Archive for April, 2009
Brand Library Concert 4/20/09
Monday, April 20th, 2009I really enjoyed performing at Brand Library yesterday. It was a part of their Music Series. The recital hall is located as a part of this historic library building in the beautiful park up on Glendale Hills. I often see people take wedding photos there!
My program was my on-going “A World Journey on the Keyboard”, including Piazzolla, Granados, Ginastera, Sakamoto, Barber, and Poulenc. I change composers from one recital to the others, but the concept of this theme recital stays, my favorite composers and their stories. I love to talk to the audience about the fun and interesting anecdotes on composers, and pieces between playing. Blair is a wonderful music librarian there, and organizes this music series. Thank you for having me yesterday!! I already received a nice email comment about my recital. Also my dear friend, Nick Lane, a great composer/a fantastic trombone player, wrote me an email from his tour with Chicago. He is a trombone player in this BIG BAND!! He really loved my new CD, and gave me wonderful comments. Thank you!! He listened my CD with his band friends on the tour!
Jon Lewis, an excellent trumpet player, who is another wonderful musician friend of mine, dropped by my house today for our concert in Dallas in June. New stack of music is on my piano!! It will be a great concert. I will post the information in Concert section in this website. Please check!
I will perform beautiful piano pieces by Toru Takemitsu this weekend for Takemitsu Festival in Pasadea, CA. One piece will be with video. There will be a great discussion about his music besides concerts. I guess I have to get back to my piano.
Andras Schiff Concert 4/7/09
Tuesday, April 7th, 2009It was a great experience to hear Schiff’s 3 last Beethoven Sonatas in the Disney Concert Hall last Wednesday 4/1. He played Ops. 109, 110, and 111 without intermission. Even he did not take a long break between each sonata. I never thought about playing those pieces as a set, but it created a whole new world! With the fabulous acoustic in the Disney Concert Hall Schiff’s sound was transparent, crystal clear, and truthful. With Schiff’s creative and thoughtful mind those late sonatas sounded as if they were written yesterday. To me Schiff’s music is always very fresh and playful . I would imagine he could be a great improviser! After he released the last note in Op. 111 he came back to the reality.
