Beethoven, Bagels & Banter

SUN / JAN 19 / 11:00 AM

Alessio Bax PIANO Lucille Chung PIANO Robert Davidovici VIOLIN Antonio Lysy CELLO

There will be no intermission.

Please join us after the performance for refreshments and a conversation with the performers. PROGRAM

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Fantasie in F minor, D. 940 for piano 4 hands Bax, Chung

George Enescu (1881-1955) Violin Sonata No. 3, Op. 25 "dans le caractère populaire roumain" (1926) i. Moderato malinconico ii. Andante sostenuto e misterioso iii. Allegro con brio, ma non troppo mosso Davidovici, Bax

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 1 No. 1 (1793/94) i. Allegro ii. Adagio cantabile iii. Scherzo. Allegro assai iv. Finale. Presto Chung, Davidovici, Lysy

Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) Milonga del Ángel (Bax-Chung arr.) Libertango (Bax-Chung arr.) Bax, Chung

This series made possible by a generous gift from Barbara Herman. PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 8 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Combining exceptional lyricism and Bax revisited Mozart’s K. 491 and At age 14, Bax graduated with top insight with consummate technique, K. 595 concertos, as heard on honors from the conservatory of ALESSIO BAX (Gramophone) is Alessio Bax Plays Mozart, for his Bari, his hometown in , and without a doubt “among the most recent debuts with the Boston after further studies in Europe he remarkable young pianists now and Melbourne Symphonies, both moved to the United States in 1994. before the public.” He catapulted with Sir Andrew Davis and with the A Steinway artist, he lives in New York to prominence with First Prize wins Sydney Symphony, which he led City with pianist Lucille Chung and at both the Leeds and Hamamatsu himself from the keyboard. Other their daughter, Mila. He joined the International Piano Competitions, 2018-19 highlights included the piano faculty of Boston’s New England and is now a familiar face on fi ve pianist’s Auckland Philharmonia Conservatory in fall 2019. continents, not only as a recitalist debut, concerts in Israel, a Japanese and chamber musician, but also as a tour featuring dates with the Tokyo Born in Montréal, Canadian pianist concerto soloist who has appeared Symphony, U.S. collaborations with LUCILLE CHUNG has been acclaimed with more than 100 orchestras, Miguel Harth-Bedoya and Edo de for her “stylish and refi ned including the London, Royal and St. Waart, a high-profi le U.S. tour with performances” by Gramophone Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestras, Berlin Philharmonic principal fl utist magazine, “combining vigour and the Boston, , Cincinnati, Sydney and two solo suppleness with natural eloquence and City of Birmingham Symphony recitals marking his return to the and elegance” (Le Soir). She made Orchestras and the NHK Symphony prestigious Mozarteum Argentino her debut at the age of ten with in Japan, collaborating with such series at Buenos Aires’s Teatro Colón. the Montréal Symphony Orchestra eminent conductors as , Recent seasons also saw Bax make and subsequently , Sir Andrew Davis, his solo recital debut at London’s invited her to be a featured soloist Sir , Yuri Temirkanov and Wigmore Hall, which aired live on BBC during the MSO Asian Tour in 1989. Jaap van Zweden. Radio 3, and give concerts at L.A.’s Since then, she has performed an extensive concerto repertoire with Bax explores many facets of his career Disney Hall, Washington’s Kennedy over 70 leading orchestras such as this season. Fall brings the release of Center and New York’s Carnegie Hall. the Philadelphia Orchestra, Moscow his eleventh Signum Classics album, In 2009, he was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant, and four years Virtuosi, BBC National Orchestra Italian Inspirations, whose program of Wales, Flemish Radio Orchestra, is also the vehicle for his solo recital later he received both the Andrew Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerífe, debut at New York’s 92nd Street Y. Wolf Chamber Music Award and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao, A further debut follows with the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Staatskapelle Weimar, Philharmonie Milwaukee Symphony, where he plays Artists. de Lorraine, Orchestra Sinfonica Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto. Bax’s celebrated Signum Classics Siciliana, Belgrade Philharmonic, the He undertakes Beethoven’s Fourth discography includes Beethoven’s Seoul Philharmonic, KBS Orchestra, Concerto and Choral Fantasy with “Hammerklavier” and “Moonlight” New Jersey Symphony, Dallas the Santa Barbara Symphony; plays Sonatas (a Gramophone “Editor’s Symphony, UNAM Philharmonic the same composer’s complete works Choice”); Beethoven’s “Emperor” (Mexico), Israel Chamber Orchestra for cello and piano with the Emerson Concerto; Bax & Chung, a duo disc as well as all the major Canadian String Quartet’s Paul Watkins, at with Lucille Chung; Alessio Bax plays orchestras, including Montréal, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Mozart, recorded with London’s Toronto, Vancouver, National Arts Center (CMS) and on a forthcoming Southbank Sinfonia; Alessio Bax: Centre (Ottawa), Calgary, Winnipeg recording; performs trios in Santiago Scriabin & Mussorgsky (named and Metropolitain, among others. She and Rio de Janeiro with Berlin “Recording of the Month … and has appeared with conductors such Philharmonic concertmaster Daishin quite possibly … of the year” by as Krzysztof Penderecki, Vladimir Kashimoto and French horn virtuoso MusicWeb International); Alessio Bax Spivakov, , Yannick Radovan Vlatković; and embarks on plays Brahms (a Gramophone “Critics’ Nézet-Séguin, Peter Oundjian, Gerd multiple U.S. and European recital Choice”); Bach Transcribed; and Albrecht and Charles Dutoit. tours with superstar violinist Joshua Rachmaninov: Preludes & Melodies Bell. After headlining the North (an American Record Guide “Critics’ As a recitalist, she has performed Carolina Symphony’s season-opening Choice 2011”). Recorded for Warner in over 35 countries in prestigious concerts together, Bax and his regular Classics, his Baroque Reflections venues such as the Wigmore Hall in piano partner, Lucille Chung, give album was also a Gramophone London, New York’s Carnegie Hall and duo recitals in New York, New Haven, “Editor’s Choice.” He performed Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center Atlanta and South America. He rounds Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” and Phillips Collection in Washington, out the season with a full summer Sonata for Daniel Barenboim in the D.C., the Dame Myra Hess Series highlighted by his fourth season as PBS-TV documentary Barenboim on in Chicago, the Concertgebouw Artistic Director of Tuscany’s Incontri Beethoven: Masterclass, available on in Amsterdam, Madrid’s Auditorio in Terra di Siena festival. DVD from EMI. Nacional, the Great Hall of the Franz

PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 9 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Liszt Academy in Budapest and the The fi rst volume was released in 2001 music performances who combines Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. to great critical acclaim, receiving spectacular technique, wide-ranging Festival appearances include the the maximum R10 from Classica- repertoire and magnifi cent artistry Verbier Festival in Switzerland, MDR Répertoire in France, 5 Stars from with an exciting, compelling stage Sommer Festival in Dresden, Incontri the BBC Music Magazine and 5 Stars presence. Born in Transylvania, in Terra di Siena Festival, Lübecker on Fono Forum in Germany. The fi nal Romania, he began his studies as a Kammermusikfest, Santander volume, which also contains works for student of . He went International Festival in Spain, Felicja two pianos, was recorded with her on to study with Ivan Galamian at Blumental Festival in Israel, Music@ husband, Alessio Bax and once again the Juilliard School, where, upon Menlo, Montreal International Festival, received the prestigious R10 from graduating, he became a teaching Ottawa Chamber Festival, Bard Music Classica-Répertoire. Her all-Scriabin assistant to the Juilliard String Festival in NY, International Keyboard CD won the “Best Instrumental Quartet. He has collaborated in Institute and Festival in NYC, Recording” prize at the 2003 Prelude concert with such esteemed artists ChangChun Festival in China and the Classical Awards in Holland as well as Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern, Lynn Bravissimo Festival in Guatemala. as the coveted R10 from Classica- Harrell, Yefi m Bronfman, Cho Liang- in France. She also Lin and Emanuel Ax, among others. In 1989, she was recognized on the Répertoire recorded the two Mendelssohn Piano Carnegie Hall has featured him as international scene as the First Prize Concerti on the Richelieu/Radio- part of its “American Music Masters” winner at the Stravinsky International Canada label, which was nominated series and he was the subject of a Piano Competition. She won for the Prix Opus in Canada. In August television special on WGBH Boston. Second Prize at the 1992 Montréal 2005, Bax and Chung recorded His multifaceted career has included International Music Competition, Saint-Saëns’ being Concertmaster of such at which she also won a Special Carnival of the Animals with the Fort Worth Symphony under orchestras as the Osaka Philharmonic, Prize for the best interpretation Maestro Miguel Harth-Bedoya, which Vancouver Symphony, The Residentie of the unpublished work. In 1993, was released in 2006. In 2007 she Orchestra (The Hague) and Cincinnati she received the Outstanding released a solo album for the Fazioli Symphony, as well as the Grand Teton Achievement Award from the Concert Hall Series. Lucille then Music Festival and Chautauqua and Governor General of Canada and in embarked on an exclusive contract Colorado Music Festival Orchestras. In 1994 won the Second Prize at the First with Disques XXI/Universal. So far, addition to his solo engagements, he International Franz Liszt Competition she has released two CDs, is Artist-in-Residence and Professor in Weimar. In 1999, she was awarded Piano of Violin at Florida International the prestigious Virginia Parker Prize Transcriptions of Camille Saint-Saëns and . Both CDs continue University in Miami. He is a guest by the Canada Council for the Arts. Mozart & Me earning critical praise and have professor at leading music schools She graduated from both the Curtis been broadcast internationally. around the world, most recently at Institute of Music and the Juilliard 2013 marked the release of a piano the Musashino Academia Musicae in School before she turned twenty. duo disc with Alessio Bax, presenting Tokyo, Universities of Washington and She decided to further her studies Stravinsky’s original four-hand version British Columbia and the Australian in London with Maria Curcio- of the ballet Petrouchka as well National University. Diamand, Schnabel’s protégée, at as music by Brahms and Piazzolla The Montréal said that, the “Mozarteum” in Salzburg with La Presse for Signum Records. In 2015, she “Robert Davidovici is a born violinist Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and received released an all Poulenc album which in the most complete sense of the Konzertexam Diplom from the was chosen as the “Recording of the word.” In October 2013, he Hochschule “Franz Liszt” in Weimar, the Month” on MusicWeb and most performed the Beethoven Violin where she worked with the late Lazar recently in April 2018, a Liszt solo Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Berman. She also graduated from the recital album for Signum Records. Orchestra (RPO) under Grzegorz Accademia Pianistica in Imola, Italy Lucille is fl uent in French, English, Nowak, after which he recorded his with the honorary title of “Master” Korean, Italian, German and Russian. second CD with the RPO under G. and from Southern Methodist She and husband, pianist Alessio Bax Nowak, containing the Beethoven and University under Joaquín Achúcarro. make their home in New York City Mendelssohn Concerti. The reviews Ms. Chung is the recipient of the with their daughter, Mila, and are for the fi rst CD with the RPO, under prestigious Honors Diploma at the artistic co-directors of the Joaquín G. Nowak, released in the autumn Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy. Achúcarro Foundation. of 2013, comment on “the fantastic Lucille Chung has been hailed as performance of the Kletzki Violin “a considerable artist, admirable ROBERT DAVIDOVICI (VIOLIN) is Concerto and Robert Davidovici’s for her bold choice of music” by acclaimed in the United States, full-blooded tone being just what the The Sunday Times for her recordings Canada, Europe, South America, work deserves” (TheArtsDesk.com). of the complete piano works by Australia and Asia as a virtuoso He returned to London in February György Ligeti on the Dynamic label. in concerto, recital and chamber 2015 to perform the Tchaikovsky

10 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE ABOUT THE ARTISTS and Brahms Violin Concerti, again Yuri Temirkanov, Charles Dutoit, with the RPO under Maestro Nowak. Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Sandor Vegh In February 2007, he was soloist at and Kees Bakels, and continues to Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall perform regularly both as a solo, in the American premiere of the and chamber music artist. Lysy has Kletzki Violin Concerto (1928) with recorded extensively for CBC Radio, the American Symphony Orchestra BBC Radio, Classic FM and other conducted by Leon Botstein, following European radio networks. His love which The New York Times commented and commitment to chamber music on the “excellent” performance. is demonstrated by his musical The New York Times, in describing his directorship and founding in 1989, performance on Bach’s Solo Sonata of the annual Incontri in Terra di No. 1 said, “he played cleanly and Siena Chamber Music Festival in without affectation. Contrapuntal Tuscany, Italy (www.itslafoce.org). lines emerged clearly because Lysy enjoys exploring the versatility multiple stops stayed in tune, and a of the cello’s voice, from Baroque to fast, tight vibrato helped keep the electric, and is committed to projects music from sounding expressive in which enrich his diverse interests a 19th-century manner. This was, in in music. The touring show, Te Amo, fact, excellent Bach.” In describing Argentina, a personal journey through his performance of the Bernstein the heart and soul of Argentina’s Serenade, The New York Times stated fascinating culture, featuring solo that “it would have been hard to cello and chamber works, dance, imagine a sweeter performance,” fi lm and spoken word, has met with and the Sydney Morning Herald wrote, widespread acclaim. In the summer “Robert Davidovici lingered lovingly of 2003 Lysy accepted the position over the poetic passages of the of Professor of Cello at University Tchaikovsky Concerto, and ignited of California, Los Angeles. Prior to the fi ery ones with passion.” Fanfare moving to the United States, he held Magazine commented on his fi rst a professorship at McGill University CD that “Davidovici handles the fi ve in Montréal. For more detailed compositional styles with confi dence. information, please visit His tone is ripe, his intonation dead www.AntonioLysy.com. on, and he plays with aplomb. This is an impressive disc debut.” He has recorded as violin soloist with the London Symphony Orchestra for Cala Records. His CD Mélodie-The Art of Robert Davidovici was selected as one of the top 30 CD releases in Japan in 1995. He may also be heard on New World Records, Centaur, Clavier, and Meistermusic. His CD recording of transcriptions of Chopin’s Nocturnes was released in May 2004 in Japan by JVC Victor. He is the recipient of several distinguished First Prize honors, among them, the Naumburg Competition and the Carnegie Hall International American Music Violin Competition.

ANTONIO LYSY (CELLO) is an artist of international stature and dedicated pedagogue, and has performed as a soloist in major concert halls worldwide. He has collaborated with distinguished conductors including

PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 11