Library hosts talented classical music trio "Long Island Chamber Music"

You don’t have to travel into the city to listen to some festive classical music. In fact, that was Long Island Chamber Music’s exact goal when they formed in 2020.

On Dec. 10, Long Island Chamber Music performed a full set of holiday music at the Wantagh Public Library. The group featured was a trio – Eric Huckins on French horn, Gergana Haralampieva on violin, and Chelsea Lane on harp.

All three are accomplished musicians with a wide breadth of accomplishments. Huckins, the French horn player, is married to Gergana Haralampieva. Originally from Commack, Huckins holds a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music and a master’s degree from Juilliard. Huckins was a winner of Astral Artist’s 2018 National Auditions, and was the first horn player to be a part of their roster.

Gergana Haralampieva is originally from Bulgaria, and also holds a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute, where she met Huckins. She holds a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. Haralampieva is also a music educator – she was recently a fellow of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect from 2018-2020, and now serves as a mentor for those fellows.

Chelsea Lane is a very accomplished harpist, with a bachelor’s degree from Yale, a master’s degree from the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, and a doctorate degree from the City University of New York Graduate Center. She is a lecturer at both Rowan University and the College of Staten Island.

What brought this talented group together? According to Eric Huckins, when the pandemic hit in 2020 and thus hampered Long Islanders’ ability to safely go into the city, Long Island Chamber Music formed to bring that experience out to the island.

The trio played a collection of holiday classics, including “Winter Wonderland,” “Carol of the Bells,” “Jingle Bells,” and songs from “The Nutcracker.” But it wasn’t limited to only Christmas; the group also played Hannukah music.

“I myself don’t celebrate Hanukkah, but this music is very close to my heart,” Gergana Haralampieva told the audience. “Believe it or not, in Bulgaria we also dance ‘horo’. We dance it at weddings, family reunions, you name it. So I always think of my family, and fun times with this music.”

The Hannukah songs included were “Hanerot Halalu” and “Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah”.

38 people were in attendance, a packed crowd for the Wantagh Library. This could mean a new beginning for classical music in the Wantagh-Seaford area.