Martha Argerich

Two-time Grammy Award-winning concert pianist Martha Argerich, who has garnered international acclaim over the past 50 years, returns to the Kimmel Center with frequent piano duo partner Nelson Freire on Friday, April 1 at 8pm. This concert, which closes the Wachovia Master Musicians Piano Series, will feature Argerich and Freire performing Johannes Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn in B-flat major, Op. 56b; Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Suite for Two Pianos No. 2, Op. 17; Witold Lutoslawski’s Variations on a Theme by Paganini; Franz Schubert’s Rondo in A major, D.951; and Maurice Ravel’s La Valse.

Tickets are $29, $39, $50, $58, $68, and $79 and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, or online at www.kimmelcenter.org.

Famous for her interpretations of the virtuoso piano literature of the 19th and 20th centuries, Argerich began her rise to fame at the age of five, and studied with Friedrich Gulda, Nikita Magaloff and Michelangeli before winning the Geneva International Music Competition and the Busoni Competition at the age of 16. Just prior to a victory in the Seventh Warsaw International Chopin Competition in 1965, Argerich had already begun to achieve worldwide fame when she toured parts of Germany, Argentina, Poland and England. Later tours would also bring her to fourteen other countries across the world. Now in her 60s, Argerich has spent much of her career performing piano duets and trios, as well as concentrating on chamber music. She has performed with notable artists Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich, Nicolas Economou, Alexandre Rabinovitch, and Charles Dutoit, with whom she won a Grammy award in 2000 for their 1999 release of Chopin Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Argerich and Mikhail Pletnev also recently won a 2005 Grammy Award in the ‘Chamber Music Performance’ category for their piece Prokofiev (Arr. Pletnev): Cinderella - Suite for Two Pianos/Ravel: Ma Mere L'Oye.

Long regarded as one of the best-kept secrets in the world of piano, Nelson Freire was a child prodigy who gave his first public recital at the age of five. By the time he reached his teenage years, Freire had studied with Nise Obino and Lúcia Branco, two of Brazil’s best piano teachers. He added to his impressive resume when, at the age of 12, he became a laureate of the First International Piano Competition of Rio de Janeiro. He made a brilliant debut at the Vienna Academy of Music at age 15, which was also the same year that he began a lifelong friendship with Martha Argerich. Aside from performing in duo concerts regularly with Argerich, Freire has also performed with the Berlin Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, London Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and many other prestigious orchestras and musical institutions.

In describing a recent performance by Argerich, The Boston Globe said, "Her gift is not merely her fabulous agility and coordination... few play with such a firm propulsiveness of rhythm, and no one with such spontaneity, such subtlety and variety of articulation and color." As for Freire, Time Magazine calls him "one of the most exciting pianists of this or any age."

Tickets for Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire’s duo piano recital on April 1 at Verizon Hall range from $29 to $79. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at www.kimmelcenter.org or at the Kimmel Center box office, open daily from 10am to 6pm and later on performance evenings. For group sales call 215-790-5883.

A limited number of $10 tickets are available for every Kimmel Center Presents performance at the Kimmel Center. Tickets go on sale the day of the event and can be purchased at the Kimmel Center box office beginning at 5:30pm for evening performances and 11:30am for matinees.

Sponsors of the 2004-2005 Kimmel Center Presents season include Mellon Financial Corporation, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Bank of America, Sovereign Bank, Wachovia Foundation, The American Express Company, Verizon Foundation, Bucks County Coffee, and SEPTA, the Commuter’s Choice. Special Student Matinees at the Kimmel Center are generously supported by Merck & Co., Inc. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Kimmel Center Presents. Toyota is the Official Vehicle of Kimmel Center Presents Jazz and World Pop programming. In-kind support is generously provided by Deloitte and Southern Wine and Spirit.

KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS
Wachovia Master Musicians
Martha Argerich, piano
Nelson Freire, piano
Friday, April 1
8pm | Verizon Hall

Johannes Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn in B-flat Major, Op. 56b
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Suite for Two Pianos No. 2, Op. 17
Witold Lutoslawski: Variations on a Theme by Paganini
Franz Schubert: Rondo in A Major for Piano, D. 951 (four hands)
Maurice Ravel: La Valse

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