ENCORE PIANO TRIO TO PRESENT CONCERT AT WHITE PLAINS PUBLIC LIBRARY LIBRARY FRIENDS HONOR ROBERT LEE MILLS, LONG-TIME LIBRARY VOLUNTEER

The Encore Piano Trio, Matitiahu Braun, violin; Elizabeth Kalfayan, cello; and Melanie Braun, piano; will present an afternoon of chamber music by Beethoven, Elgar and Schumann at The White Plains Public Library on Sunday, November 18th at 2:30pm. This special concert and reception is presented by The Friends of the White Plains Public Library as a tribute to Robert Lee Mills for over three decades of invaluable service to the Library.

Violinist Matitiahu Braun has been a member of the New York Philharmonic since 1969 and has also served as principal violist with the Dallas Symphony. He has performed throughout the world as a soloist with orchestra, in recital and chamber music concerts. A graduate of the Israel Academy of Music and the Juilliard School, he was a student of Joseph Fuchs and a recipient of the Naumberg Prize.

Cellist Elizabeth Kalfayan has performed extensively as a soloist and with orchestra and chamber ensembles throughout the Metropolitan area. She is principal cellist with the North Jersey Orchestra and appears with the New Jersey Pops Orchestra. Born in Romania, she is a graduate of New York’s High School of Performing Arts and holds Bachelor and Master Degrees of Music from the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Jacob Bernstein.

Pianist Melanie Braun has appeared in recital with her husband Matitiahu Braun and with chamber ensembles throughout the tri-state area and in Israel and Finland. She has been a pianist at the Eurythmy Spring Valley School and with their touring stage group both here and abroad since 1998. She holds an honors degree in music from Barnard College and a Master’s in Musicology from the University of North Texas.

The honoree at this special musical event, Robert Lee Mills, 92, retires this year after almost a quarter century as Friends Book Sale Chairman. He began a second career as a Library staff member in 1970 and was an integral part of the Cataloging Department until 1978. A dedicated member of the Friends of the White Plains Public Library, he served as its President and was the founder and driving force behind the highly successful Friends Book Sales. Since 1978, he and his loyal crew of volunteers have raised more than $150,000 for the Library.