Twilight Concert Mesmerizes Forest Hills

On Sunday night, a beautiful setting was the home of some enchanting music in Forest Hills Gardens.

The Con Brio Ensemble, a trio of classically trained musicians, gathered in to deliver a virtuoso performance. The ensemble consisted of pianist Dr. Diana Mittler-Battipaglia, oboist Dr. Alan Hollander, and violinist Dr. Alexander Meshibovsky.

With dim lighting and picturesque décor, the church was filled with classical music from well-known musicians Mozart, Beethoven, Dunhill, Szymanowski, Colin and Wieniawski.

Before a mixed crowd of music lovers and church-goers, the trio kept the intimate hall enraptured in sound.

The performance kicked off promptly with Mittler-Battipaglia and Hollander’s rendition of one of Mozart’s sonata’s in F major, which was arranged from the Quartet for oboe and strings. The polyphonic tones matched perfectly between the two artists and they both kept up a speedy tempo to create a very light and upbeat feeling.

Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” was a major hit, as violinist Meshibovsky wowed the assembled guests with a soulful performance. Pianist Mittler-Battipaglia played a major role by setting the pace for each song.

Even though the performance went off without a hitch, Mittler-Battipaglia admitted to still getting nervous before every performance. “You can’t take anything for granted. [I] can play in the same place twice, and each time it’ll be a completely different experience. The instruments are different everywhere, which makes every performance unique,” she said.

Hollander, on the other hand, said that it isn’t nerves that affect him, but the audience. “Sometimes you can get distracted by people talking, or walking in during the middle of the performance, stuff like that, but I practice everyday,” he said.

He also compared musicians to athletes, “You have to keep yourself in shape, so I get up and practice everyday. Eat my Wheaties — my musical Wheaties — and that’s it. You have to love what you do. It’s a passion.”

When the show came to an end, the audience was clearly pleased and showed their appreciation through some hearty applause. “I thought it was beautiful,” said Brita Daemgen, a fan of Mittler-Battipaglia, “It’s always very high quality. [Diana’s] standard is so high. I’ve seen her in Lehman College before so that’s how I got to know her. It’s really great to have something like this in [Forest Hills].”

Audience member Lory Diez had a similar opinion,“I thought it was excellent. It had some unusual pieces, which were very good. And it was a pleasure to be exposed to them, which is one of the very wonderful things that the Con Brio Ensemble presents to the New York audience.”

The Con Brio Ensemble originates at Lehman College, where Diana Mittler-Battipaglia, Alan Hollander, and Alexander Meshibovsky are professors who teach their respective instruments.

The next concert will be held in The Church in the Gardens will be on March 13, featuring artists Paul Roczek, Andre Emelianoff, and Diana Mittler-Battipaglia.