Sheffield — Lich Gate Concerts will present a program on Saturday, January 31, featuring piano trio works from the Baroque and Classical periods, along with shorter works for various string and piano combinations, including vocal selections. The concert will take place in the sunny environs of Sheffield’s Old Parish Church.
The program includes the Sonata Op. 1, No. 13, for Piano Trio by Handel and the Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 97, “Archduke Trio” by Beethoven.
The lineup of musicians for Lich Gate concerts varies with the repertoire. The ensemble on the 31st comprises:
- Artistic Director Jorge Àvila — violin
- Sarah Hewitt-Roth — cello
- Adrienne Kim — piano
- Helen Karloski, mezzo-soprano
Lich Gate Concerts Artistic Director Jorge Ávila is a violinist whose career has combined solo performance, chamber music, and long-standing work as a concertmaster. Born in Honduras, he later became a U.S. citizen after receiving permanent residency under the “extraordinary talent” category. He won first prize at the 2001 Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Competition and was awarded the Omar del Carlo Fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Center.
Ávila currently serves as concertmaster of the Ridgefield Symphony, Distinguished Concerts International New York, and the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space series and has held concertmaster positions with a range of orchestras and choral organizations, including ensembles affiliated with St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Tanglewood Music Center. His concerto repertoire includes works by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Beethoven; he has also performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with David Finckel and Wu Han. In 2008 and 2015, he appeared as concertmaster for papal masses celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at Yankee Stadium and Pope Francis at Madison Square Garden. His debut recording, devoted to Spanish violin and piano sonatas, was released on the Centaur label.
Sarah Hewitt-Roth is a cellist whose work includes chamber music, orchestral performance, Broadway productions, and recording projects across multiple genres. She has toured in Europe and the United States as a chamber musician with ensembles including Philharmonia Virtuosi and the New York Chamber Soloists. She is a member of the New York Pops Orchestra and appears regularly at Carnegie Hall as assistant principal cellist of the New York City Chamber Orchestra.
Hewitt-Roth has worked extensively in musical theater, holding cello chairs in 13 Broadway productions and currently performing in the Lincoln Center production of “Camelot.” Her performance career has also included collaborations with artists such as Joshua Bell, Beyoncé, and Joni Mitchell, as well as appearances on “The Today Show” and “The Late Show” with David Letterman and Stephen Colbert.
Hewitt-Roth recording work spans classical, Broadway, jazz, and popular music. She has appeared on albums with Tony Bennett, k.d. lang, Antony and the Johnsons, Audra McDonald, and jazz trumpeter Ruby Braff. She performed on two Grammy Award-winning recordings: “A Wonderful World” with Tony Bennett and the original cast album of “Hairspray.”
Adrienne Kim is a pianist and chamber musician based in New York whose work spans solo performance, ensemble collaboration, recording, and teaching. She has appeared in venues including Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Bargemusic, Symphony Hall in Boston, and the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. As a soloist, she has performed with orchestras in the United States and abroad, including ensembles in Mexico and China.
Kim is the pianist of the Alcott Trio and a founding member of the New York Chamber Music Co-Op. She is a former member of CMS Two, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s residency program for emerging artists, and has performed with a wide range of chamber ensembles and festivals throughout the U.S. Her recording work includes solo and chamber music by American and European composers, and she has participated in projects highlighting contemporary and lesser-known repertoire.
An active educator, Kim teaches at Mannes College of Music at The New School and works with young musicians through the New York Youth Symphony and other programs. She studied at Indiana University and the Manhattan School of Music and continues to balance performance, recording, and teaching as central parts of her career.
Helen Karloski is a mezzo-soprano whose work includes opera, oratorio, chamber music, and concert repertoire. She has appeared as a soloist with orchestras and ensembles in the United States, performing works ranging from Baroque and Classical vocal music to contemporary compositions. Her performances are often noted for their clarity of text and stylistic range.
Karloski has sung roles and solo parts in venues including concert halls, churches, and academic settings, collaborating with conductors, instrumentalists, and chamber ensembles. In addition to standard mezzo-soprano repertoire, she has participated in performances of early music and modern works, as well as interdisciplinary projects combining music with spoken text or historical themes.
Alongside her performing career, Karloski is active as an educator and vocal coach, working with students and emerging singers in both private and institutional settings. She balances teaching with an ongoing schedule of performances and collaborations, maintaining a career that bridges scholarship, performance, and community engagement.
Old Parish Church is located at 125 Main Street in Sheffield. Tickets are available here.
