Gobin music series continues Wednesday

Trio Russe -- which includes pianist Natalia Rachford, violinist Irina Povarova, and cellist Polina Umansky -- will perform music by Schumann, Rachmaninoff, and Bernstein in the eighth concert of the 2008 Greencastle Summer Classical Music Festival, this Wednesday July 9 at 7:30 p.m., in the sanctuary of Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church.

Admission is free with donations accepted; the main corporate sponsor for the series is York Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Greencastle, Inc.

"This is an exciting opportunity," says the festival's artistic director Eric Edberg, "to hear three fine musicians trained in Russia. I'm delighted that they are including a major Russian work, Rachmaninoff's gorgeous piano trio, in their program. We'll hear a true 'Russian-style' performance of this fabulous piece."

Each of the three women in the trio now resides in the Indianapolis area.

Russian-born pianist Natalia Rachford graduated from Russian Music Academy in Moscow. She performed as soloist and chamber musician in many cities in Russia including Moscow and St.Petersburg.

In 1993 she received honorable mention at the Bart--k-Kabalevsky International Piano Competition and completed a master's degree in music in 1995. She then moved to Bloomington where she started her doctoral degree in piano performance at Indiana University.

She has performed the Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev Piano Concertos with Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis. Natalia is presently on faculty at DePauw University and has private teaching studios in Zionsville and Greenwood.

Violinist Irina Povarova graduated from Kazan State Conservatory and studied with professor Afanasiev former student of Prof. Yankilevich in Moscow. At the present time, she is teacher of music at Midwest Conservatory, Carmel Conservatory and Broad Ripple High School.

Polina Umansky is a cellist who has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. Her passions chamber music and teaching. Her teachers include Ayzik Zhadan and Janos Starker.

She holds a Masters Degree in music from Odessa State Conservatory in Russia. She has had numerous solo appearances in Odessa as well as in other cities in former Soviet Union, such as Moscow, Kiev, and Kharkov.

Next week's festival concert will feature Grammy-winning violinist Matt Alpert and violinist Andrew McCann in a program of works for two violins.