The Perlman Music Program presents two alumni recitals over Mother’s Day weekend featuring world-class musicians.
Violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt performs Saturday, May 13, at 5 PM, and violinist Abigel Kralik performs on Sunday, May 14, at 2:30 PM. The recitals take place in the Clark Arts Center at PMP’s Shelter Island campus.
The performances are part of the Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series, underwritten by Sidney S. Stark and the Stires-Stark Family Foundation. The series showcases PMP’s amazing graduates, many of whom hold leadership positions among renowned orchestras and faculties.
Find details at www.perlmanmusicprogram.org.
About Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt
Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt is the violist of the Dover Quartet, which is the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. Pajaro-van de Stadt has appeared as a soloist with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, and Sphinx Chamber Orchestra.
She has performed in recitals and chamber music concerts throughout the U.S., Latin America, and Europe, including an acclaimed 2011 debut recital at London’s Wigmore Hall.
With the Dover Quartet, she won first prize and every special award at the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013, and the gold medal and grand prize in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in 2010. Her numerous awards also include first prize at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and top prizes at the Tokyo International Viola Competition and the Sphinx Competition.
A violin student of Sergiu Schwartz and Melissa Pierson-Barrett for several years, she began studying viola with Michael Klotz at the Bowdoin International Music Festival in 2005. Pajaro-van de Stadt graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Roberto Díaz, Michael Tree, Misha Amory, and Joseph de Pasquale.
She received a master’s degree in string quartet performance from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where she studied with James Dunham as a member of the Dover Quartet.
Pajaro-van de Stadt joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 2020. She also teaches at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music.
About Abigel Kralik
Abigel Kralik began playing the violin in Dublin Ireland, and continued her musical journey in Budapest, Hungary. After studying in New York she now calls Brussels home as an Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, guided by Augustin Dumay.
As a passionate soloist and chamber musician, she has appeared with the Savaria and MAV Symphony orchestras as well as the Szentendre and Anima Musicae Chamber orchestras.
Kralik also frequently performs with Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players at Lincoln Center.
Her many awards include top prizes at the New York International Artists Association, Vienna International Music Competition, Rising Stars (Berlin) Grand Prix, Talents for Europe International Competition, and Koncz Janos competition.
She also has appeared as a featured artist at the Verbier, Clasclas, Budapest, Krzyzowa and Moritzburg and Prussia Cove Festivals, as well as the Perlman Music Program and Festival Mozaic. Kralik has collaborated with artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Guy Braunstein, Vilde Frang, Viviane Hagner, Hsin-Yun Huang, Maxim Rysanov, Jan Vogler, and Gary Hoffman.
Abigel studied with Kristóf Baráti in Budapest and earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Itzhak Perlman and Laurie Smukler. She was awarded the Kovner Fellowship for all six years.
