Baruch Berliner’s Sonata-Fantasia No. 2 for Cello and Piano, “Abraham,” to Premiere in Italy

On February 25, 2026, the Italian premiere of Baruch Berliner’s sonata-fantasia Abraham will take place in the Grand Hall of the Conservatorio Giovanni Battista Martini in Bologna. The work will be performed by Grammy-nominated cellist Dmitry Yablonsky and pianist Luigi Caselli.

The sonata-fantasia draws on motifs from the oratorio Abraham, itself inspired by the Old Testament story of its namesake—the forefather of the Jewish people (Israel), the eldest of the Israelite patriarchs, and the founder of monotheism.

Dmitry Yablonsky—a Russian-American conductor and cellist and Merited Artist of Azerbaijan—has a Grammy nomination for “Best Instrumental Recording of a Soloist with Orchestra.” As a cellist, he has released numerous recordings, including a double album with David Popper’s Higher School of Cello Playing, cello concertos by Aram Khachaturian and Nino Rota, and sonatas by Dmitri Shostakovich and Mieczyslaw Weinberg. In his capacity as a conductor, Mr. Yablonsky has performed with such ensembles as the Belgian National Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others. He has recorded over 70 CDs.

Luigi Caselli is an Italian pianist and a tenured professor at the Conservatorio Giovanni Battista Martini. Born in Bologna, he graduated with honors from the conservatory where he now serves on the faculty. From an early age, Mr. Caselli has performed extensively in Italy and abroad as a soloist, playing with various chamber ensembles and orchestras, and appearing on Italian television. A winner of several national and international competitions, he has been a member of the Baynov Piano Ensemble since 1991, a unique piano ensemble with which he has recorded several CDs and DVDs. In 2016, Mr. Caselli recorded a solo piano CD for the Bongiovanni label, entirely devoted to Alexander Scriabin.

Produced by Nachum Slutzker