Once again, Friends of Chamber Music produced an extraordinary program. Pianist Ken Noda is musical assistant to James Levine at the Metropolitan Opera. His solo career includes performances with the Berlin, Vienna, New York, Israel, and Los Angeles Philharmonics; London, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco Symphonies; Cleveland Orchestra and Orchestre de Paris. His chamber music collaborations include Levine, Perlman, and Zuckerman, as well as numerous performances at the Marlboro Festival. Ken is a superb vocal accompanist who has collaborated with Battle, Behrens, Ewing, Millo, Moll, Norman, and Upshaw. Each year Ken selects a young singer from the Metropolitan Opera to perform a program for Friends of Chamber Music. His selection this year was soprano Michelle Bradley. Michelle has one of those voices that can only be described as a gift. Only an astonishing amount of work and focus can create artistry at a level that will sustain a career. Michelle’s program was consistently beautiful and uniquely individual in a program of Mozart, Strauss, Faure, Poulenc, Charpentier, Verdi, and Puccini. The great artists have a commitment to mankind. Casals comes to mind. There is also a humility of spirit. I would say that this young woman, Michelle Bradley, is a great artist. Michelle shared with the audience that her background was singing in church. She concluded her program with spirituals and an original composition. It was Michelle’s message to the audience that was most touching: She spoke about the election and our divided country, that no matter the result Tuesday, we must each practice kindness. Only then can we heal and care for our nation.
