Festival Focus August 6, 2018

FESTIVALFOCUS YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE

SUPPLEMENT TO THE ASPEN TIMES

Don’t Miss...

A Recital by Sharon Isbin and Isabel Leonard Thursday, August 9 at 8 pm at Harris Concert Hall Acclaimed classical guitarist Sharon Isbin and AMFS alumna and mezzosoprano Isabel Leonard present a Spanishthemed program.

Le Cinema, La Musique Film Series Every Monday in August at 7:30 pm The AMFS and Aspen Film present a series of French films centered around music. See the August 6, 13, and 27 shows at the Isis Theater and the August 20 show at the Temporary in Willits.

Just 13 days of music left!

MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2018

VOL 29, NO. 7

Feltsman plays beloved Grieg Concerto CAITLIN CAUSEY Festival Focus Writer

A venerated fixture of the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) returns for his 26th consecutive season this week, performing at the Benedict Music Tent on August 12. Pianist Vladimir Feltsman will take the stage with the Aspen Festival Orchestra for Grieg’s much-loved Piano Concerto in A minor.

“Everyone who comes will hear it and know what it is. The Grieg concerto is one of the most beloved concertos in the repertoire of any piano player,” he says of the iconic piece. “I played it first when I was 11 years old; I’m now 66 and still enjoying it. It’s a marvelous, marvelous work.”

After a recent performance of the concerto, a critic remarked that Feltsman presented a “deep understanding of its lyricism” and that “his elegant reading of its second movement reminds you why Grieg’s Piano Concerto is on every list of the top five ever written.”

Born in Moscow, Feltsman debuted with the Moscow Philharmonic at just 11 years old. By 19, he won the Grand Prix at the Marguerite Long International Piano Competition in Paris. In 1987, at 35 years old, Feltsman came to the United States seeking greater artistic freedom than he was allowed in what was then the Soviet Union; in the decades since, Feltsman has appeared with virtually every major orchestra in America and around the globe. He now teaches at the Mannes College of Music in New York City and at the State University of New York New Paltz, where he’s also the founder and artistic director of the international PianoSummer program.

With such a busy and rewarding career established, why has Feltsman taken the time to play in Aspen each and every summer for more than a quarter century?

See Feltsman, Festival Focus page 3

Pianist Vladimir Feltsman plays Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor with the Aspen Festival Orchestra on August 12 at 4 pm in the Benedict Music Tent.

Pianist Yang and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet present collaboration CHRISTINA THOMSEN Festival Focus Writer

Pianist and AMFS alumna Joyce Yang performs Schumann’s Carnaval with dancers from the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet on August 10 and 11 at the Aspen District Theater.

When pianist Joyce Yang first watched a performance by the Nederlands Dans Theater almost ten years ago, she didn’t realize it would change the way she thought about the music she’d been playing her whole life. But by the end of the show, an idea had taken root in her mind that wouldn’t disappear. “I was amazed that another art form could completely change the way I thought about my own art. I began to think about what it would be like to work alongside a choreographer and dancers to bring others that same transformative experience.” This idea grew into a collabora-

tion of live music and dance performed by Yang and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.

Yang, a Van Cliburn International Piano Competition silver medalist and Grammynominated pianist, regularly performs in solo recitals and collaborations with the world’s top orchestras and chamber musicians. An alumna of the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS), her growing international career hasn’t stopped her from returning to Aspen for the past twelve summers as a guest artist. The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (ASFB), known for its versatility and risk-taking, was the perfect match for Yang’s blossoming vision.

“I’ve always imagined things when I prac-

tice and perform,” explains Yang. “It’s all about colors and shapes, and when I realized I could have that, not just in my imagination, but happening before my eyes, it was like being able to see for the first time.”

Jorma Elo, choreographer-in-residence at the Boston Ballet, and a pianist himself, has been working with the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet for more than twenty years and was the obvious choice for this new and exciting partnership. When deciding on the centerpiece of the performance, Yang says she knew she wanted to play something

by Robert Schumann, who she describes as a “visually enticing composer—vivid See Ballet, Festival Focus page 3

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MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2018

FESTIVALFOCUS | YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE

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Sarah Chang plays Carmen Fantasy, Bach “Double” Concerto JESSICA CABE Festival Focus Writer Aspen audiences have come to know and love Sarah Chang, a worldwide violin superstar who began studying at the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) when she was only six years old. But the violin powerhouse always manages to find new ways to dazzle—this year, with a technically demanding concerto performed with the Aspen Chamber Symphony and a program of masterful chamber music works in a special event recital in Harris Concert Hall.

“As happily familiar as Sarah is to us, this is going to be a very fresh experience,” says AMFS President and CEO Alan Fletcher.

First, Chang will take the stage with the Aspen Chamber Symphony and conductor Johannes Debus on August 10 for a spirited performance of Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy, op. 25. The work takes the familiar music of Bizet’s Carmen and, believe it or not, spices it up even further.

“Carmen has been an old and loyal friend,” Chang says.

“I love the piece. It’s one of those pieces that’s instantly recognizable from the opera, but Sarasate gave it these insane twists where it’s one of the most challenging, technical pieces out there in the violin repertoire. It’s really fun, really popular, totally bring-the-house down, firework, dynamo music.”

Also on the program that evening is Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, op. 31, which will be per-

formed by tenor Ben Bliss and hornist Andrew Bain, and R. Strauss’s Le bourgeois gentilhomme, op. 60, a witty, charming piece of music based on Molière’s 1670 play by the same name.

The following Wednesday, Chang will take the stage at the intimate Harris Concert Hall on August 15 for an evening of chamber music, where not only will her own unmatched talent be on display, but also that of some of the AMFS’s extraordinary students.

The evening will begin with Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, op. 70, which features a particularly virtuosic first violin part for Chang, who will be leading five other string musicians.

Next is Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll, a work Fletcher said he has been hoping to program in Aspen for years.

And the recital, which has no intermission, will end with J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043, played with a current AMFS violin student, Katherine Woo. Chang says one of the most special parts about returning to Aspen is the opportunity to perform with AMFS students.

“The great thing about Aspen is you have the most amazing musicians in the entire world coming together under one roof,” Chang says. “I wanted to celebrate that.

So we’re doing something with the professionals and with the students.”

“I think that is a first for Sarah in Aspen,” says Asadour Santourian, vice president for artistic administration and

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FESTIVALFOCUS | YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE

MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2018 3

FELTSMAN: ‘supremely virtuosic,’ and ‘intellectual’ Continued from Festival Focus page 1

ALEX IRVIN

Radiant violinist Sarah Chang will perform with the Aspen Chamber Symphony on Friday, August 10, at the Benedict Music Tent. Chang will also present a Special Event recital on August 15 in Harris Concert Hall

artistic advisor for the AMFS. “I’m really excited to get to know her better through rehearsals, and I know the performance will be amazing with her,” Woo says. “I’m very excited to play with her and see how this goes.”

Sarah Chang will perform with the Aspen Chamber Symphony at 6 pm on Friday, August 10, and in a Special Event recital at 8 pm on Wednesday, August 15.

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“Of course, Aspen is beautiful, with absolutely wonder- tic Advisor Asadour Santourian adds that Feltsman “puts his ful nature all year round, skiing, unbelievable food...anyone virtuosity in the service of music rather than watching the who travels knows it’s one of the best places to visit,” he anatomy of how to play the piano. That’s a vast difference between him and many, says. “But it is wonderful many others.” in more ways than one. For Also on the August 12 music lovers, it is one of the “Everyone who comes will hear it and program conducted by most special places to be, Jun Märkl is Grieg’s fournot just in the U.S. but in the know what it is. The Grieg concerto is movement Peer Gynt world.” one of the most beloved concertos in Suite No. 1, featuring the Feltsman will himself give instantly recognizable music lovers one more reathe repertoire of any piano player.” songs Morning and In son to cherish Aspen when the Hall of the Mountain he performs on Sunday.

Vladimir Feltsman King. The second half AMFS President and CEO Pianist of the performance is Alan Fletcher observes buoyant with the works that it’s always a pleasure of French contempoto hear Feltsman play. “He is supremely virtuosic,” says Fletcher, “and he’s also a great raries Ravel and Debussy, with the former’s Une barque sur l’océan (A Boat on the Ocean) capturing the feel of a intellectual.”

AMFS Vice President of Artistic Administration and Artis- dreamy, sparkling excursion on open waters. Debussy’s La

ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND SCHOOL BOX OFFICE HOURS

mer (The Sea), which was partly inspired by Japanese artist Hokusai’s most famous work, a woodblock print entitled The Great Wave off Kanagawa, “is an absolutely quintessential Debussy sound world work” says Santourian.

Between the great repertoire and Feltsman’s masterful touch, this second-to-last Sunday performance of the Festival offers audiences a great afternoon to soak up the Aspen magic.

ALEX IRVIN

Before the concert begins, head over to the David Karetsky Music Lawn for the annual free Ice Cream Social at 2:30 pm.

Harris Concert Hall: 9 am through the intermission of the evening concert, daily.

Wheeler Opera House: 9 am–5 pm daily.

Haas leads ‘wild’ Percussion Ensemble BALLET: complex TALIA SMITH Festival Focus Writer

Dive right into the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) summer theme “Paris, City of Lights” with tonight’s performance of Vous avez du feu? This silent, rhythmic light show will illuminate Harris Concert Hall tonight as the first piece in a wild and wonderful percussion ensemble program conducted and curated by renown timpanist and artist-faculty member, Jonathan Haas.

The piece by composer Emmanuel Séjourné was originally written for BIC lighters but Haas is opting for flashlights to avoid fire code restrictions and spare his students’ thumbs from being singed. Haas jokes that the piece will be better Percussionist and AMFS artist-faculty member Jonathan visually than the cancelled light drone show that Haas leads the Percussion Ensemble performance tonight at was planned for the Fourth of July in Aspen.

6 pm in Harris Concert Hall.

After this exciting start, the set list will dive ner and end with George Crumb’s compilation into one of the most famous percussion ensemble pieces by the iconic French composer of Civil War and gospel songs. “I think I covered Pierre Boulez. Improvision su Mallarmé I from the France so well, I was given carte blanche to not poem Pli selon pli features six percussionists, harp, have to deal with France on the second half,” says and a soprano and is considered a landmark piece Haas jokingly.

The percussion ensemble performed Crumb’s of the twentieth century.

American Songbook last year and Haas says they Next will be Percy Grainger’s arrangement of Debussy’s Pagodes. “For me, it’s one of the most beau- “felt [they] had just played some of the greatest tiful percussion ensemble pieces,” says Haas. “You music ever published.” Some songs include Swing don’t think percussion ensemble, you think Indone- Low, Sweet Chariot; Joshua Fit de Battle Ob Jerisian Gamelan.” Dreamy xylophones and the use of co; and Go Down, Moses.

“The concert’s pieces are selected not only for pentatonic scales give the piece this aspect. their connection to the French School, but also The first act will conclude with a Jolivet’s Suite pieces that will add to the skill sets that our stuen concert for Flute and Percussion Ensemble that dents need–deep listening and sensitivity to nuwill feature artist-faculty member and flutist Naance,” says Haas.

“We do have the ability to make dine Asin playing among nearly fifty percussion inquite a rumble in the jungle and as well, we also struments. “This is considered one of the most important percussion ensemble with flute solo that’s have the ability to make the most pristine sound at ever been written,” says Haas. “Just a marvelous just the right moment when against another instrument.” piece. Pure French. Can’t get any purer than that.”

The percussion ensemble takes place tonight The second half of the program will feature a performance by the percussion competition win- at 6 pm in Harris Concert Hall.

score, choreography Continued from Festival Focus page 1 colors and unusual shapes always seem to jump out from his score.”

Yang and Elo chose Schumann’s Carnaval, a piece that walks the line between jubilant and humorous with dark undertones evident of the composer’s pain and mental struggles. Elo wanted to balance this complex duality in the dancers’ movements. “There’s madness in it, and there’s freedom for me as a choreographer to feel the music in the moment when I am creating,” says Elo. Some of the choreography is inspired by a carnival, as the title would suggest, but Elo has chosen to focus the performance more on the multiple personalities and conflicting emotions presented in the piece.

The varying rhythms across the twenty-one miniature movements leaves the listener with a kaleidoscope of sounds and moods, seemingly disorganized in its own intricacies.

With Elo’s choreography, Yang believes that audiences will finally be able to grasp all of the brilliant moments in this complex score. “There are so many nuances that I have wondered how many of these brilliant moments are actually understood by the audience,” she says.

The collaboration premiered here in Aspen earlier this year and has since been performed in Los Angeles and Orange County, California.

This special two-night encore brings the performance back to where it all started.

“It’s been one of the most rewarding projects, I think, of our company’s history,” says ASFB Artistic Director Tom Mossbrucker. Yang agrees that the collaboration has held more surprises than she could have imagined at the start.

“If you had asked me earlier in the year, I would’ve told you that I knew Carnaval very well,” says Yang. “Well, everything I thought I knew about the piece went out the window in the first rehearsal! I don’t even think of it the same way anymore. It’s transformed so much. It’s a new landscape to familiar music.”

Joyce Yang and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet present performances of Schumann’s Carnaval and works by Philip Glass and Janáček on August 10 and 11. Tickets on sale through Aspen Show Tix. Salon members will have premier access to the dress rehearsal on Thursday evening, followed by a reception. For more info, call Elizabeth Cashin at 970 205 5065.