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2023-24 Concert Chamber series kicks off with Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner
by Zac Monnier, Staff Writer
If you were not glued to a seat in the Jackson Performance Hall on September 19, this reporter regrets to inform you that you missed true magic that evening. Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner started off this year’s Chamber Concert Series with such skill and dexterity that ink and pixel fail to do the experience justice. Llewellyn performed for a half-empty hall with the same vigor he would display at any of his grander performances, like when he performed at the Royal Concertgebouw in the Netherlands, or the Louvre in France, or Ashford Castle in Ireland. Did I mention he he also played at President Obama’s Inauguration Concert at Kennedy Center when he was 16? A California native, Llewellyn began his first college degree at age 5, and at age 6, he began performing regularly with orchestras. Llewellyn holds Bachelors and Masters of Music degrees from Juilliard and happens to be the youngest admittee to each program at ages 14 and 18 respectively.
It felt like a cheat code had brought him to our institution. According to Professor Julie Megginson, Chair of the Department of Music, Communication, & Emerging Media, no cheats were enabled. Instead, performances are often scheduled after a manager for the artist reaches out. Her team then sees if the stars align before adding the event on the schedule to be enjoyed by students and community members. As Llewellyn was due in Macon the following Thursday night, our student body happened to benefit tremendously from being along the path.
Beau Palmer, Lecturer of Music, also attended the event. Dressed in a fine plaid blazer perfect for the wavering weather, Palmer shared that students in his classes may receive extra credit by appreciating the music in this Chamber Concert Series. A good number of his students seemed happy to take him up on that offer, too, filling out the back rows of the concert hall at this performance. The truly knowledgeable music aficionadas, however, sat on stage right — often down right near the edge of the stage. Why? To more easily watch Llewellyn’s hands manipulate the ivories of the Steinway & Sons grand piano, of course.
The music of the evening reflected Llewellyn’s diverse heritage and love for music of every nation and age. Dipping deftly from Danse Macabre to Nocturne in C Minor, Llewellyn seemed to be a man possessed by the music, often signaling hugely with his whole body whenever a piece prepared to shift in melody, mood, or modulation. Not one to stand on ceremony, he welcomed the audience’s applause as it came, even if it turned out that a piece was not quite done yet (curse you, Joseph Haydn). This reporter’s personal favorite was Estampes, which had Llewellyn’s left and right hand playing one atop the other on a single octave simultaneously. I confess, dear reader, I did not even conceive of this as possible until witnessing it directly that night.
While you may not have had the pleasure of seeing Llewellyn in person, some of his performances are on YouTube and linked to his webpage, llewellynsanchezwerner.com. The next Chamber Concert is on October 2, featuring Aimee & Mia, a harp/flute duo. If you’ve found this paper a bit later in October, Eleni Katz will be playing the bassoon on October 24. Students may attend for free. Tickets are $10 for community members.
