Pianist

Aaron Copland made four highly publicized government-sponsored trips to Latin America between 1941 and 1963. During these visits, he shared contemporary American concert music with Latin American audiences, including his own violin sonata, heard on tonight’s program. Back home, he drew US attention to the composers and musicians he met in Latin America, such as Heitor Villa-Lobos of Brazil and Silvestre Revueltas and Manuel Ponce of Mexico, all whom Copland knew personally and whose works are also featured. Another contemporary of Copland was the Black American composer William Grant Still, whose Panamanian Dances were inspired by a collection of Latin American folk songs. The history of Pan-American musical exchange predates Copland.

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The Americas

Hanna Boys Center

Immerse yourself in the vibrant sounds of Brazil as we bring to life the musical genius of GRAMMY-award winning Brazilian guitarist, composer, and arranger Sergio Assad (b. 1953). Renowned for his captivating duo performances with his brother Odair Assad and frequent collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma and other luminaries, Assad stands as one of today’s most prolific composers for the guitar. The program presents Assad’s music alongside that of his Brazilian forebears, Antonio Carlos Gomes and Heitor Villa-Lobos, as well as his European influences, Chopin and Maurice Ravel. Bay Area guitarist—and friend of Assad’s—Marc Teicholz makes his Festival debut for this Brazilian panorama. 

Sergio Assad and His World

Franz Liszt, one of the great piano virtuosos of his time was also a prolific arranger of orchestral and operatic music to further show off the prowess of his instrument. In this case he takes Wagner’s “Liebestod” and reworks it brilliantly for his instrument, showing that the piano can sound like any instrument – even the human voice! Incidentally, when the young prodigy, Clara Schumann, whose music is also featured on this program, played for Liszt, he was awestruck by her pianistic abilities. The program ends with Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet, one of his most orchestral-sounding works of chamber music

This concert is preceded by a free Blattner Series Lecture at 2:30pm offered by Nic McGeegan

THE PIANO AS ORCHESTRA: Clara Schumann, Liszt, R. Schumann

Mozart’s Piano Quartets are written like concertos: the piano is featured, accompanied by a sort of “mini orchestra” of 3 string players. We are thrilled to feature Laureate Axel Trolese as the “soloist” with three generations of early music experts in the accompanying roles. True to this year’s theme, the program ends with an arrangement of Beethoven’s 2nd Symphony for Piano Trio by the composer himself. On an 18th-century fortepiano you can really hear the trumpets and drums!

Axel Trolese

Pianist

Events

Past events

Jul 27, 2024

The Americas · Valley of the Moon Music Festival

Jul 21, 2024

Sergio Assad and His World · Valley of the Moon Music Festival

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