Truls Mørk, Cello and Behzod Abduraimov, Piano

Truls Mørk is one of the 21st century’s definitive cellists—his tone is song-like and recognizable, as if he’s extracting his own voice from the instrument. He is the only Norwegian ever to win a Grammy Award, and his playing has been characterized as “unforced splendor … his expansive, Russian-inflected bowing and vibrato ensures that quiet passages float into the far reaches of the hall.” (The New Yorker) In the last decade, his public appearances have been scarce due to illness, and we feel honored to be a part of his return to the world stage, which has already been met with glorious reviews. He is joined by Uzbek pianist Behzod Abduraimov in a program of chamber music by two great composers from their respective homelands: Norway’s Edvard Grieg and Russia’s Sergei Rachmaninoff. Abduraimov made his Princeton debut in 2013 as a relatively unknown gem, and has since gone on to major stardom, including his Stern Auditorium in Carnegie Hall debut this past season.