, and Pauline Oliveros. She completed a doctorate in composition with Paul Lansky at Princeton University.
Rubin has been an active citizen in the new music community, serving as board member and president of the International Alliance for Women in Music and as member of the editorial board of Perspectives of New Music. In the 1970s, she was a founding member of the Los Angeles collective, the Independent Composers Association and she helped organize some of the first conferences focusing on women and music in southern California.
In the Fall of 2021, Anna wrote “"Reflections on Compositing” an eight-page document where she looks back on her life and career in music.