Altino Brothers follow their dream to make their music.

Byline: Richard Duckett

As it turned out, there were no boundaries.

But a young Nerva Altino could be excused if he thought otherwise when waking up to the poverty of life in Haiti again after dreaming.

For reasons he could not initially explain, Altino had dreamed of being a pianist. There were problems, however. There was no piano. There were no music lessons. His father, who had played the piano at the local Seventh-day Adventist Church, had gone to the United States to work, save and one day bring his family (Nerva, Nerva's mother and younger brother) overseas and over an international boundary.

"I was obsessed with the idea when I was a kid," Nerva said of playing the piano. "But we were so poor ...

"I would dream of running my fingers up and down the keyboard like Vladimir Horowitz. When I realized it was a dream and wasn't real, I was angry."

Flash forward to Oct. 20. That's when Nerva and younger brother Robenson Altino, both acclaimed international classical pianists, will be bringing themselves, the 100-voice Altino Brothers Concert Chorale, and an instrumental section that includes 12 trumpets to Mechanics Hall for a concert titled "No Boundaries - Where Bach and Liszt Meet Jazz, Blues and Spirituals."

As the title suggests, the concert will cross cultural boundaries and include classical music, pop tunes by greats such as Ray Charles and original hymn arrangements by the brothers.

Nerva Altino also sees a strong spiritual dimension to the concert. "Absolutely. That is our focus," he said during a recent telephone interview from his home in New York. "We want to entertain them, and have an effect on them. It's not just a concert; we want them to have an experience."

Faith is important for both brothers, who are lifelong Seventh-day Adventists. Nerva, 33, earned a bachelor's degree from Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, a liberal arts institution in the Seventh-day tradition.

Nerva and Robenson came from Haiti to Queens, N.Y., when they were respectively 10 and 8 years old. Their father had worked hard in construction, and the family was reunited in a two-room basement apartment - with a piano.

Nerva had never had any music lessons. But, as he knew he would, he took to playing the piano right away. "I did, I really did. It was just a love for it."

And so did his brother. Robenson said that his brother was certainly an inspiration, but the music was inspiring for him as well. "It was both. He was developing very fast at such a young age," he said. Meanwhile, playing was "a personal love that you have."

Nerva Altino sees the hand of God in his realizing his dream. "It's a God-given gift, absolutely." But equally, "it was up to me to work hard at it. Develop it."

His diligence is exemplified by what he did after he broke his right hand when he was 18. With that hand in a cast, he practiced a Chopin etude written for the left hand for six weeks.

Altino went on to win first prize at such prestigious events as the Debose National Piano Competition and the Luis Ferre International Piano Concerto Competition. While at Atlantic Union he became well known in the local classical music community, performing with the Thayer Symphony Orchestra (after attending one concert, Telegram & Gazette reviewer David Lasky referred to Altino as the "sensational young pianist)" and winning the Thayer Young Artists Competition. He also performed at Mechanics Hall.

"Those were the opportunities (at Atlantic Union) that I wouldn't have gotten anywhere else," he said. After graduating he went to the Manhattan School of Music, where he received a master's degree in piano performance. Robenson Altino earned bachelor and master's degrees from the Manhattan School of Music.

Robenson said he had been shy at first to express his interest in pursuing piano as a career. By the time both brothers had finished their studies, however, each had opportunities to pursue solo careers as performers.

"Each of us was invited to do our own solo work," Nerva Altino said. "As we matured, we realized the advantages we had as brothers."

As a performing duo, the brothers have received widespread acclaim and ever-growing recognition. Asked if they ever have arguments, Nerva replied, "We used to. Not anymore. We've learned to discuss ideas."

Their CD "No Boundaries" includes arrangements of "Canon in D Major" by Pachelbel, the Haitian folk song "Yellow Bird," and the spiritual "I Want Jesus To Walk With Me."

The brothers formed their concert chorale in 2002 with the intention of performing just one concert. The public reaction was so positive that the chorale travels with the brothers about five times each year for set-piece concerts.

Robenson Altino has never performed in Mechanics Hall but visited recently with his brother. "I just can't wait. The acoustics are so incredible, every note is going to be heard. You can have the opportunity to communicate the music," he said as he looked ahead to the Oct. 20 concert.

Some classical music purists might feel such a divergent musical program "is not right," Nerva Altino noted, "But it's worked for our audiences because most people who would not come to a classical concert will come to our concert. We try to educate people by doing classical music and incorporating things that are more familiar," he said.

"There will be something for everybody."

Altino Brothers: No Boundaries - Where Bach and Liszt Meet Jazz, Blues and Spirituals

When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20

Where: Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester

How much: $32.50, $37.50 and $40. Call [phone]

ART: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: The Altino Brothers - Nerva, left, and Robenson.