Pianist Leon Fleisher Returns to the Kimmel Center January 31
January 19, 2007
Free at the Kimmel Event Grande Winds Will Perform on Commonwealth Plaza Stage at 6pm
After overcoming a long-term hand ailment, celebrated pianist Leon Fleisher returns to the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall for a performance on January 31, 2007 at 8pm. Fleisher’s distinguished career as a pianist came to an early halt in 1965 when he was afflicted with focal dystonia. Forced to "retire" at the age of 37, only recently has Fleisher received treatment that has relieved the ailment. The October 2006 release of Fleisher’s second album, The Journey, is testament to Fleisher’s ability to overcome his affliction, and continually provide him with the opportunity to revisit the repertoire of classical and neo-classical composers he had discovered years ago. The Kimmel Center program includes J.S. Bach’s Capriccio in B-flat, "On the departure of a beloved brother," Stravinsky‘s Serenade in A, J.S. Bach’s "Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring" (arr. Myra Hess), and Schubert’s Sonata in B-flat major, Op. posth.
This is the 11th concert in the Kimmel Center Presents Classical series. Upcoming concerts include: Keyboard Conversations® An American Salute! on Monday, February 5, 2007 at 7:30pm; and, violinist Joshua Bell on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at 8pm.
Tickets for Leon Fleisher on Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 8pm are priced at $69, $60, $52, $45, $40 and 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. (Additional fees may apply.) For group sales call 215-893-5883.
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 2.5 hours prior to curtain time and 11:30am for matinees. Limit one ticket per person.
Renowned pianist, conductor and teacher Leon Fleisher is now in his sixth decade before the public. At the age of 16, he made his debut with the New York Philharmonic (1944). He was the first American to win the prestigious Queen Elisabeth of Belgium competition in 1952. Fleisher’s career was on a smooth upward trajectory until Fleisher was suddenly struck silent when two fingers of his right hand became immobile in 1965. Forced to retire from performing at only 37 years-old, Fleisher distinguished himself as a conductor and teacher and learned to play the repertoire of compositions for piano left-hand. Mr. Fleisher has founded the Theatre Chamber Players at the Kennedy Center in 1967, and became Music Director of the Annapolis Symphony in 1970. He has held the Andrew W. Mellon Chair at the Peabody Conservatory of Music since 1959, and also serves on the faculties of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. From 1986-97 he was Artistic Director of the Tanglewood Music Center.
Recently, he began treatments that finally helped relieve the neurological affliction known as focal dystonia that had been plaguing him for more than half his life. Fleisher has been playing- infrequently-with both hands again, and made his first two-hand recording in 40 years, a sort of musical biography called Two Hands (2004). Its repertoire ranged from J. S. Bach and Domenico Scarlatti via Chopin and Debussy to Franz Schubert [Vanguard Classics]. Documentary filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn's "Two Hands," a portrait of Leon Fleisher, chronicles his life before and after the experimental surgery, and is reportedly on the Oscar short-list.
As a Free at the Kimmel Event, Grande Winds will perform on the Commonwealth Plaza stage on Sunday, January 31, 2007 at 6pm. Temple students Maureen Ong (flute), Erin Svoboda, (clarinet), and Natalya Rose Vrbsky (bassoon) will perform a medley of woodwind sounds, prior to the Leon Fleisher ticketed performance in Verizon Hall. Free at the Kimmel performances are part of the Wachovia Gateway to the Arts Access Program supported by a generous grant from Wachovia Foundation.
Kimmel Center Presents' 2006/2007 season is supported by: Mellon Financial Corporation, University of Pennsylvania Health System, National Endowment for the Arts, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, ARC Wheeler, The William Penn Foundation, The Wachovia Foundation, Verizon Foundation, The Presser Foundation, Philadelphia Music Project and Dance Advance, Initiatives of The Pew Charitable Trust administered by The University of the Arts. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Kimmel Center Presents. Toyota is the Official Vehicle of Kimmel Center Presents Jazz and World Pop programming. NBC-10 is a Media Partner for Kimmel Center Presents. The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly.com are media sponsors for the Great Orchestras on Tour series.
KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS:
Sunday, January 31, 2007 | 8pm
Verizon Hall
Leon Fleisher, piano
I.
BACH
"Sheep May Safely Graze" from Cantata No. 208 (Arr.Egon Petrie); Capriccio in B-flat major, "On the departure of a beloved brother"
STRAVINSKY
Serenade in A; Hymne, Romanza, Rondoletto, Cadenza finale
II.
BACH
"Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring: from Cantata No. 147 (Arr. Myra Hess)
Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor
-Intermission-
III.
DEBUSSY
Three Preludes: La vent dans la plaine; La cathédrale engloutie; La puerta del vino
ALBÉNIZ
From Iberia: Evocacion; El puerto
IV.
CHOPIN
Mazurka in C-sharp minor, Op. 50, No. 3
Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27, No. 2
Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp minor, Op. 39
*********
FREE AT THE KIMMEL EVENT:
Sunday, January 31, 2007 | 6pm
Commonwealth Plaza
Grande Winds
Temple students Maureen Ong (flute), Erin Svoboda, (clarinet), and Natalya Rose Vrbsky (bassoon) will perform a medley of woodwind sounds. Prior to the Leon Fleisher ticketed performance in Verizon Hall.
OTHER FREE AT THE KIMMEL EVENTS:
Friday, February 2, 2007 | 6:30pm
Commonwealth Plaza
Khan Jamal Trio
Philadelphia vibraphonist Khan Jamal performs creative improvised music with his Trio, including renowned improvisational drummer, Sunny Murray.
Saturday, February 3, 2007 | 11am
Innovation Studio
Renaissance Artist Puppet Company
Custom designed puppets reenact scenes from Harriet Tubman and entertain family and children for Black History Month.
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