Sarofim Music Series: Alina Kobialka, Kiyoshi Tamagawa, piano

Tuesday, November 19, 2019 | 7:30 p.m. | Alma Thomas Theater

Program

Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer” Ludwig van Beethoven Adagio sostenuto - Presto (1770-1827) Andante con variazioni Presto

INTERMISSION

Four Souvenirs (1990) Paul Schoenfield Samba (b. 1947) Tango Tin Pan Alley Square Dance

Five Melodies, Op. 35a Andante (1891-1953) Lento, ma non troppo Animato, ma non allegro Allegretto leggero e scherzando Andante non troppo

Tzigane (1924) Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) About the Artists

Violinist Alina Kobialka has been praised as a remarkable young soloist due to her beautiful tone, effortless precision, and musical maturity beyond her years. She has been internationally performing and touring since her first guest solo appearance with orchestra at the age of ten. The San Francisco Classical Voice described her as a “jaw-droppingly assured” soloist who “made present and future converge.” The Las Vegas Review Journal wrote, “Watch for her name. She appears to be bound for greatness.” At the age of 13, Ms. Kobialka won the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Concerto Competition and performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the orchestra. The following summer she toured with the orchestra throughout , performing in some of the continent’s most prestigious halls and festivals, including the Philharmonie and Rheingau Musik Festival. A year later, she made her solo debut with the San Francisco Symphony at their 100th Anniversary Reunion Concert in Davies Symphony Hall, where she has since returned four times as a soloist. That year, she was also featured live on the nationally acclaimed radio show NPR’s From the Top. In 2014, Ms. Kobialka made her debut with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and was featured on the morning show Vegas Morning Blend on ABC. Later that year, she performed with renowned violinist Laurent Korcia and the Colburn Academy Virtuosi Orchestra at the Colburn School. She has made many trips to Asia, including a 2014 tour with the Kagawa International Intercultural Youth Orchestra in and a 2015 performance with the Macau Youth Symphony for their New Year’s Concert, followed by an appearance on the Macau Morning Show. Her most recent concert in Asia was in 2017, where she made her debut at the Shanghai International Arts Festival Gala. Ms. Kobialka was awarded second prize at the 2017 inaugural Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition as the youngest competitor. Other accolades include the grand prize at the 2012 Mondavi Center National Young Artists Competition, finalist in the 2012 Menuhin International Violin Competition, and third prize of the 2018 Irving M. Klein International Competition. She was also a recipient of the 2018 Arkady Fomin Scholarship Fund and performed with Vadim Gluzman and the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra as part of her award. Ms. Kobialka is a Colburn Music Academy alumna. Her past teachers include Robert Lipsett, Danielle Belen, Wei He, and Li Lin, and she currently studies with Ilya Kaler at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Kiyoshi Tamagawa, Professor of Music, has performed as a soloist and collaborative pianist throughout North America, Europe and Asia. His collaboration with the late violinist Eugene Fodor resulted in over thirty recitals and a CD of violin and piano music, “Witches’ Brew.” He has appeared with the Austin and Temple Symphony Orchestras and with orchestras in New and Colorado. He has presented sessions at national conferences of the American String Teachers’ Association, College Music Society, and the Music Teachers’ National Association, as well as state and regional conferences, including the Texas Music Educators’ Association, Texas Music Teachers’ Association, and the College Music Society South Central Chapter. He is the 2013 recipient of the Collegiate Teaching Award of the Texas Music Teachers’ Association, and the 2016 Third Prize Winner of the American Prize Lorin Hollander Piano Concerto Award competition. His writings on musical topics have appeared in national journals. His monograph on the composer Claude Debussy and the Javanese gamelan will be released in 2019.