21C Artists To Watch: April 2012

April 2012 e-newsletter

In this issue

Stefan Jackiw: D.C., Atlanta, and Chicago appearances

Kelley O'Connor: working with John Adams on new oratorio

Dan Visconti: "Clear Light" at Carnegie

Joshua Roman: Rococo on the road

The Knights: Ma, Perlman, and Upshaw at Ravinia

Datebook

Apr 1: Dallas, TX

Joyce Yang

St. Barnabas Presbyterian Church
Recital w/ Augustin Hadelich, violin

Apr 4: New York, NY

The Knights

WQXR Ensemble-in-Residence - The Greene Space

Apr 5: Troy, NY
The Knights

Troy Chromatic Concerts - Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Apr 9: Detroit, MI

The Knights

DSO Presents - The Music Box

Apr 10: Akron, OH

The Knights

Tuesday Musical Association - EJ Thomas Hall

Apr 11: Granville, OH

The Knights

Denison University - Swassey Chapel

Apr 12: Richmond, KY

The Knights

Eastern Kentucky University - Center for the Performing Arts

Apr 12: New York, NY

Kelley O'Connor

Carnegie Hall - Orchestra of St. Luke's

Mozart: Requiem w/ MusicaSacra

Apr 13, 15: Tucson, AZ

Stefan Jackiw

Tucson Music Hall - Tucson Symphony (debut)

Prokofiev: Violin Cto. No. 2

Apr 14: Sewanee, TN

The Knights

Sewanee: University of the South - Guerry Auditorium

Apr 14: Rancho Mirage, CA

Joyce Yang

International Classical Concerts of the Desert

Recital

Apr 14, 15: Des Moines, IA

Joshua Roman

Civic Center of Greater Des Moines - Des Moines Symphony

Lalo: Cello Cto. in D minor

Apr 15: Saratoga, CA

Joyce Yang

Carriage House - Montalvo Arts Center

Recital

Apr 15: Columbus, GA

The Knights

RiverCenter for the Performing Arts

Apr 16: Athens, GA

The Knights

University of Georgia at Athens - Performing Arts Center

Apr 19: Amherst, MA

The Knights

Amherst Fine Arts Center - Concert Hall

Apr 20: Rockville, NY

The Knights

Molloy College - Madison Theatre

Apr 22: Corvallis, OR

Joyce Yang

Oregon State University - LaSells Stewart Center

Recital

Apr 25: Columbia, SC

Dan Visconti

Drayton Hall Theatre at USC - South Carolina Philharmonic

Dan Visconti: Low Country Haze

Apr 26: New York, NY

Joyce Yang

Baruch College, Performing Arts Center - Alexander String Quartet

Chamber Recital

Apr 26: Berkeley, CA

Jessica Rivera

Zellerbach Hall - Berkeley Symphony

Gabriela Lena Frank: Holy Sisters (world premiere)

Apr 27: Melbourne, Australia

Dan Visconti

Malthouse Theatre - Eighth Blackbird

Dan Visconti: Fractured Jams

Apr 27: Vienna, VA

Joyce Yang

The Barns at Wolf Trap

Recital

Apr 29: San Francisco, CA

Jessica Rivera

San Francisco Conservatory of Music - Concert Hall

Recital w/ Maryanne Kim

Apr 29: Mamaroneck, NY

Joyce Yang

Singer Hall - Alexander String Quartet

Chamber Recital

May 2: New York, NY

Dan Visconti

Carnegie Hall - Lucy Shelton w/ Da Capo Chamber Players

Dan Visconti: The Clear Light (world premiere)

May 3-5: Boston, MA

Jessica Rivera

Boston Symphony Hall - Boston Symphony

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

May 5: Washington, DC

Stefan Jackiw

Terrace Theater - Kennedy Center

Recital w/ Anna Polonsky

May 5 & 6: Spokane, WA

Joshua Roman

Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox - Spokane Symphony Orchestra

Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme

R. Strauss: Don Quixote

May 6: Los Angeles, CA

Stefan Jackiw

Maestro Concert Series

Chamber Recital

May 12: Ashland, OR

Dan Visconti

Triple Helix Piano Trio

Dan Visconti: Lonesome Roads

Stefan Jackiw: D.C., Atlanta, and Chicago appearances

Coming off his recent successful debut with the Rotterdam Philharmonic under Yannick Nézet-Séguin, violinist Stefan Jackiw heads to Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center for a recital with pianist Anna Polonsky on May 5. The concert - presented by the Washington Performing Arts Society - features works by Stravinsky, Brahms, and Strauss as well as the world premiere of l'Arc de Suspension by ASCAP Award-winner David Fulmer. Then on May 24-26 Jackiw takes his distinctive way with Bruch's Scottish Fantasy to Atlanta, making his Atlanta Symphony Orchestra debut under Nicholas McGegan.

Chicago audiences will also have the chance to hear this rising star when Jackiw joins American pianist Jeremy Denk at the city's Symphony Center for "The Collaborative Pianist," an innovative recital exploring the piano-player's role in intimate artistic partnerships. Later that week, Jackiw returns to the Chicago Symphony for two performances (June 7 & 8) of Beethoven's "Triple" Concerto with cellist Pavel Gomziakov, pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout, and conductor Trevor Pinnock.

For more information, visit StefanJackiw.com, the artist's YouTube channel, or the Opus 3 Artists website.

Kelley O'Connor: working with John Adams on new oratorio

After an exceptional Mozart's Requiem at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke's and Iván Fischer on April 12, mezzo-soprano Kelley O'Connor continues the preparation for her portrayal of Mary (the title role) in the world premiere of John Adams's new work, The Gospel According to the Other Mary, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel (May 31 - June 3). The work, based on the New Testament stories of Lazarus and Jesus' Passion, features a libretto by Peter Sellars and draws from the poetry of Rosario Castellanos, Dorothy Day, Louise Erdrich, and June Jordan.

In the most recent installment of O'Connor's video blog about preparing for the Adams premiere, she talks about collaborating with the celebrated composer and explains how her voice differs from those of other mezzos. Click below to find out more.

Work with me people...The Art of Collaboration

For more information, visit KelleyO'Connor.com or the IMG Artists web site.

Dan Visconti: Clear Light at Carnegie

Composer Dan Visconti had his first Carnegie Hall premiere in 2007 at the tender age of 25. Now, still only 30 years old, the composer returns to the venerable New York institution next month for another world premiere. Soprano Lucy Shelton and the Da Capo Chamber Players will premiere Visconti's piece, The Clear Light, on May 2 at Weill Recital Hall. According to Visconti, this new work, inspired by the Tibetan Book of the Dead, "combines the drones and chants of ancient mysticism with pulsing electronic timbres inspired by psychedelic rock and trance music."

On April 25 the South Carolina Philharmonic presents a new version of Visconti's 2009 work Low Country Haze alongside a screening of Simon Tarr's new film Lowcountry at the Indie Grits Festival.

Click here to read Visconti's recent blog post for New Music Box, titled "No Expectations," that discusses how composers deal with their listeners' sonic and musical expectations. Visconti has been a regular contributor to the popular site, which is devoted to contemporary music, since 2008.

For more information, visit DanVisconti.com.

Joshua Roman: Rococo on the road

"A cellist of extraordinary technical and musical gifts," Joshua Roman made his Toronto Symphony debut earlier this month with two performances of Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme. Roman's "Rococo Variations" - a staple of the cello repertoire - has been praised for its "nimbleness and gleaming tone" (Charlotte Observer), proving "child's play" (Lexington Herald-Leader) in his capable hands. Beyond Toronto, Roman recently performed the work with the symphony orchestras of Charlotte, Charleston, and Princeton and will revisit it again next month with the Spokane Symphony (May 5 & 6).

Now online: A Guide To...Joshua Roman is a webpage created by King FM, Seattle's premiere classical music station, dedicated to all things Joshua Roman, with streaming audio and video of the cellist alongside of some of his all-time favorite cello recordings.

For more information, visit JoshuaRoman.com, Joshua Roman on YouTube, or the Opus 3 Artists web site.

The Knights: Ma, Perlman, and Upshaw at Ravinia

The Knights, a "fast-rising orchestra of young musicians with an eclectic repertoire, open attitude and an infectious, charismatic spirit" (Detroit Free Press) recently took its "smooth and embracing" (Times Union) playing style on an April U.S. tour, with a program including works from the ensemble's 2010 recording New Worlds. The Knights will return to the Midwest this September for three days of concerts at the Ravinia Festival, joined by three of the classical music world's biggest stars: cellist Yo-Yo Ma (Sep 7), violinist Itzhak Perlman (Sep 8), and soprano Dawn Upshaw (Sep 9). These appearances mark the orchestra's third straight summer at the prestigious festival.

Click below to watch The Knights' complete April 4 concert from WQXR's Greene Space in New York, where the orchestra served as Ensemble-in-Residence and celebrated the release of its new CD, A Second of Silence.

For more information, visit TheKnightsNYC.com, The Knights on YouTube, or the Opus 3 Artists web site.

About 21C Artists To Watch

21C Artists To Watch is an image- and awareness-building program for artists on the brink of major careers in classical music. Each month, 21C Media Group publishes an e-newsletter profiling several members of this select group and highlighting their recent and upcoming activities.

Read past newsletters here.

For inquiries regarding 21C Artists To Watch, please contact:

Max Lefer

Artists To Watch Program Manager

Phone (646) 532-4378;

click here to e-mail