Founded in 2003, the G-Sharp Duo is a dynamic ensemble established by violinist Emilie-Anne Gendron and pianist Yelena Grinberg when both were students in the Barnard-Columbia-Juilliard (BCJ) dual degree program. Over the past nine years of close, creative collaboration, they have garnered enthusiastic praise from New York’s classical music scene for their highly expressive, insightful performances and charismatic stage presence.

Infusing their interpretations with a keen musical intellect and poetic imagination, Ms. Gendron and Ms. Grinberg are committed to showcasing not only the beloved hallmarks of the violin-piano literature, but also some lesser known compositions as well as important contemporary works. Notably, they gave the world premiere of Hiroya Miura’s “Moon Petals” (2005), a composition dedicated to the G-Sharp Duo, which was first performed at Miller Theatre and broadcast over New York Public Radio’s arts program Ear to Ear, hosted by David Garland. In Spring 2009, the Duo presented the US premiere of Philip Lasser’s “Chaconne Variations” (2007), and in Fall 2010, they gave an unofficial premiere of Michael Harrison’s “Raga Prelude” at Faust Harrison Pianos.

Prizing dual commitment to intellectual and musical exchange, Ms. Gendron and Ms. Grinberg give frequent lecture-recitals, exploring in depth various musical and aesthetic aspects of the sonata-duo repertoire at venues, such as The Juilliard School, Columbia University, and New York University. The G-Sharp Duo won First Prize in the duo category of the 2006 International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition, sponsored by the Chamber Music Foundation of New England. In Summer 2008, they were awarded residency at the renowned Banff Centre in Canada, where they worked closely with such artists as Philip Setzer, Mark Steinberg, Barry Shiffman, and Denis Brott.

Since their New York debut recital at Merkin Hall in Spring 2008, the G-Sharp Duo has given numerous performances at venues such as Miller Theatre, Bargemusic, Steinway Hall, Weill Recital Hall, the Bates College Concert Series, the Harvard Club of New York, the chamber music series at St. Paul Church in Brookline, Massachusetts, Tenri Cultural Institute of New York, The Bronxville Women’s Club, and Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York.

In Fall 2011, the G-Sharp Duo presented a series of concerts in tribute to Franz Liszt’s bicennential birthday at The Steinway Hall and at Bronxville Women’s Club, where they performed Liszt’s seldom heard Grand Duo concertant and the Hungarian Rhapsody no. 12, arranged for violin and piano. For Spring 2012, the G-Sharp Duo will present a program entitled French Influences, with works by Stravinsky, Faure, Ravel, Takemitsu, and Liszt. During the 2009-2010 Season, the G-Sharp Duo showcased thematic programs in tribute to the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Mendelssohn and Schumann, at Bechstein Piano Center and Faust Harrison Pianos, as well as the Montauk Library and the Rogers Memorial Library.

For more information on the artists, please check their respective websites: www.emilieannegendron.com and www.yelenagrinberg.com

Interested in hiring the G-Sharp Duo? 

The G-Sharp Duo can be readily contacted for concerts, lecture-recitals, banquets, parties, weddings, corporate events, and more. For inquiries, please email Yelena Grinberg at ygpiano@gmail.com.

G-Sharp Duo

Emilie-Anne Gendron, violin & Yelena Grinberg, piano

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

G Sharp Duo

Beethoven – Sonata no.5 in F Major (“Spring”) for violin and piano, op. 24, I. Allegro

Schumann – Sonata no.2 in D minor (“Grosse”) for violin and piano, op. 121, IV. Bewegt