Bach to Bach

Ben Breen – Violin

Violinist Benjamin Breen is recognized internationally for his “exceptional purity of tone” and “beguiling sensitivity” (the Strad). He made his New York recital debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. His performances are hallmarked for their “intense emotion” and “tone tinged with gold” (Sydney Morning Herald) and have led to engagements in Australia, Europe, the United States and Japan, both as soloist with orchestra, in recital, and as chamber musician. Breen has premiered works dedicated to him by the Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe and Spanish composer Elisenda Fabregas and given the German premiere of Philip Glass’ “Strung Out”. In Australia he has made television appearances on ABC-TV and the 9 Network and participated in radio broadcasts on ABC-FM, ABC Radio National, 2MBS-FM & 3MBS-FM. His U.S. broadcast credits include broadcasts on WNYC, and National Public Radio stations nationwide.

As chamber musician he has appeared at the Aspen, Barge Music, Next Generation, Telluride, Sitka, North-West Bach Lake Placid, El Paso music festivals. Breen is founder and artistic director of Hudson Chamber Society in New York. Performances with ex-Heifetz pianist Milton Kaye led to the release of Breen’s recording of the Brahms Sonatas on the Australian Tall Poppies label available world-wide. Tall Poppies have also released “Café Fiddle”, an album of encores to wide critical acclaim.

His violin is “the Boyle” Guarneri “filius Andrea” made in 1712, with bows by Dominique Peccatte and Leonard Tourte. He also performs on a modern violin by Boris Sverdlik made in Cremona 2005.

Zuill Bailey – Cello

Zuill Bailey, widely considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, is a Grammy Award winning, internationally renowned soloist, recitalist, Artistic Director and teacher. His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has made him one of the most sought after and active cellists today.

Mr. Bailey has been featured with symphony orchestras and music festivals worldwide. He won the Best Solo Performance Grammy Award in 2017, for his recording of Michael Daugherty’s “Tales of Hemingway,”. His extensive discography includes his newest release – the world premier recording of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Cello Concerto with the Santa Rosa Symphony. In 2021 he released his second recording of the Bach Cello Suites for PS Audio’s Octave Records label. He appeared in a recurring role on the HBO series “Oz,” and has been heard on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” “Tiny Desk Concert,” “Performance Today,” “Saint Paul Sunday,” BBC’s “In Tune,” XM Radio’s “Live from Studio II,” Sirius Satellite Radio’s “Virtuoso Voices,” and his latest disc of Bach Suites was the disc of the week on Sirius’ Symphony Hall.

Mr. Bailey received his Bachelor’s Degree from the Peabody Conservatory where he was named the 2014 Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Alumni, and received a Master’s Degree from the Juilliard School. He performs on the “rosette” 1693 Matteo Gofriller Cello formerly owned by Mischa Schneider of the Budapest String Quartet. 

He is the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro-Musica (Texas), the Sitka Summer Music Festival/Series and Cello Seminar, (Alaska), Juneau Jazz and Classics, (Alaska), the Northwest Bach Festival (Washington), Classical Inside Out Series- Mesa Arts Center (Arizona) and is Director of the Center for Arts Entrepreneurship and Professor of Cello at the University of Texas at El Paso.

“Astonishingly beautiful musicianship” – Stereophile

“Bailey produced a tone as rich as melted chocolate” The Washington Post