Music Committee
What is the Music Committee?
The Music Committee of the Friends of the Weston Public Library oversees the presentation of an annual concert series in the Library’s Community Room. The Committee’s mission is “to promote the appreciation and love of music and to expand the cultural opportunities available in Weston by enabling the Library to present a variety of musical programs which are free and open to the public.”
If you are interested in applying to perform during an upcoming season of the WPL Music Committee concert series, please submit some basic information and you will be contacted shortly by a member of the music committee.
Sunday, December 3rd at 3 p.m. Cellist Leland Ko and Pianist Adria Ye
The Weston Public Library Music Committee is delighted to welcome Weston cellist Leland P. Ko and his accompanist, pianist Adria Ye, performing in the Community Room at 3 p.m. on December 3rd. Please join us for a performance by two young musicians already distinguished not only by their technical artistry but also by their pure joy in creating music.
A cellist of Chinese-Canadian descent who grew up in Weston, Leland has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in venues across America’s east coast as well as internationally. This November, Leland won the Grand Prize in the Montreal Symphony’s String Competition, where he performed Prokofiev’s Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op. 25 with the full orchestra. Adria accompanied him in the competition’s semifinal round. He recently won first prizes at the 2023 inaugural Boston Concert Artist Society auditions and the 2023 National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Competition, and was named a winner of the 2023 Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank auditions. Leland graduated from Princeton University with a degree in German literature, went on to complete an M.M. at the Juilliard School, and is currently an Artist Diploma candidate at the New England Conservatory under the guidance of Yeesun Kim and Donald Weilerstein. Violinist Itzhak Perlman has said of Leland that he “plays with the beauty of sound and subtlety that we don’t often encounter in a cellist of his age,” and that he is “a musician who willingly considers all aspects of music.”
Chinese-American pianist Adria Ye has been driven from a young age by a hopeless fascination with music, old and new. Described by cellist David Finckel as having a “naturally beautiful sound and lyric instinct,” she made her orchestral debut at nine with the Oregon Sinfonietta and has performed as soloist and chamber musician across Europe, China, and the United States. She has been featured in radio broadcasts of “Performance Today” with Fred Child and National Public Radio’s “From the Top.” Adria earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at Juilliard with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Julian Martin, and currently studies with Wha-Kyung Byun at the New England Conservatory.
The concert is free and open to the public, and the Community Room is handicapped accessible. Covid precautions will be observed, and masks will be available at the door.
10/15/23 Artique In Boston- Clarinet, Viola, Cello, and Piano
Artique In Boston Bio (PDF)
Artique In Boston Program (PDF)
11/19/23 Joel Bard and Sayuri Miyamoto- Oboe and Piano
Bard and Miyamoto Bio (PDF)
Bard and Miyamoto Program (PDF)
12/03/23 Leland Ko and Adria Ye- Cello and Piano
Ko and Ye Bio (PDF)
Ko and Ye Program (PDF)
3/03/24 Zefira Trio- Violin, Cello, and Piano
3/17/24 Jon Sakata and Jung Mi Lee- Piano 4-Hands
4/07/24 May Phang- Piano
Apply to become a member of the Music Committee
2022-2023 Season
- Express Lane, Barbershop Quartet (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - Anran Qian, piano (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - Weston Wind Quintet (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - Roman Rudnytsky, piano (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF)
2020-2021 Season
- Jon Sakata and Jung Mi Lee, piano four hands (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - May Phang, solo piano (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - Duo Amie, piano and cello (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - Sayuri Miyamoto and Joel Bard, piano and oboe (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - Shelley Otis, harp with percussion and lecture (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - Natalie Zhang, solo piano (watch now!)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF) - Minkyung Oh, solo piano (click to watch 5/23 at 3 PM)
Bio (PDF)
Program (PDF)
What is MusicFest?
MusicFest is a daylong celebration of music and Weston musicians sponsored by the Music Committee of the Friends of the Weston Public Library. On Saturday in the spring, the library will host a series of musical programs of approximately 45 minutes in length that present students of any age and instrument who have a Weston connection. The performances, which are open to the public, will be presented informally in the Community Room of the Weston Public Library. Light refreshments in the Art Gallery will follow each concert.
Who can participate?
Young people of all ages who have a connection to Weston are invited to participate. They may be Weston residents, students of Weston teachers, Weston school students, or in groups that have at least one Weston resident member.
MusicFest is open to any form of music, including voice, and any instrument appropriate to be played in a library. Participants may play for a few minutes or advanced groups may plan a program of up to twenty minutes. There is a beautiful Steinway grand piano in the Community Room. There is no rehearsal time available on the piano itself. An accompanist is available upon request. Rehearsal time will be arranged with the Accompanist.
More questions?
Contact westonmusicfest@gmail.com
Recital and Piano Use Information
Under certain conditions, the library and Music Committee occasionally permit the use of the Community room and piano for recitals (up to 2 hours in length). In order for a recital application to be considered, the teacher's studio must either be in Weston or the majority of their students must live in Weston. Please contact the library for more information.