The Jamanis Project presents…
THE WORLD PREMIERE
Fits of Passion
By Richard Field
Featuring
Michael Jamanis, Violin
Frances Veri, Piano
Susan Moyer Bergeron, Cello
Sat. Oct. 10 ·6pm
DiMenna Center · NEW YORK CITY
Donations benefit Music for Everyone
Why I Chose Fits of Passion
When I first heard Richard Field's music, I was transported. It brought me back to the 1970s…a time of carefree innocence that I felt while listening to my parents, the professional duo-piano team of Veri & Jamanis, performing works like Scaramouche by Darius Milhaud and George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. I was also reminded of those catchy TV theme songs that I continue to hum nearly 50 years later.
But underneath that nostalgia is something more complex: a contemporary work with real depth, structure, and emotional range. What grabbed me was the way Richard blends those familiar, almost playful sounds with the intimacy and sophistication of a classical piano trio. The result is not only accessible and inviting, but also surprisingly evocative.
And then there’s Beethoven.
His Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 11, written in 1797, was nicknamed the Gassenhauer—roughly translated as “street song” or “alley tune”—because its catchy melody became wildly popular. In other words, Beethoven was writing something that had a little of the cultural energy that pop music had in 1979.
From there, the program takes some unexpected turns: the emotional intensity of Rachmaninoff, the distinctive colors and rhythms of Turina, and a virtuosic Handel-Halvorsen duo that Susan and I will perform.
I love putting these pieces together because they remind us that great music doesn't have to stay in its century. It can surprise us, move us, and even sound a little like the music we grew up with.
Donations benefit Music for Everyone
Why NYC?
Coming Full Circle
New York has been woven into my musical life for decades.
As a student at Juilliard, I spent my days immersed in classical music—and my nights wandering into jazz clubs and nightclubs, hearing musicians who blew open my ideas about what music could be.
I heard Jean-Luc Ponty and Astor Piazzolla at the Beacon Theatre. I heard Stéphane Grappelli with Yo-Yo Ma at Carnegie Hall. And eventually, I got to perform on those stages myself.
That's what I love about New York: everything is happening at once. Classical, jazz, contemporary music, experimental work, street music. Genres collide. Musicians cross paths. Ideas ricochet around the city.
And New York is where Richard Field and I first lived together as roommates—he was at Columbia, I was at Juilliard. Now, decades later, we're coming back together to bring his new work to life.
So this premiere feels personal.
I'm returning to the city that taught me to listen widely, take risks, and stay curious about what music can become.
And really, what better place to premiere new music than New York?
The city never stops listening.
About Fits of Passion
The “Fits of Passion” suite for piano trio represents the next phase in Richard’s development as a composer of contemporary classical music.
As with “Flights of Fancy,” “Fits of Passion” draws on a variety of musical genres (including baroque, classical, romantic, symbolist, jazz and pop) to create something new and exciting.”
The piece showcases the virtuosity of his former piano teacher, Frances Veri, as well as that of childhood friends Michael Jamanis (violin) and Susan Moyer Bergeron (cello).
Meet the Musicians
Michael Jamanis
Photo by Daniel Henry
Violinist Michael Jamanis is an internationally acclaimed performing artist, educator, and musical innovator. A graduate of The Juilliard School, Yale University, and Rutgers University, he has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe.
As a distinguished classical artist who has toured for thirty years and collaborates with artists in a variety of genres, Michael was struck by the immense disparity in audience demographics between different types of music. He now collaborates with hip-hop, jazz and spoken word artists, as well as yoga masters and others, to broaden the spectrum of “classical” music. He believes that music has the power to transform and shape our existence. Using music to uncover what lies within allows us to both respect our past and embrace our evolution into the future.
Jamanis is the host of Music Un-Tuxed, featuring raw, backstage conversations with artists and exploring new ideas about musical excellence and community building. He is Artistic Director of Music For Everyone and Senior Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music at Franklin & Marshall College, where he teaches violin and coaches chamber music.
Frances Veri — piano
Pianist Frances Veri is a prizewinning Juilliard graduate who has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.
She has toured internationally under the management of Columbia Artists and recorded for major labels and cultural institutions including Philips, EMI, the Book-of-the-Month Club, and Connoisseur Society.
Veri has appeared at Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, and made numerous television appearances including the Merv Griffin Show and many PBS specials. Her distinguished career includes six decades of international performances with her husband, pianist Michael Jamanis, as the acclaimed Veri & Jamanis piano duo.
Susan Bergeron — cello
Cellist Susan Bergeron is a distinguished member of the Naples Philharmonic.
A Lancaster native, she has enjoyed a wide-ranging performance career, including ten seasons with the Florida Philharmonic, two seasons as principal cellist of the New World Symphony, and performances with ensembles and festivals throughout the United States and abroad.
She has performed at Carnegie Hall and with Sir Georg Solti in London, and is an active chamber musician, appearing regularly at festivals and concert series throughout South Florida.
Meet the Composer
Richard Field is a US-born, Budapest-based singer-songwriter and composer of contemporary classical music.
A Lancaster native, Richard studied piano with Frances Veri and has known concert violinist Michael T. Jamanis since childhood. Susan Moyer Bergeron is another longtime Lancaster musical connection. Decades later, these musicians reunite to bring Richard’s new piano trio, “Fits of Passion,” to life.
Field’s affinity for woodwinds and strings led to his 2022 release, “The Bitter Suite,” ten short quartets for guitar, violin, flute, and oboe featuring musicians from Lancaster, including Jamanis.
His “Flights of Fancy” suite for violin and piano, performed in Vienna and Budapest earlier this year, features Jamanis and pianist Frances Veri and is scheduled for CD and streaming release in October 2026.
Field previously released two albums of original songs, “Mourning in America” (2017) and “World Gone Mad” (2019).
“Fits of Passion” marks the next phase of Field’s development as a contemporary classical composer. Drawing on baroque, classical, romantic, symbolist, jazz, and pop influences, the suite showcases the virtuosity of his longtime musical collaborators: Frances Veri (piano), Michael T. Jamanis (violin), and Susan Moyer Bergeron (cello).
Be There for the First Performance
You only get one chance to hear a piece for the first time.
Donations benefit Music for Everyone