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PIANO PIANOWOMAN: WOMAN:Yuja YujaWang Wangmakes makesher herthird thirdtrip triptotoSanta SantaBarbara Barbarathis thisweek weekfor foraarecital recitalatatUCSB’s UCSB’sCampbell CampbellHall. Hall.
MOVING THE BAR
THE FALL: Meghan Morelli appears in Nebula Dance Lab’s latest work, Floodlit dlit&&Fall Fallen. en.
YUJA WANG CREATES KEYBOARD EXCITEMENT
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reat pianists come in many varieties. Some performers have a special affinity with a specific composer, such as Richard Goode with Beethoven, or András Schiff and Bach. Others, like the wildly popular Lang Lang, carry the day with what often gets labeled as “charisma” but can mean many things according to the context. And some simply immerse themselves in the challenges that lie at the heart of what has become the core repertoire of the instrument in the modern era — not only the classical concertos and sonatas of Mozart and Beethoven, but also the huge and hugely popular romantic masterpieces of Rachmaninov and the moremodern but just-as-demanding works of Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and Chopin. The latter course is the one charted by 26-year-old piano sensation Yuja Wang, who will step up to Campbell Hall for her third appearance in Santa Barbara this Monday. In the highly competitive world of classical piano, the diminutive Wang swings like a heavyweight, having impressed audiences all over the world with her technical prowess and broad repertoire that includes many of the most difficult pieces ever written for
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the instrument. Her latest coup comes in the form of a recording, her fifth for the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon label, which has her teamed with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela for two concerti, Rachmaninov No. and Prokofiev No. . Never one to shy away from a challenge, Wang recorded both of these extremely demanding works on the same night at a concert in Caracas in February 2013. In a recent email, Wang was ecstatic about the experience. “I am over the moon about the recording. It was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. The energy and focus from those musicians and Gustavo Dudamel is extraordinary. It moved the ‘excitement’ bar higher than I’ve ever experienced,” she wrote. Wang will reunite with Gustavo Dudamel December 19-22 for an unprecedented fourconcert stand at the Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, but in the meantime, we’ve got her, and in recital, where she is electrifying. The program at Campbell Hall will include works by Chopin, Prokofiev, Kapustin, and Stravinsky. Of the “Three Movements from Petrushka” by Igor
Partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara, Notes for Notes’ MusicBox Studio gives kids the chance to learn how to play instruments, work in a recording studio, and receive educational feedback — all for no cost. The organization also recently introduced a new fundraising tactic. For the cost of $4/month (or $48/year), donators can become Notes for Notes producers. In addition FUTURE tktk SOUNDS: Notes for Notes students man the to helping sustain current and turntables at the organization’s Eastside Music Box. build new MusicBox studios, n the seven years since its founding, Santa producers will receive a variety of benefits, Barbara–born nonprofit Notes for Notes including studio releases, discounts, presale has grown into a national organization, access, and newsletters. providing youths with the opportunity to For more information about Notes for learn the ins and outs of the music world in a Notes, or to donate, visit notesfornotes.org. — Rachel Cabakoff creative environment.
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Stravinsky, a fiendishly difficult piece originally arranged by the composer for Arthur Rubinstein, Wang said she was “fascinated by the angularity of it and how he expanded the language of music and its relation to dance (my mom is a dancer). Genius like Stravinsky’s is utterly inspiring.” Yuja Wang appears in recital at UCSB’s Campbell Hall on Monday, October 14, at 8 p.m. Call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures — Charles Donelan .sa.ucsb.edu for tickets.
JUNGLE JUNGLE EP
There’s something to be said about finding an artist before they hit it big. Case in point: From London, new duo Jungle, whose online résumé is about as mysteriously nonexistent as they come. But not for long. Since dropping their track “Platoon” a few months back, they’ve been lauded by most of the UK’s music-judging elite. (Nick Lowe, we’re looking at you.) The pair makes its stateside debut this month with the US-only Jungle EP, a four-track sampler that’s as excitement inducing as it is infectious. Lead track “The Heat” is a funkedout R&B number that grooves in the same vein as Prince, falsetto vocals and all. Later, “Drops” takes D’Angelo’s brazen sexiness and backs it up with a trippy mix of low-end and synth sparkle. Still, what makes Jungle a gem of a find is all in the balance. The intricate layers of beats and samples scream high art, while the vocals and vibe teeter on the brink of slow-jam schmaltz. Wound together, though, it’s a guaranteed recipe for impending success. — Aly Comingore
NEBULA DANCE LAB KEEPS EXPANDING
Devyn Duex has big visions. Since founding Nebula Dance Lab in 2010, the mother of two with a full-time day job has also poured full-time creative energy into her performing arts nonprofit. As director, choreographer, and dancer, Duex plays many roles for Nebula, and still finds time to dream up new ventures. The latest of these is Floodlit & Fallen, an evening-length performance at Center Stage Theater taking place October 10-13, featuring seven professional dancers, original costumes, lighting, text, and music. On the program for this weekend are two group works: a reprise of Duex’s “Sand into Glass,” which premiered in 2008 and explores the idea of challenge as a formative force, and “Floodlit & Fallen,” an ambitious new multimedia work by Santa Barbara native Brooklyn Hughes, who’s back in town after earning an MFA in choreography at the University of Arizona. Duex described Hughes’s work as a “fairy tale come to life” and noted that the emphasis on ballet technique has brought out the best in her dancers. In addition to rehearsing for this show, the company has also spent the past year teaching classes through their education outreach program, touring works to dance festivals in Los Angeles and San Diego and planning “Dance for Mobility,” a service trip to Chile in 2014, during which they will perform and teach classes in partnership with the humanitarian organization Free Wheelchair Mission. When Duex named her new company, she chose the word “Nebula” to emphasize the vast scope of her project and the drawing together of disparate energies. True to that vision, the company is now in the early stages of planning for a dedicated training space focused on contemporary dance technique. Ever since the closing of the Dance Warehouse more than 15 years ago, Santa Barbara has lacked a studio devoted to modern dance, and Duex wants to fill that gap. In the meantime, she’s focused on showing work and raising funds; Nebula’s annual gala fundraiser and celebration is scheduled for November. To learn more about the company, visit nebuladance.org. For tickets to this weekend’s show, call 963-0408 or visit centerstagetheater.org. — Elizabeth Schwyzer
M O R E A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T > > > october 10, 2013
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