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Historical Piano Concerts Series
About the Musicians

Orfeo Duo
Ishmael Wallace, piano and Vita Wallace, violin

Sister and brother Vita and Ishmael Wallace are celebrating their twentieth anniversary as the Orfeo Duo, having
performed together since they were children. Their repertoire ranges from Bach to music by present-day young
composers. Believing all music is an expression of the breath of life, they enjoy exploring the unique musical and
performance styles of different periods, countries, and composers. Vita and Ishmael also view music as a celebration of
community; they celebrate their own, in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, with an annual festival involving local
composers and other artists.

The Orfeo Duo’s latest CD, on the Spanish label Unacorda, features the Schumann sonatas on the 1846 Streicher
piano from the Frederick Collection and Vita’s 1765 Carcassi violin with gut strings. Canada’s National Post called the
performances "daring and fresh", singling out the piano's "sweetly singing tone and noble bass." The Orfeo Duo also has
CDs of Bruno Walter and Hans Pfitzner on VAI Audio and George Enescu on Marquis Classics as well as recordings of
new music on VMM and Tzadik.

Vita plays baroque violin in Philomel, ARTEK, and Foundling Baroque Orchestra and Women’s Advocacy Project. She
won the Felix Salzer Award at the Mannes College of Music, where she studied with Felix Galimir.

Ishmael, a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and Mannes College, studied with Richard Goode. His first solo CD,
of music by David Loeb, was recorded by Christopher Greenleaf and recently released by VMM. Ishmael is also a
composer; his compositions, which include operas to his own libretti, chamber music, and orchestral works, have won
many national competitions. His most recent opera, The Stranger, was produced in May, 2004, by Teatro Corleone in
New York City.