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Cohen, who also plays with cham-
ber music groups such as the Amadeus
Piano Trio and the Vanbrugh Quartet,
plans his programs with balance and
drama.
"My perception of the Liszt Sonata
now is different from 10 years ago and
certainly different from 20 or 30 years
ago," he explains. "I remember listen-
ing to Horowitz's and other pianists'
recordings of it and always thinking of
it as the Everest to climb. It's a piece
that I love, and it's represented success
in my life."
Cohen, who start-
ed out as a violinist
with the Rio de
Janeiro Opera House
Orchestra, made
Europe his perma-
nent home after an
acclaimed perfor-
mance at the Con-
certgebuow in Ams-
terdam. His manager
advised the move for
better concert oppor-
tunities.
Still, Cohen's pro-
fessional piano suc-
cess was not what his family — or
he— intended.
"My father was a dentist, and he
had a patient who was a piano profes-
sor in Rio," Cohen explains. "She •
convinced my father that it would be
very good for his children to learn
music. My father decided piano was
for a girl and violin for a boy.
"When I was 6, I used to go to the
piano and play by ear, and the teacher
said I should study piano as well. My
father thought that was just widening
my education. He never thought I could
or should take music as a profession:"
Cohen kept up with his instrumen-
tal studies while pursuing a degree in
engineering and started thinking
about becoming a professional pianist
after a Rio conservatory director heard
him play and referred him to a master
teacher.
The violin Was my best friend
until I was 34," says Cohen, who is
nearing 60. "I became a professional
violinist, playing mornings and
evenings and practicing piano in the
afternoons. The violin gave me jobs to
survive until I won the first prize in a
piano competition."
While Cohen was invited to con-
cert halls around the world, playing
with orchestras from the Royal Phil-
harmonic to the Santa Cecilia Orches-
tra of Rome, he declined bids to come
to the United States until five years
ago. He was reluctant to travel to this
country because he had been mugged
in New York when he was 23.
It was a very traumatic experience,
and I decided I didn't want to go
back," he says.
Perhaps his outlook softened with
his second marriage nine years ago to
Ann Louise Strickland, who was born
in Brazil of American parents. Former-
ly the general manager of Weight
Watchers in Brazil, she met Cohen
after one of his concerts. Two of her
three children from a previous mar-
riage live with them.
Part of the emo-
tional makeup that
Cohen brings to
the stage comes
from a solid Jewish
background.
"My father was
born in Palestine,
and Jewish culture
is very much in my
blood," he
explains. "Judaism
is always present
because I was
brought up with it.
I used to speak
Hebrew, and I can write and read it. I
studied for five years in a Jewish
school in Brazil. I had my bar mitz-
vah, and my son (now an economist
in England) had his bar mitzvah.
"Every year, I play charity concerts
for Jewish organizations. I always play
for either children or old people
because they depend on others. They
need support, and I feel I can help
them in a way."
Regardless of audience, Cohen
expresses a continuing outlook.
"I always say the difference between
a good musician and a bad musician,
both being good technically and hav-
ing talent, is that the good musician is
an instrument for the music," he says.
"The bad musician uses the music for
his own sake, his own pocket." I I
Brazilian-born
Arnaldo Cohen
makes his Detroit
debut with a Pro
Musica-sponsored
concert at the DIA.
Fine Dining • Dancing
Entertainment
Tuesday Through Saturday
excatiour
Now Appearing
The
WARREN COMMISSION
BILLY ROSE
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featuring: SUZIE MARSH
Fridays and Saturdays
Tuesdays Thru Thursdays
28875 Franklin Rd. at Northwestern & 12 Mile Southfield, MI • (248) 358-3355
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Wednesday Rpm & 8pm
Thursday
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Friday
8pm
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GEM THEATRE • (313) 963-9800
333 Madison Ave. • Detroit, MI 48226
.sitgivZ;;Fg
Call Nicole for groups of 15 or more (313) 962-2913
(248) 645-6668
EXTENDED THROUGH MARCH 28TH
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Lunch and Dinner
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Now Serving Wines, Beer and Spirits
Buy One Entree
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Catering Available
For All Occasions
Arnaldo Cohen will perform at
8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, in the
Recital Hall at the Detroit Insti-
tute of Arts. The $25 ticket
price includes tours of the Italian
Gallery with a member of the
museum staff from 7-8 p.m. and
an afterglow with the artist. An a
la carte dinner can be purchased
starting at 5:30 p.m. For reserva-
tions, call Pro Musica member-
ship secretary Florence Arnoldi
at (313) 886-7207.
Wonderfully Prepared
Catering to Your Home,
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Coming Soon
To West Bloomfield
Our Second Location
• Dine in only • With Coupon
• 1 Coupon Per Couple
• Not Valid With Other Offers
• Expires -12-31-99
JN
El
27060 Evergreen at 1-696 & 11 Mile, Lathrop Landing • (248) 559-9099
Simcha with Simone
"The Simone Vitale Band is an assurance of a great
evening... One of the hottest bands in town."
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Bob Talbert, Detroit Free. Press
• Weddings • Anniversaries
• Private/Corporate Parties • Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
Call Simone for the best persOnal service in town, kvith
an exciting night of dancing and fun at your party.
CY')limeg l7tak, (248) 544-7373
A
Detroit Jewish News
1/22
1999
95