For the blissfully single, the complicated, recently unconvinced or for the couples who want more than just romatic atmosphere: Salon Aux Chandelles returns with an Anti-Valentine’s program that trades sugar for spice—music of beautiful heartbreak, fierce wit, and irresistible rhythm.

A wine reception follows, inviting guests to linger, compare war stories, and toast to love—in all its imperfect forms. *Photography and interviews may be conducted throughout the evening.

Dress code: cocktail or creative black tie (a touch of black or scarlet encouraged).

PROGRAM

1. Alfred Schnittke-Yuri Tkanov – Chamber Symphony for Viola & Piano (20')
   Performers:
   Alexandra Andreeva, viola
   Christina Lee, piano

2. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov – Queen of Shemakha from the opera The Golden Cockerel (5')
   Performers:
   Anna Aistova, soprano
   Christina Lee, piano

3. Valery Gavrilin – "Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's day" and "Oh, he is dead and gone, lady" (6')
   Performers:
   Anna Aistova, soprano
   Christina Lee, piano

4. John Cage – 4′33 (5')
   Performers:
   Alexandra Andreeva

5. Francis Poulenc – Mon cadavre est doux comme un gant (3')
   Performers:
   Freja Højland Høj, soprano
   Christina Lee, piano

6. Amanda Drew – Dronning Annabell (5')
   Performers:
   Freja Højland Høj, soprano
   Katelyn Kim-Mulgrew, violoncello
   Nathaniel Grohmann, double bass

7. Johann Sebastian Bach – Chaconne from Partita for violin solo No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 (7')
   Performers:
   Vartan Mailiantz, violin

Performer's biographies:

Alexandra Andreeva is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning violist known for her exquisite tone and extraordinary musicality. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at some of the world's most prestigious venues, including Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the J. F. Kennedy Center. With a career spanning more than a decade, Andreeva has captivated audiences across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas with her profound artistry and expressive interpretations. Her passion for both classical and contemporary works has made her a highly sought-after performer, celebrated for her ability to bring depth and elegance to every stage she graces.

Vartan Mailiantz is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning concert violinist, celebrated for his captivating performances and profound artistry. He has graced the stages of over 20 countries across Europe, Asia, South, and North America, performing as a soloist at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Albert Hall, Lincoln Center, and the J. F. Kennedy Center. Renowned for his virtuosic technique and deep emotional expression, Mailiantz excels as both a soloist and chamber musician, delivering unforgettable performances that resonate with audiences worldwide. His unwavering dedication to music has established him as one of the most sought-after violinists of his generation.

Freja Højland Høj is a soprano, performer, and improviser from Denmark. Described as a “gorgeous soaring soprano” in the German Magazine OPER!, Freja seeks interdisciplinary collaboration and explores the intersection between classical singing, theater-making, performance, improvisation, and electronics.

Her previous projects include the premiere of M. Vestergård’s song cycle KRISER, Female Voice 1 in Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians, the Danish Radio Broadcast of Earl Kim’s Where Grief Slumbers, and the Copenhagen Opera Festival premiere of Queen Annabell, a new opera by Faun Vium and Amanda Drew. Other appearances include Festival & Friends, Den Fynske Opera, Copenhagen Opera Festival, Theatre S/H, and The Stone (NYC).

In 2024, Freja was awarded the Birkhave Honorary Prize in recognition of her musical talent, her wide-ranging artistic work, and her commitment to exploring new creative pathways.

Freja holds a Master of Music degree in classical singing from the Royal Danish Academy of Music and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship, with artistic practice and an interest in electronic composition, improvisation, and research, under Dr. Levy Lorenzo at The New School College of Performing Arts in New York.

Anna Aistova began her musical journey at six, transitioning from piano studies to voice, earning degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Mannes School of Music. She has performed with the Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky theaters, the Folk Orchestra of Saint Petersburg, and taken leading roles in operas such as Norina in Don Pasquale, La Feè in Cendrillon, and Calisto in La Calisto. Notable achievements include solo performances in Mahler’s 4th Symphony, Mozart’s Requiem, and Magnificat with Musica Viva NY, and Adele in Die Fledermaus with New Rochelle Opera. A finalist in the SAS Performing Arts Competition (2023) and Second Prize winner in the John Alexander National Competition (2024), Anna began 2025 as a Resident Artist at the Castleton Festival and is looking forward to a busy performing season ahead.

Christina Lee is a music theorist and pianist based in NYC. As an enthusiastic and dedicated music instructor, she has taught theory (and theory-adjacent) courses in several institutions, including NYU, Montclair State University, and Hunter College, in addition to teaching private lessons. She currently serves on the college and graduate faculty at both the Juilliard School and Mannes The New School for Music, where she has the privilege of connecting the extraordinary talents of young artists to the limitless study and analysis of the music they perform. As a pianist, Christina has been a featured solo and chamber artist in various venues around New York City, including Carnegie Hall, and has also performed concerts in Boston, Italy, and Spain. Her music is inspired by the many teachers who have shaped her own journey; they include Yuri Kim and Carl Schachter. She holds degrees in piano and music theory from Mannes and the CUNY Graduate Center.Fun facts about Christina: In her spare time, she enjoys dancing and reading, and she eagerly waits for The Winds of Winter. As a native New Yorker, she also avidly roots for the best sports team in the world—the New York Knicks.

Dedicated to honing her cellistic voice, Katelyn Kim-Mulgrew is pursuing a double BM in cello performance and theory at the Mannes School of Music. She has attended the Green Lake, National Music, Berkshire High Peaks, Green Mountain, School for Strings Workshop, Drew Summer Music, LyricaFest Music, and Skidmore festivals, and Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp. She has performed in masterclasses with Anthony Arnone, Laura Metcalfe, Jeremias Fliedl, Ashley Bathgate, Steve Pologe, Maria Tchaikovskaya, Jonathan Spitz, and Bonnie Hampton. Her teachers are Marnie Kaller, André Emelianoff, David Bakamjian, Diana Golden, the Scottish music cellist Abby Newton, and Jia Kim, her present teacher. She received the NJ Governor’s Award in Music Education and earned an American String Teacher’s Association Cadet Teacher Training Certification. She has performed SaintSaëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor II. Allegretto con moto as a soloist with the Newark Academy orchestra. She has bachelor’s in Computer Science from NYU and enjoys a good bagel.

Nathaniel Grohmann is a NYC based cellist and bassist with a devoted commitment to music interpretation and performance of chamber music. Nathaniel has excellent communication and coaching skills, as well as extensive experience in multiple genres of music. Primarily a classical musician, Nathaniel has also performed music in Pop, Bluegrass, Latin, Jazz, and world music styles.

*By purchasing tickets, attendees acknowledge and consent to the possibility of appearing in official photographs and media features produced by Salon Aux Chandelles.

**Program and performers are subject to change.