The Monday Night Concert Series features piano and violin duo Bobby Schiff and Daniela Bisenius at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The public is warmly welcomed to enjoy this performance from two very special artists.
Pianist Schiff and violinist Bisenius will present impeccable classical music, sophisticated jazz, Latin jazz, gypsy swing jazz and fiery Eastern European folk.
Schiff is one of Chicago’s top Jazz pianists and has worked in Chicago as one of the nation’s premier vocal arrangers and accompanists. He is a composer, arranger, conductor, pianist and producer. On the Chicago and Los Angeles music scenes for more 45 years, he has led orchestras and bands, performed on piano and keyboards, directed, composed and arranged for and with the best – Mel Torme, Peggy Lee, Johnny Hartman, Frank D’Rone, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbara McNair, The Arbors and Bobby Rydell.
On a day to day basis, Schiff is working primarily in Chicago as a vocal arranger and accompanist. Playing, arranging and producing albums for numerous independent artists, he also performs with his own jazz trio at several Chicago venues.
Bisenius was born in Bucharest, Romania, to musical parents and started playing the violin at the age of five. In 1984 she took second prize at the Romanian National Competition, after which she joined her father and brother in Germany where they were employed at top orchestras and opera houses.
She has participated in a series of orchestral and solo engagements, and studied under renowned professors of music. In addition, Bisenius has attended master classes in Nice, France.
In 1988 she came to the United States and received a full scholarship at the University of Iowa.
She has performed with many professional orchestras including Naples Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony and the Chicago Lyrics Opera. In addition, she has shared the stage with great artists such as Natalie Cole, Smokie Robinson, Luther Vandross and Kurt Elling. In addition to performing, Bisenius is a devoted music teacher.
Oak Park Arms Senior Living is a rental retirement community which provides senior housing in the form of independent living. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information call 708-386-4040.
