Overview
Biography
Hailed as artists who “bring new life to duo piano recitals” (The Washington Post) and lauded as “superb performers” (Audiophile Audition), the Long Duo is among the most sought-after piano duos performing today. Their dynamic artistry has taken them to four continents, with notable appearances at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, National Concert Hall in Taiwan, Dallas Museum of Art, Phillips Collection in Washington D.C., the Spoleto Festival, International Piano Series in Charleston, Grand Theatre in Hangzhou, Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou, and Jordan Hall in Boston, among others.
As concerto soloists, they have performed with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra of Montevideo (Uruguay), Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey, Boston’s St. Botolph String Ensemble, and the Eskişehir Symphony Orchestra (Turkey). The Long Duo recorded the world premiere of Dana Suesse’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, as well as concerti by Vaughan Williams and Harl McDonald for two pianos and orchestra (Sono Luminus). These recordings received critical acclaim from American Record Guide, Fanfare Magazine, and The Arts Desk (London). Recent performances include appearances at the InterHarmony Festivals in Piedmont (Italy) and Sulzbach-Rosenberg (Germany), Szczecin (Poland) and recitals in Montevideo and Punta del Este (Uruguay).
Sisters Beatrice and Christina Long have performed together since childhood. Their multicultural background and artistic vision are reflected in innovative programs such as “Beyond Genre and Borders”, “Modern Marvels” and “Convergence”, and have received critical acclaim:
“The Long sisters’ glittering collective technique, interpretive sensitivity, and the uncanny communion of souls that perhaps only siblings can share, and the result was a rare evening of music that will haunt me happily for a long time to come”
~ the Charleston Today (USA)
“Long Duo’s own arrangement of four-hands version of Libertango by Astor Piazzolla, was presented in such a dancing, sparkling way, that it was a true pleasure to listen to them”
~ the onetz.de (Germany)
In addition to their duo performances, each maintains a distinguished solo career:
Beatrice Long has appeared as a soloist with the Baltimore Symphony, National Symphony of Mexico, National Orchestra of Taiwan, Taipei Symphony, Jura Symphony (France), Ensemble du Monde, and New Amsterdam Orchestra (NYC, USA), among others. She has performed at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, the Festivals of Champagne and Fontainebleau (France), Kunsthalle Appenzell (Switzerland), and at U.S. Embassies in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras. Her recordings on Naxos and live performances have been featured on NPR, Radio France, and TV-NY1, with favorable reviews from BBC Music Magazine, Fanfare, and American Record Guide. A graduate with honors from the Curtis Institute of Music, she studied with Seymour Lipkin, Mieczysław Horszowski, and Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory. Beatrice currently serves on the faculty of the Music Conservatory at Brooklyn College, City University of New York (more about Beatrice at the following).
Christina Long has performed across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, as a soloist with the Dallas Wind Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony, and Taipei Civic Orchestra. An active chamber and contemporary music performer, she was a founding member of the New England Lyrical Trio and has given solo recitals in Germany, Italy, Canada, Poland, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Her playing has been praised for “elasticity, color, rhythmic clarity, and creative fantasy.” Christina has recorded for Centaur Records and was commissioned to translate My Life with Great Pianists by Franz Mohr (Ubiquitous Publishing Co.). She has served as Artist-in-Residence at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, as Assistant Professor of Piano at Tabor College (Kansas, USA) and Westfield State College (Massachusetts, USA). Christina was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Hall of Fame (more about Christina at the following).
Winners of the First Prize at the Ellis Duo Piano Competition, sponsored by the U.S. National Federation of Music Clubs, and recipients of the “Best Performance of American Music” award, Long Duo Piano continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Since 2017, Beatrice and Christina have served as performers and faculty at the InterHarmony Festival in Italy and Germany, at the Euro Music Festival in Poland and continue to dévelop new programs and to search for new collaborations.
