About the Program

Paul Crewes Rachel Fine Artistic Director Managing Director

PRESENTS HARLEM QUARTET & ALDO LÓPEZ-GAVILÁN

Harlem Quartet Program Members: ALMENDRA Abelardo Valdes(1911-1958) VIOLIN Arr. Nicky Aponte, Harlem Quartet, and Aldo López-Gavilán ILMAR GAVILÁN A NIGHT IN TUNISIA Notes from John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie(1917-1993) VIOLIN Arr. Dave Glenn, Harlem Quartet, and Aldo López-Gavilán MELISSA WHITE THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA VIOLA Antônio Carlos Jobim(1927-1994) Arr. Dave Glenn, Harlem Quartet, and Aldo López-Gavilán Aldo López-Gavilán JAIME AMADOR TAKE THE A TRAIN • Epilogue was originally written emotions of a person sending a • Pan con Timba, whose title CELLO Billy Strayhorn(1915-1967) Arr. Paul Chihara, Harlem Quartet, and Aldo López-Gavilán for piano, clarinet, and orchestra. “message in a bottle” out to the means “bread with unknown FELIX UMANSKY The central theme, lyrical and universe, and the ensuing vibrancy something,” is consistently joyful 15 minute intermission highly modulatory, explores a and wholeness that comes with and contagiously optimistic. dream and makes a triumphant feeling at one with the cosmos. It reflects the classic mood EPÍLOGO Aldo López-Gavilán (b. 1979) musical gesture reminiscent of The quintet version captures of post-revolutionary Cuba: “Nueva Trova,” a style pioneered these intimate and yearning the younger generation, faced TALKING TO THE UNIVERSE and made world-famous by qualities, employing complex and with scarcity and economic Aldo López-Gavilán troubadour singers Silvio exhilarating counterpoint that hardship, refused to indulge in ECLIPSE Rodriguez and Pablo Milanés. The gradually increases in energy as self-pity and instead embraced Aldo López-Gavilán development section showcases the piece progresses. humor as a psychological lifting Aldo López-Gavilán’s take on device. This form of humor PAN CON TIMBA a characteristic canon, with • Eclipse, originally for violin has become an essential part Aldo López-Gavilán kaleidoscopic rhythms staggered and piano, is a very personal of the current Cuban identity. across all instruments. piece written for Aldo’s brother Pan con Timba features such SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2016 AT 7:00PM Ilmar. It addresses vulnerability rhythmic characteristics as the Bram Goldsmith Theater • Talking to the Universe, also and the emotional toll taken by quintessentially Cuban form of the title of one of Aldo's earlier the two brothers’ involuntary ostinato known as “tumbao,” Running Time: 90 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission albums, originated as a solo piano separation due to outside and also intertwines elements of There will be a free pre-concert conversation with Brian Lauritzen, Harlem Quartet and Aldo López-Gavilán work. It then evolved into a piece political circumstances as Ilmar various dance styles popular in from 6-6:30pm in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. for piano and jazz band, then went to the United States while contemporary Cuba. to one for piano, jazz band, and Aldo remained in Cuba. orchestra. It aims to convey the Harlem Quartet appears by arrangement with Sciolino Artist Management.

PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 21 About the Artists About the Artists

HARLEM QUARTET praised for its "panache" by Harlem Quartet has been featured on WNBC, CNN, extensively in Europe, South America, Canada, and fi rst international triumph was at the age of eleven The New York Times, is "bringing a new attitude to the "Today Show," WQXR-FM, and the "News Hour the U.S. with Cuban singer-songwriter Carlos Varela, when he won a Danny Kaye International Children’s classical music, one that is fresh, bracing and with Jim Lehrer." In 2009 they performed for for whom he wrote all the string arrangements for an Award, organized by UNICEF. López-Gavilán made intelligent," says the Cincinnati Enquirer. The President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at award-winning documentary that was broadcast by his professional debut at age twelve with the PLAYLIST: quartet’s mission is to advance diversity in classical the White House and appeared Christmas morning HBO Latino in the U.S. Matanzas Symphony Orchestra. He later went on to THE WALLIS ASKED THE MUSICIANS PERFORMING music, engaging young and new audiences through on NBC's "Today Show." They made their European perform Prokofi ev’s Third Concerto with the National THIS EVENING WHAT THEY’RE LISTENING TO... the discovery and presentation of varied repertoire debut in October 2009 performing at the residence A milestone in López-Gavilán’s professional and Symphonic Orchestra of Cuba. Parallel to his classical that includes works by minority composers. The of the U.S. ambassador to the U.K., and returned to personal life came in early 2015, when he joined the abilities, López-Gavilán developed remarkable skills ILMAR GAVILÁN, FIRST VIOLIN: 2015-16 concert season marks the debut of Felix Europe as guest artists and faculty members of the New York-based Harlem Quartet—co-founded by his in improvisation. He was invited to perform in the ARTIST: HARLEM QUARTET WITH ALDO LÓPEZ-GAVLIÁN Umansky formerly of the Linden String Quartet, as Musica Mundi International Festival in Belgium. In brother Ilmar, the quartet’s fi rst violinist—for concerts world-famous Havana Jazz Festival with the SONG: EPILOGUE Harlem Quartet's cellist. early 2011 they were featured guest artists at the in Calgary, Seattle, and Phoenix. That same year he legendary Chucho Valdés, who called him “simply a I identify with this piece because it has many emotional layers. Panama Jazz Festival in Panama City. In June 2012 was invited to play with his Jazz Quintet at the genius, a star.” Musically speaking it has a "New Trova" influence which I grew up Since its public debut in 2006 at Carnegie Hall, the they made their debut with the Montreal Jazz Festival. Centro Cultural Kirchner in Buenos Aires, Argentina; with in Cuba, a Ravel like mysterious and somewhat melancholic New York-based ensemble has performed performed Rhapsody in Blue with the Orquesta His recording career began in 1999 with the CD En el middle section, and a very optimistic ending. In some ways, Epilogue throughout the U.S. as well as in France, the U.K., Their recording career began in 2007 when White Filarmónica de Bogotá, Colombia; and closed the ocaso de la hormiga y el elefante, which won the describes my life's journey leaving Cuba when I was 14 and feeling Belgium, Brazil, Panama, Canada, Venezuela, and Pine Music issued Take the "A" Train, a release year with a sold-out concert at the Teatro del Museo 2000 Grand Prix at Cubadisco as well as awards in homesick. Reuniting with my brother now is the happy ending! South Africa, where under the auspices of the U.S. featuring the string quartet version of that jazz de Bellas Artes in Havana. the jazz and fi rst-works categories. In 2005, he was State Department in May 2012 they spent two weeks standard by Billy Strayhorn; the CD was highlighted invited to join a group of prestigious Cuban pianists performing concerts and engaging in outreach that year in the November issue of Strings magazine. His partnership with Harlem Quartet continues in to create an album and documentary in honor of MELISSA WHITE, SECOND VIOLIN: activities. In 2013 they completed their third and A second CD, featuring works of Walter Piston, was summer and fall 2016 with a U.S. tour that includes Frank Emilio, Amor y piano. He was also included in ARTIST: PAT METHENY AND BRAD MEHLDAU fi nal year in the Professional String Quartet Training released in 2010 by Naxos. The quartet’s third concerts and residency activities at the Rockport a DVD set, "Cuban Pianists: The History of Latin Jazz." SONG: UNREQUITED ALBUM: METHENY/MEHLDAU Program at New England Conservatory and recording, released in early 2011, is a collaboration Chamber Music Festival, Chautauqua Institution, López-Gavilán’s second album, Talking to the This song is one of my go-to favorites because of its simple beauty. The participated in NEC’s string quartet exchange with pianist Awadagin Pratt and showcases works by Santa Fe College, Las Vegas’s Smith Center for the Universe, was a success with audiences and critics melody is nostalgic, but the dialogue between Metheny and Mehldau is so program in Paris, working with violinist Günter American composer Judith Lang Zaimont. More Performing Arts, the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, alike. In 2006, he gave a concert of his newest works very hopeful and heartfelt, that it always makes me smile.

Pichler in a masterclass setting. recently the quartet collaborated with jazz pianist and here at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Arts. that was later turned into his third album, ARTIST: STEVIE WONDER Chick Corea in two recording projects, including a Additional tour concerts by the quintet are in the works Soundbites. Two years later he was included in a SONG: DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING ALBUM: INNERVISIONS In addition to performing on chamber-music series Grammy-winning Hot House album that included for fall 2017 and spring 2018. documentary on the history of Latin jazz in Cuba This song is very upbeat, which makes it fun for an impromptu Mozart Goes Dancing, around the country, they have collaborated with such which won a separate Grammy titled "¡Manteca, Mondongo y Bacalao con Pan!," dance break, and I really like the message of the lyrics! distinguished performers as violinist Itzhak Perlman; as Best Instrumental Composition. During the past decade, López-Gavilán’s directed by Pavel Giroud. It was in that same year cellist Carter Brey; clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera; collaborators have included some of the greatest that he recorded his fourth CD, Dimensional, which pianist Misha Dichter, with whom the quartet made Harlem Quartet was founded in 2006 by The Sphinx artists in the classical, popular music, and jazz fi elds. afforded him the fl exibility for more musical JAIME AMADOR, VIOLA: their Kennedy Center debut in February 2013; and Organization, a national nonprofi t organization The late Claudio Abbado, one of the world’s most experimentation. He was also hired to compose the ARTIST: ALBORAN TRIO jazz legends Chick Corea and Gary Burton, whom dedicated to building diversity in classical music and celebrated and respected conductors, invited him to music for a TV documentary titled "El Proceso: la SONG: PIANISSIMO ALBUM: MELTEMI they joined for their six-month "Hot House" tour that providing access to music education in underserved perform with the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of historia no contada." In 2009 he released his fi fth This album is one of my favorites – full of beautiful melodies began at Tanglewood in summer 2012. Later that communities. The quartet is managed by Sciolino Venezuela in 2006, in a special concert dedicated to album, Aldo López-Gavilán en vivo, and fi nished his and excellent musicianship. Great work of art. year the quartet made their performance debut with Artist Management in New York City. the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. Maestro fi rst live DVD, "Más allá del ocaso," which included another jazz virtuoso, the British saxophonist, Abbado subsequently invited him to perform orchestral selections and jazz compositions. He also ARTIST: DAVE HOLLAND & PEPE HABICHUELA SONG: HANDS ALBUM: HANDS clarinetist, and composer Tim Garland. ALDO LÓPEZ-GAVILÁN Praised for his Prokofi ev’s Concerto No. 1 in Caracas and Havana. In composed original music for the fi lm "Casa vieja" by A favorite album of mine ahead to listen to while “dazzling technique and rhythmic fi re” in the Seattle 2009 López-Gavilán was invited by Carlos Varela to acclaimed Cuban director Lester Hamlet. In May boarding a flight and taking off. Each member of the quartet is a seasoned solo artist, Times, and dubbed a “formidable virtuoso” by The join his band for a tour of Argentina, Chile, and 2014 he released his sixth album, De todos los having appeared with such orchestras as the New Times of London, Cuban pianist and composer Aldo Uruguay; his acoustic arrangements of the music colores y también verde. York Philharmonic, the Boston Pops, and the Atlanta, López-Gavilán excels in both the classical and jazz won many accolades from critics and fans. In 2010 FELIX UMANSKY, CELLO: Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, National, New World, worlds as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber-music he joined the São Paulo Jazz Symphonic Orchestra to Since December 2014, when a new era in the ARTIST: GENE WILDER and Pittsburgh symphony orchestras. As an collaborator, and performer of his own electrifying perform his music in a concert that was recorded and relationship between the U.S. and Cuba was SONG: "PURE IMAGINATION" FROM WILLY WONKA ensemble they perform not only in chamber-music jazz compositions. He has appeared in such broadcast on national television in Brazil. announced, a lot has happened in the cultural AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY settings but also as soloists in works written for Solo prestigious concert halls as the Amadeo Roldán exchange between the two countries. López-Gavilán This song has always been a favorite since the first time I saw this film when I was String Quartet and orchestra. Their most recent such (Cuba), Teresa Careño (Venezuela), Bellas Artes López-Gavilán’s Carnegie Hall debut took place in has played a very active role in this development. In a kid, and with the recent passing of Gene Wilder, the song has been pretty much collaboration was with Music Director Mei-Ann Chen (Mexico), Carnegie Hall and Jordan Hall (U.S.), Royal November of 2012, when he was invited to April 2016, through Obama’s President’s Committee on a loop in my head ever since. It is so simple yet its message is so inspiring. and the Chicago Sinfonietta, where in June 2012 Festival Hall (U.K.), Nybrokajen 11 (Sweden), The participate in the hall’s prestigious “Voces de Latino on the Arts and the Humanities, he was part of the they gave the world premiere of Bernstein’s West Hall of Music (Russia), and Duc de Lombard et Petit América” festival. That same month he played a two- group of Cuban musicians who collaborated in Cuba ARTIST: RADIOHEAD Side Story as arranged for string quartet and Journal Montparnasse (France), as well as venues in piano concert with his colleague Harold López-Nussa with such renowned U.S. artists as Joshua Bell, SONG: THE NUMBERS ALBUM: A MOON SHAPED POOL orchestra by Randall Craig Fleischer. The quartet Canada, Santo Domingo, Colombia, Spain, Greece, in Miami. Usher, Dave Matthews, and Smokey Robinson, A few Honestly, it's hard to choose just one song from Radiohead. I think Thom reprised their performance of that score in Hong Kong, Burkina Faso, Germany, and Austria. weeks later López-Gavilán’s music was used to Yorke is a brilliant lyricist (even if his lyrics are sometimes difficult to September 2012 with the Anchorage Symphony Aldo López-Gavilán was born in Cuba to a family of accompany Chanel’s Cruise 2017 Collection—the fi rst understand upon just listening to the songs). Each of Radiohead's albums Orchestra under Fleischer’s direction, and again in In 2014 López-Gavilán toured the U.S., appearing at internationally acclaimed classical musicians, his fashion show to take place in Havana in recent are so unique, yet there is always the Radiohead "stamp" on each one. December 2012 with the Santa Fe Concert Florida’s Miami Dade County Auditorium, the father a conductor and composer, his mother a times—and he partnered with American trumpet This constant re-inventing yet always retaining one's own individuality is such a tricky, fine line that few people have been able to successfully Association. Chicago Sinfonietta and the quartet Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the San concert pianist. At the age of two, he had written his virtuoso Byron Stripling in a concert at Havana’s achieve, in my opinion. Radiohead’s most recent release, A Moon Shaped recorded the West Side Story arrangement, along Francisco Jazz Festival, and he completed an ASCAP fi rst musical composition. By four, his mother Teatro del Museo de Bellas Artes. Pool, really exemplifies this idea, as the album incorporates unique string with works for string quartet and orchestra by fi lm music workshop under the direction of Robert introduced the budding prodigy to the piano, and he arrangements into the band’s signature sound on songs like “The Numbers.” Michael Abels and Benjamin Lees, for the Cedille label. Kraft at New York University. He also toured began formal piano studies at the age of seven. His

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