Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) wrote some of the most likable music in the classical repertoire. From his nine symphonies and operas to his copious amount of piano music, sacred choral works and significant body of chamber works, Dvořák’s genius overflowed with memorable melodies. And even when there’s a melancholy strain in his music, as there often is, one senses Dvořák’s optimism and ultimate belief in the goodness of the universe

Adam Neiman composed his Serenade for Violin and Piano in 2013 as a birthday gift for his wife, Ariella Siu-Yin Mak-Neiman. The work is unapologetically romantic and very much inspired by the venerable tradition of nostalgic encore works by such composers as Tchaikovsky, Elgar, and Kreisler. Thematically simple, the composition unfolds as an expansive narrative that begins softly and poetically, reaches ecstatic heights, and ultimately disperses in semi-mystic peace and tranquility.