Join us for a performance by Duo Aavik, violinist Hans Christian Aavik and pianist Karolina Aavik. This will be their first public recital in North America.
The duo appears by special arrangement with Greator Productions OÜ.
Program
| Composer | Work | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Fritz Kreisler | Viennese Rhapsodic Fantasietta | 1948 |
| Erkki-Sven Tüür | Piano Sonata No. 1 | 1985 |
| Edvard Grieg | Violin Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 8 | 1865 |
| Intermission | ||
| Fritz Kreisler | Slavonic Fantasy | 1914 |
| Arvo Pärt | Fratres | 1977 |
| George Enescu | Violin Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op. 25 | 1926 |
About the Artists
Hans Christian Aavik
First prize winner of the 2022 Carl Nielsen International Competition, Hans Christian Aavik is an extraordinary musician. His career is taking off as he performs recitals, chamber music, and concerti throughout Europe. Recipient of Germany’s Usedom Prize, he was named “One to Watch” by Gramophone for his “effortless sounding virtuosity and tone.” The Strad praised Aavik’s “commitment, connection and insight”, highlighting the “microscopic detail and nuance” that brings their storytelling vividly to life.
His 2025 debut orchestral album with the Odense Symphony Orchestra under Gemma New, which features Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Erkki-Sven Tüür’s Violin Concerto No. 2, received a five star review from BBC Music Magazine. In October 2025, Hans Christian performed as soloist at Carnegie Hall alongside Midori and the Estonian Festival Orchestra under Paavo Järvi. The New York Times called his performance “an astounding debut by the young violinist”.
Hans Christian performs on a rare Giovanni Paolo Maggini violin (ca. 1610) and a Victor Fétique bow (ca. 1930) on generous loan from the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments and the Sapožnin family.
Karolina Aavik
Karolina Aavik is an acclaimed Estonian pianist. Dedicated to chamber music, she performs regularly in Estonia, Germany, and throughout Europe. Her collaboration with Duo Aavik began in 2014, when both musicians were still studying at the Tallinn Music High School.
Karolina’s debut album “AETERNUS” focused on works by Bach, Schubert, and Arvo Pärt. Recorded with Hans Christian Aavik, the album was launched in 2021 at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Tallinn. For Deutsche Grammophon’s new “Rising Stars” series on STAGE+, Karolina and Hans Christian recorded George Enescu’s Violin Sonata No. 3 and works by Morten Lauridsen and Eduard Oja.
Both musicians are currently studying at the Academy of Music and Theatre in Frankfurt, Germany, with Professors Erik Schumann and Angelika Merkle, and at the Kronberg Academy. The ensemble has also been greatly influenced by their studies in Vienna. Their interpretative style is a unique symbiosis of German and Viennese tradition, combining the depth of the German education, the profundity of the musical text with the elegance and unconstrained Viennese style.
About the Concert
The performance begins at 3:00 pm. Join us an hour earlier for a pre-concert discussion about the music on the program. After the performance, you’ll have an opportunity to meet the artist(s) and learn about their backgrounds, interests, and career plans.
The address of the venue is 103 North Road, Wakefield, Rhode Island 02879. Driving time from Providence, Newport, Westerly, and southeastern Connecticut is under an hour, and Amtrak’s Kingston Station is only five miles away.
The suggested contribution for this concert is $40 per person, collected at the door. We accept cash, personal checks, and cards. Checks should be payable to “Core Memory Music”. All contributions go directly to our performing artists. To make your contribution in advance, click here.
Children under 18 are welcome to join us free of charge.
If you’d like to attend this concert, send us an email with the full name of each person in your party and we’ll confirm your reservation. If you can’t attend the concert, we invite you to listen to the audio livestream (no reservation required).
Seating capacity: 20
| Last | First | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Andeweg | Patricia | |
| Ballard | James | |
| Collins | Eliza | |
| Comerford | Mark | |
| Harris | Nadine | |
| Hirons | Philip | |
| Holzman | Michal | |
| Schwartz | Howard | |
| Schwartz | Miriam |