Violinist Sarah Chang Returns and Pianist Ashley Wass Debuts in the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall as Part of Master Musicians Strings Series on March 23
March 13, 2007
A "thoroughbred who possesses the enviable gift to turn almost anything he plays into pure gold" —Gramophone Magazine (Ashley Wass)
Free at the Kimmel Ann Newman Advanced Study String Quartet Performs on Commonwealth Plaza Stage at 6:30pm
Recognized as one of classical music’s most remarkable prodigies, Philadelphia native violinist Sarah Chang performs with pianist Ashley Wass in the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 8pm. Chang has been praised for her musical insight, technical virtuosity, and emotional range. Her most recent release is a live recording of the Shostakovich and Prokofiev violin concerti with the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle. Established as one of the most sought-after performers of his generation, Ashley Wass was the first British pianist ever to win First Prize at the World Piano Competition in 1997. They are currently touring throughout the United States and Europe. The program includes: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 "Kreutzer"; Danielpour’s River of Light; and Prokofiev’s Sonata No.2 in D major, Op.94bis.
This program will be interspersed with two-minute video presentations preceding each of the three performed pieces and digitally projected on two wide screens hanging over the stage in Verizon Hall. Audiences will be guided through a behind-the-scenes look at the origin of the piece and its composer with related images, narrated by Philadelphia Daily News’ Tom DiNardo. This performance is part of the See Hear! Initiative.
An Organ Postlude with organist Peter Conte will take place in Verizon Hall following the Sarah Chang ticketed performance.
This concert is the eighteenth concert in the Classical series scheduled for the 2006/2007 season. The next concert in the series is The Philadelphia Singers performing Handel’s Israel in Egypt on Saturday, March 31 at 7:30pm.
Tickets for Sarah Chang are $26, $32, $39, $47, $56, and $67 and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at www.kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center box office, open daily from 10pm 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.
Sarah Chang, a native Philadelphian, attended the Julliard School of Music, and has appeared in the music capitals of Asia, Europe and the Americas. She has collaborated with most major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Boston Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. Highlights of Ms. Chang’s 2006-07 season include a European tour with the Pittsburgh Symphony under Hans Graf and a North American tour with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Kurt Masur; appearances with the symphony orchestras of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Milwaukee and New Jersey, and Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra; as well as an extensive U.S. and European recital tour in the spring.
Chang’s widely lauded recordings include Fire and Ice, an album of popular shorter works for violin and orchestra, with Placido Domingo conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, among other recordings. In 2005, Yale University dedicated a chair in Sprague Hall in Chang’s name. She was also granted the honor of running with the 2004 Olympic Torch in New York. She has become the youngest person to win the Hollywood Bowl’s Hall of Fame award, and later received the "Young Artist of the Year" award given by Gramophone, the "Echo" Schallplattenpreis of Germany, London’s "Newcomer of the Year" honor at the International Classical Music Awards, and the “Nan Pa” award from Korea.
Ashley Wass graduated from Chethams Music School and the Royal Academy of Music, later to become an Associate of the Royal Academy in 2002. Wass is only the second British musician to reach the Leeds Piano Competition (2002) finals in 20 years. He has performed in many of the major UK concert halls, and has performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Wass has performed for Buckingham Palace to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, and has appeared in many festivals throughout Europe.
Ashley’s recent surveys of piano music by Bridge and Bax have been heralded as "remarkable" and "the yardstick against which all future recordings will be judged." Selected as an "Editor’s Choice" CD in Gramophone Magazine and later nominated in the "Best Instrumental Disk" category of the Gramophone Awards, Volume One of his Bax series was hailed as "without a shadow of a doubt the best recorded and best played Bax piano CD to come before the public," while Volume Two is described as "unmissable at any price." As Naxos’s first ever exclusively contracted solo artist, Wass’ future recording plans include recitals of Elgar and Alwyn, Liszt’s Album d’un Voyager, and the arrangement for two pianos of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (with Leon McCawley).
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.
FREE AT THE KIMMEL events are made possible through the Wachovia Gateway to the Arts Community Access Program supported by a generous grant from Wachovia Foundation.
KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS
Friday, March 23, 2007| 8 pm
Verizon Hall
Master Musicians, Strings Series
Sarah Chang, violin
Ashley Wass, piano
BEETHOVEN: Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op.47 "Kreutzer"
DANIELPOUR: River of Light
PROKOFIEV: Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 94bis
FREE AT THE KIMMEL EVENTS:
Friday, March 23, 2007 | 6:30pm
Commonwealth Plaza Stage
Ann Newman Advanced Study String Quartet
A group of four string players from Settlement Music School performing classical string repertoire. Prior to Sarah Chang ticketed performance in Verizon Hall.
Friday, March 23, 2007 | Post-Concert | Organ Postlude
Verizon Hall
Peter Conte, Organist
Join us for an organ postlude in Verizon Hall following the Sarah Chang ticketed performance. This organ postlude is one of many offerings that make up the Bach Festival of Philadelphia
UPCOMING FREE AT THE KIMMEL EVENTS:
Saturday, March 24, 2007 | 12pm
Commonwealth Plaza Stage
Kimmel Center Youth Jazz Ensemble
Director Steve Selfridge of the Kimmel Center Youth Jazz Ensemble will lead local students grades 6-8 through a selection of jazz favorites.
Sunday, March 25, 2007 | 11:30am
Commonwealth Plaza Stage
McDade School of Irish Dance
Dancers from the McDade School will perform rich traditions of Irish step and figure dancing. Dancers from the McDade School received awards from the 2006 Mid-Atlantic Oireachtas, Championship of Irish Dancing. Prior to Leahy ticketed performance in Verizon Hall.
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