The Mesa-Yakushev Duo is Cuban-American cellist Thomas Mesa, winner of the $50,000 First Prize in the 2016 Sphinx Competition, and Russian pianist Ilya Yakushev, with many awards and honors to his credit. The duo's career was launched in part by their extremely successful showcase for presenters at Weill/Carnegie Recital Hall, the result of winning APAP's highly competitive 2017 Young Performers Career Advancement audition.
Since then, they have performed across the U.S., receiving reviews such as this in the Palm Beach Daily News: "The pair’s playing was grounded in storytelling, as great musical performances often are . . . Mesa and Yakushev always played on equal footing, never with the piano serving as the accompanist to the cello . . . a musical performance that encapsulates the best that good drama has to offer.”
After the pandemic caused the cancellation of two dozen of their '20-21 concerts, their first live performance, at the Wildflower Festival in PA, received this presenter feedback:
"THOMAS AND ILYA WERE STUPENDOUS! I cannot say enough good things about these two superlative musicians and how much the audience loved them. They had the audience eating out of their hands from the moment they walked on stage until the last note. Not only are they wonderful performers, but they are also terrific to work with.
The audience was mesmerized by their musicianship and their amazing synergy. Each one enhances the other's playing, and they have such wonderful charisma both on stage and off. I love that both of them have a great rapport with the audience and a wonderful sense of humor. Everyone enjoyed their comments and their good-natured kidding with each other. As people were leaving the venue, they were all saying wonderful things about how terrific the concert was — exactly what any presenter wants to hear." —Judi Mortensen, Director