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pianist Mark

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Nina Gordon,

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violinist Mihal

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violist Lisa

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BREADSMITH

An Ideal Life

Cellist Nina Gordon brings her love
of performing to Vivace Series.

Suzanne Chessler
Contributing Writer

N

ina Gordon promises a
beautiful program when she
appears Saturday evening,
Nov. 19, with the Montecristo Piano
Quartet in Farmington Hills.
Selections for the second concert
in this season's Birmingham Temple
Vivace Music Series will include pieces
by Mozart, Brahms and Schumann.
"This is standard repertoire for
good reason," says Gordon, 60, an
associate professor of cello and
chamber music at Illinois Wesleyan
University and a former member of
the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
"It's just great music. We play many
pieces as part of our repertoire, and
the list was submitted to the planners
of the Vivace Series. They chose the
three pieces:'
The quartet, which performs every
summer at the Illinois Chamber Music
Festival, includes Mark Clinton on
piano, Mihai Craioveanu on violin and
Lisa Nelson on viola.
The group formed about 10 years
ago when members got to know one
another at a chamber music festival
in Prague. Besides the group's sum-
mer commitment, there are different
appearances in the fall and spring.
Gordon's interest in the cello was
fostered by her mother, who had
wished to be a professional cellist but
was prevented from studying because
of the hostilities of World War II.
"When I was 7 years old in Russia,
my mother asked if I wanted to play
cello:' Gordon recalls. "I said no but
agreed when she asked me a year
later."
Studies led to a degree from
Moscow University.
"I wanted to be in Israel, applied for

a visa and left Russia in 1976," says
Gordon, who studied at the University
of Tel Aviv and played with the Tel
Aviv Chamber Orchestra and the Israel
Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta.
"In Russia, religious activities were
forbidden, but I remembered prayers
from my grandfather and recognize
them now at services. I wanted to feel
Judaism and believed Israel would
be the only country where there is no
anti-Semitism:'
Although she had planned on stay-
ing in Israel, Gordon met and married
an American, computer specialist
Steven Gordon, and moved to the U.S.
She finished her doctorate at the
University of Kansas and began teach-
ing at the University of Missouri in
Kansas City. She has been principal
cellist with the Illinois Symphony
Orchestra.
"In the summer, I teach and travel
in Bulgaria," says Gordon, who also
visits Israel every year. "I don't think
it's possible to be a good teacher with-
out being a good performer. A musi-
cian has to be able to demonstrate
what is fresh in the performing field."
Gordon, a grandmother who relaxes
by walking and taking bicycle trips,
looks forward to the quartet perform-
ing at Hope College in Holland, Mich.,
just before coming to the Birmingham
Temple.
"I like what I do',' she says. "I think
teaching and playing chamber music
is an ideal life."

The Montecristo Piano Quartet
will perform 8 p.m. Saturday,
Nov.19, at the Birmingham
Temple, 28611 W.12 Mile,
Farmington Hills. $12-$23. (248)
788-3998 or (248) 661-1348;
vivaceseries.org .

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November 10 2011

47

