Sharon Levin, Flute and Karen Stern, Harp (USA)

The Levin/Stern Duo

The Levin/Stern Duo was founded by Sharon Levin and Karen Stern in 1984. As the winning ensemble of the Artists International 1987 Young Artists Chamber Music Award, the Duo was presented in a New York debut recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 1988. Following that successful concert were appearances on WQXR's "The Listening Room" and the "McGraw Hill Young Artists Showcase," two recital tours in Europe, two recital tours in Brazil including concerto appearances of the Mozart Harp and Flute Concerto with the Brazilian Symphony and the Chamber Orchestra of Sao Pedro Theater. They also performed at Merkin Concert Hall, toured Costa Rica and performed in Ecuador as recitalists and concerto soloists with the National Symphony of Ecuador. They have also made television appearances on national TV in Brazil, Ecuador and Costa Rica. They have had numerous performances in the New York Metropolitan area.

Sharon Levin has been a featured soloist with the New Jersey Pops Orchestra, National Symphony of Ecuador, Hudson Chamber Symphony, Society of Musical Arts Orchestra, Lyra Italienne Orchestra of Paris and others, in additional to the performances of the Mozart Harp and Flute Concerto with Karen Stern. She has performed in France, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil, Ecuador, Israel, Costa Rica and throughout the New York area and was principal flutist with the New Jersey Pops Orchestra from 1988 to 2002. She has also appeared on national television and radio in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Brazil. Ms. Levin is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, the Manhattan School of Music and a recipient of the Certificate of Award in Chamber Music from the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, France. In 1996 she performed to a sold out house at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall as a Distinguished Artist of Artists International. She since has returned to Weill Recital Hall in 2000, 2002 and 2008 performing chamber music. She conducts the Flute Choirs for the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic Program in Stamford, CT and performs and teaches in the North East.

Karen Stern performs regularly with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and participated in the Symphony's two concert tours of Ireland. She can be heard on the Symphony's recent CD recordings of Dvorak's "Biblical Songs", Gliere's Symphony No. 2 and the Red Poppy Suite, all on the Delos label. Ms. Stern has been a soloist with the New Jersey Symphony, Plainfield Symphony, Society of Musical Arts Orchestra, and the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra. She has played with the American Symphony Orchestra, American Ballet Theater Orchestra, New York City Opera, New York City Ballet, Long Island Philharmonic, National Symphony of Costa Rica and Broadway show orchestras. She has performed on the Queen Elizabeth Two Cruise Ship and has recorded a CD with the New York Harp Ensemble and Eva Marton on the Hungariton Label. Ms. Stern is a graduate of the Boston University School for the Arts and the Manhattan School of Music. She was featured as a concerto soloist with the New Jersey Symphony of July of 1997. Ms. Stern is also an attorney, holding a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law.

"a polished appealing event...exhibiting all the precision, balance and flexibility of good chamber musicians."

The Wall Street Journal
"most persuasive...a lovely sense of shape...a sense of dark mystery...a sardonic touch."

The New York Times

"wonderfully mellifluous quality...incredible agility...tremendous vibrancy...graceful ease...fiery and excitedly played."

The Star Ledger

"The musicality of the artists was evident by virtue of the natural and spontaneous flow of the executions. Stern skillfully plucked the harp in a clear bright manner and Levin obtained pure tones in all the registers of the flute."

La Nacion (San Jose, Costa Rica)

"masterful skill...seduced the public with their technique and the balance of their ensemble...excellent! Exceptional!"

La Republican Lorrain (France)