Haldane virtuosos team up for concert

For the first time, longstanding Haldane pals Sofia Kelly and Delia Starr are performing their greatest hits together at an independent, one-off concert at St. Mary's Church in Cold Spring on May 31.

In the fall, Kelly will attend the University of Cincinnati to study classical vocal music. Many selections on the program will highlight her dramatic, operatic style and are works she submitted on audition tapes for college applications and competitions, like attending the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan and singing at the International InterHarmony Music Festival in Italy.

In a video of the lieder "Die Stille Stadt" by Alma Mahler (wife of Gustav), recorded at St. Mary's and on the program for Sunday, she looks ready to vanquish a village as her booming voice resonates.

Starr began plunking the piano at age 5 and is a fourth-generation musician. In addition to composing solo piano works in the classical vein, she wrote a piece at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute for a string quartet and will perform a "Piece for Clarinet and Piano" at the show (Katherine Filatov will accompany).

Beyond their passion for European art music, the two share another bond: Their fathers are professional musicians.

Composer and jazz pianist Daniel Kelly learned to play classical after Sofia cottoned on to the genre a couple of years ago, and will accompany her on a tune by Randy Newman and one of his originals based on a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Eric Starr's father, Nelson, played trumpet in the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Eric composes, leads Haldane's jazz performance program and teaches drums and piano at his Cold Spring studio. He also holds annual recitals at the Chapel Restoration, where Delia has played three solo shows.

Kelly decided to attend a large school where she could minor or double-major in environmental studies. Starr, a junior, is applying to conservatories as well as universities and will major in composition, perhaps with a minor in piano performance.

"It's nice to meet other people with different interests," says Starr. "I love music, but don't want to be trapped in a bubble with the same type of people."

She's expanding her writing prowess beyond the piano because "it makes you a better candidate," she says. "I'm gearing up for tours and applications."

Pecking out parts on the keyboard, she also plays back MIDI simulations of other instruments in her software program.

"That's why piano is so great; all the notes are in front of you, and I use that to my advantage because it's easy to translate lines or chords for other instruments," she says.

At the concert, Starr will perform her original music alongside pieces by Chopin and Beethoven. Her compositions hint at Brahms' cinematic style, and she admits an affinity for French impressionists like Fauré and Debussy. "I love film scores, and that may be something I get into," she says.

Kelly and Starr crafted a thoughtful program that features guest artists, offers varied musical styles and contrasts vocals with instrumentals.

"We've been talking about doing a concert together for so long, and it's now or never in our Haldane lives, so we're ready for a musical goodbye," says Kelly. "Delia and I share a sense of deep camaraderie in the music world, and we'll always be in the same orbit."

St. Mary's Church is located at 1 Chestnut St. in Cold Spring. The free concert begins at 4 p.m. and will be followed by a reception.