The opening concert begins with a wild gallop of gauchos over the plains of Argentina in Ginastera’s Estancia. Cellist Evan Kahn is featured in two works, the dramatic Elgar Cello Concerto, which depicts hope for the future after the tragedy and loss of war, and the lovely Elégie by Fauré. Moussorgsky’s grand “Pictures at an ...
American pianist Rachel Breen’s performances have been described as “truly show-stopping” (Gramophone UK) and having “a beautiful piano sound and original detail.” She has enjoyed an active and successful competition career and has performed and taught masterclasses around the world. In this concert Breen will perform Beethoven’s Bagatelles, Opus 126; a “Suite of Miniatures” she ...
Embark on an evening of soul-tinged jazz and fusion, with a look to the future, marbled by intricate glistenings of electronica and hip-hop. This trio, who tours throughout the year with Chris Botti as his rhythm section, features Albion native Julian Pollack on piano and synthesizers, Juilliard-trained Dan Chmielinski on bass and synthesizer, and the ...
Susan Waterfall will accompany mezzo-soprano Silvie Jensen in a selection of songs. She will be joined by Julian Waterfall Pollack for “The Dolly Suite.” Susan will play two of Fauré's most famous works for piano: the Barcarolle No 12 in E-flat Major and the Nocturne No. 6 in D-flat Major. The Sonata for Violin and ...
Mozart’s comic masterpiece shows us what can happen when two sisters and their suitors are tested by a manipulative friend, Don Alfonso. The men accept his wager that their brides-to-be will remain faithful to them, and orchestrate a plot to test that hypothesis: they will be “called away to war,” but will in reality disguise ...
The second Fauré program will feature pianist Jeffrey LaDeur and mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich in L’hiver a cesse, an exploration of Fauré’s music for voice and piano. Jeffrey LaDeur is known for his blend of insight, spontaneity, and approachable, communicative playing. Mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich has been praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for her “fearless technical ...
Hailed as “imaginative, skillful creators” by the New York Times, the Calder Quartet captivates audiences with its explorations of a broad repertoire, always striving to fulfill the composer’s vision in their performances. The group’s distinctive artistry is exemplified by the musical curiosity they bring to everything they perform. One of America’s most satisfying—and most enterprising—quartets" ...
An active performer and teacher at the San Francisco Conservatory, Robert Schwartz has recently performed at the Beijing Conservatory, the Vienna International Pianists series, in master classes at the Chautauqua Institution, and at Portland Piano International. Recent performances in the Bay Area have included Mozart and Shostakovich concertos with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and ...
Each one a solo artist of distinction, Van Raat and Pinkham join up to make beautiful music together. They will play two-piano pieces by a range of composers: Chick Corea’s “Duet for Two Pianos in Three Parts,” George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm Variations,” Vanessa Lann’s “Second Nature,” Frederic Rzewski’s “Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues,” and William ...
Allan Pollack will conduct his own “From an Ancient Book,” written especially for the Festival Orchestra. The brilliant colors of Stravinsky’s ballet score for “The Firebird” will explode in sparkling music that brought instant success to the composer and has delighted audiences ever since. The concert concludes with perhaps the most beloved of all piano ...
Faure wrote some of his most astonishing music in his late seventies, when he was becoming increasingly deaf. Susan Waterfall will accompany mezzo-soprano Silvie Jensen in Le jardin clos, Stephen Harrison, cello, and Daniel Lockert, piano, will play the Cello Sonata No. 2 in G minor. The program will conclude with the Ives Quartet playing ...
The annual concert by the wonderfully talented young string players from the Festival’s Emerging Artists Program is anticipated by all who love hearing accomplished musicians interpret chamber music classics. CHOOSE SEATS AND BUY
The final concert offers comfort and hope in difficult times. Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, sometimes referred to as the "Great G minor symphony" to distinguish it from No. 25, the only other symphony he wrote in a minor key. It is one of his last works, showing him at his most introspective and thoughtful. The ...