Canellakis-Brown Duo wows guests at Coastal Concerts season finale

Coastal Concerts concluded its 25th anniversary season April 6, with a thoroughly enjoyable program presented by the Canellakis-Brown Duo.

Cellist Nicholas Canellakis and pianist-composer Michael Stephen Brown brought their inimitable wit, humor and infectious rapport to the stage, captivating the audience with superb musicianship and a thrilling performance.

Before the artists took the stage, the audience in Bethel United Methodist Church Hall enjoyed a brief video highlighting Coastal Concerts’ 25 years, including heartfelt and often humorous tributes from numerous musicians who have performed in Lewes throughout the past quarter-century.

Once on stage, Canellakis and Brown wowed the large crowd with their exceptional musical skill, as well as their lighthearted and informative conversations between selections on the program.

Together for more than 15 years, the duo has performed all over the world while maintaining active solo careers that also include composing, and even venturing into filmmaking and comedic podcasts. The varied program highlighted each performer’s skills, including works by Clara Schumann, Claude Debussy, Camille Saint-Saens and Edvard Grieg, coupled with a distinctly jazz-inspired section by the composer and band leader Don Ellis.

Maureen Ewadinger of Milton, who was attending the concert with several friends, was representative of the appreciative crowd. “This was fun and just what I needed,” she said while still clapping as the standing ovation continued. “They were so wonderful, and you could see that they were enjoying themselves as much, if not even more, perhaps, than all of us in the audience. Coastal Concerts is not just about the music, but also about the experience and the opportunity to feel connected to the artists.”

The final concert of the season, presented through special support of Dogfish Head, included a number of highlights and was particularly exceptional for the presentation of “Spinning Song,” a piece commissioned by the organization and underwritten by Richard Scalenghe, Steve Van Order and Anne Barney in honor of the 25th anniversary season. Brown composed the piece and explained that this work is inspired by the way so many wonderful things in life, not unlike the opportunities to play beautiful music around the world, including in Lewes, seem to come back around and around like a spinning wheel. The audience was thrilled to hear the world premiere of this work, and the artists shared that they have thoroughly enjoyed playing for the Coastal Concerts audience several times in the past; they appreciate how the patrons have always responded so enthusiastically to their music.

During intermission, the winners of this year’s student scholarships were announced, and several were on hand to receive special recognition. Since its inception, the scholarship program has recognized more than 60 young artists and has awarded nearly $60,000 in prizes. Coastal Concerts will provide more information about each recipient on its website, in the May newsletter and in future press releases.

A brief reference was made to the lineup of artists for the 2024-25 season, which will comprise an exciting mix of new and international musicians, and the return of a few favorite performers to the Lewes stage. Effective Wednesday, May 1, complete information about each performance including dates, times and locations, will be posted on the Coastal Concerts website at coastalconcerts.org.