Salon debuts at Millbrook Library

MILLBROOK — The gallery space at The Millbrook Library was filled with parents and children excited to hear world-acclaimed cellist Sterling Elliott perform and teach the youngsters about the cello. He performs on a 1741 Gennaro Gagliano cello.

The concert was noteworthy because it marked the premiere children’s event of the Millbrook Music Salon, formed recently under the direction of Artistic Director Sophia Zhou. Elliott opened his concert by performing J.S. Bach, followed by engagement with the children by asking how long ago they thought that Bach had lived. The first response of “two million years” was eventually narrowed down to 300 or so.

“There are a lot of musicians here,” Elliott said, reacting to the intelligent questions asked by the children and parents, including the difference between a violin and a cello, and Elliott’s practice regimen when he was a child. He had begun playing his instrument at the age of three, practicing at least three hours each day. All stringed instruments come in reduced sizes to accommodate the young ages at which students begin lifelong study.

“I grew up in a musical family,” he explained. He and his siblings formed a string quartet, performing publicly at an early age in libraries, churches and a variety of venues near their home in Virginia. His mother had decided before his birth that he would be the cellist for the family group and had purchased his first tiny cello in anticipation.

Elliott’s daily practice hours grew as he grew. All of that practice brought his acceptance to study cello performance at Juilliard. He has since earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Juilliard, most recently completing the highly selective Artist Diploma program. Additional world-wide honors came along the way.

The next concert in the Music Salon series will feature pianist Mishka Rushdie Momen, performing works from the Tudor age at Grace Church, on Friday, May 9, at 7 p.m. For tickets and information go to www.millbrookmusicsalon.org.