FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s winter/spring 2019 season filled with new musicians, performances, and pop-ups to animate the galleries

Helga Davis, Visiting Curator of Performing Arts

BOSTON (January 2019) – For the Gardner Museum’s upcoming concert season, George Steel, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s Abrams Curator of Music, and Helga Davis, the new Visiting Curator of Performing Arts, have introduced diverse programming designed to further the Museum’s role as a vibrant arts and cultural center in Boston. The winter/spring music season begins Jan. 20, 2019.

“This season, I am delighted to welcome performer Helga Davis to the Gardner Museum as our second Visiting Curator of Performing Arts,” says Steel. “Helga is bringing her boundless energy and brilliance—and her relationships with some of the most visionary artists of our time—to plan multi-disciplinary performances and surprise pop-ups throughout the Museum.”

As successor to Steel, Davis is the second curator to hold this position as the Museum continues its commitment to expand programming of all art forms and multi-disciplinary cultural experiences. Davis will bring artists and communities together, from Boston and around the world, by creating performances connected to the Museum, its collections, exhibitions, and public purpose.

“I am excited to be working in such a beautiful and beloved institution,” says Davis. “My goal is to create and expand programming that makes everyone feel welcome at the Museum, and to introduce artists of all genres and backgrounds in the spirit of Isabella and the people that make up this vibrant community.”

Several young and internationally renowned musicians will make their Boston debuts at the Gardner Museum this season, including internationally-renowned and Nikita Mndoyants, Korean violin prodigy SooBeen Lee, sought-after pianist Gleb Ivanov; bassist and composer Xavier Foley, winner of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant; and 15-year-old cellist Ifetayo Ali, Sphinx Competition Junior Division First-Place Laureate.

In addition to these solo performers, the talented young string ensemble Attacca Quartet will also make its Boston debut. The quartet recently completed an exploration of Haydn’s 68 string quartets and will perform in F Major, Op. 77, No. 2, as well as works by Caroline Shaw, , and .

Young Baroque band ACRONYM will perform Alessandro Scarlatti’s La caduta de’Decemviri (1697), which tells the story of Virginia, the heroine of Roman republicanism during the tyrannical rule of the 10 men (Decemviri), and the wicked Appio Claudio.

Helga Davis and George Steel have collaborated on a program, The City of Women, which explores the stories of women from Lucretia to Sandra Bland whose lives and deaths have inspired action against injustice and tyranny. These two musical programs were created to complement the Museum’s special exhibition, Botticelli: Heroines + Heroes, opening Feb. 14, 2019. The exhibition reunites Botticelli’s Story of Virginia and Story of Lucretia for the first time.

The spring season will also showcase the Museum’s resident chamber A Far Cry, period-instrument ensemble Handel and Haydn Society, Musicians from Marlboro, and Borromeo String Quartet.

On Saturday, March 23 at 3 p.m., the Museum will host a special event with a live concert recording of Boston’s long-running radio series, From the Top. The series provides a national platform for young performers to be heard playing and talking about their interest and lives. The co-presentation will feature violinist Leila Josefowicz as guest host.

Another highlight is the Museum’s initiative to expand Thursday night programming when the Museum is open until 9 p.m. The Museum’s long-standing and popular RISE series returns on Thursday, March 28 with Jazzmeia Horn, a rising star of jazz music and winner of the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute Competition. Latrell James will open the show. On Thursday, April 25, popular R&B trio Moonchild will make their Gardner debut, with Carson Schmidt and Camille Merendail opening. In addition to RISE, the Museum has added a Thursday Evening Concert series. The concerts this season are “sacred steel” gospel music ensemble The Campbell Brothers; a tribute to by MIT professor, composer and performer Evan Zipoyrn; and performances by local artists and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Maimouna Youssef celebrating the power of women.

“Our winter/spring music season truly embodies the spirit of Isabella and her desire to promote multi-genre artistic experiences,” says Peggy Fogelman, the Museum’s Norma Jean Calderwood Director. “George and Helga’s programming will bring rising talents and longstanding audience favorites to the Museum.”

The Museum’s concerts take place Calderwood Hall on Saturday and Sunday afternoons starting January 20, and Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. RISE concerts will also be on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in March and April. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Nov. 28.

Here is the complete schedule:

Nikita Mndoyants, piano Sunday, January 20 at 1:30 p.m. Boston Debut

Both pianist and composer, Nikita Mndoyants rocketed to early stardom in 2016 at the beginning of his international career with a remarkable first—winning both the Cleveland International Piano Competition and the Prokofiev International Competition. Mndoyants will perform Franz ’s in E Major, Hob. xvi: 31 (1776); Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata No. 32 in , Op. 111 (1822); Johannes Brahms’ Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 5 (1853); and Leonard Bernstein’s “For Stephen Sondheim” (1965), “In Memoriam: ” (1981), and “For My Daughter, Nina” (1981).

SooBeen Lee, violin Sunday, January 27 at 1:30 p.m. Boston Debut / Young Concert Artists Winner

Called “Korea’s hottest violin prodigy,” SooBeen Lee is making an early name for herself in Boston and around the world. She will perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s No. 8 in G Major, Op. 30, No. 3 (1802); Camille Saint-Saëns, Violin Sonata No. 1 in , Op. 7 (1885); Béla Bartók’s Rhapsody No. 1 (1928); and Leonard Bernstein’s Violin Sonata (1940).

Charlie Albright Sunday, February 3 at 1:30 p.m.

Charlie Albright plays a program of music both beloved and unfamiliar, including: Ludwig van Beethoven’s No. 14, “Moonlight” (1801); Leoš Janácěk’s Piano Sonata 1.x.1905 (1905); Gian Carlo Menotti’s Ricercare and (The Old Maid and the Thief ) (1953); Vivian Fine’s Concertante (1944); and Leonard Bernstein’s “For Elizabeth B. Ehrman” (1951).

This concert is generously sponsored by Diane Gipson and Charles Rendeiro.

ACRONYM Alessandro Scarlatti Sunday, February 10 at 1:30 p.m.

Scarlatti’s unrecorded opera, La caduta de’ Decemviri (1697), tells the story of Virginia, the hero of Roman republicanism during the tyrannical rule of the 10 men (Decemviri), and the wicked Appius Claudius.

The City of Women Sunday, February 17 at 1:30 p.m. World premiere Gardner Museum Commission

Helga Davis, the Gardner’s second Visiting Curator for Performing Arts, collaborates with Abrams Curator of Music George Steel on a program that tells the stories of women, from Lucretia to Sandra Bland, whose lives and deaths have inspired action against injustice and tyranny. The performance includes Oompa’s On Lucretia; Courtney Bryan’s Yet Unheard: In Memory of Sandra Bland (2016); Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre’s Judith (1708); Kate Whitley’s (text by Malala Yousafzai) Speak Out (2017); and Barbara Strozzi’s È giungerà pur mai (1664).

Borromeo String Quartet Saturday, February 23 at 3 p.m.

Sunday, February 24 at 1:30 p.m.

This is the second concert in a two-year cycle of Mendelssohn’s six string quartets. It also features the remarkable lone string quartet of , an American composer of extraordinary forward-looking music. Borromeo will perform Felix Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 1 in E Flat, Op. 12 (1829) and String Quartet No. 4 in , Op. 44, No. 2 (1839); Ruth Crawford Seeger’s String Quartet (1931); and Leonard Bernstein’s Yosi, the Jokester (arr. Nicholas Kitchen) (c. 1950).

Gleb Ivanov, piano Boston Debut Sunday, March 3 at 1:30 p.m. Complete Piano : Part I

Sunday, March 10 at 1:30 p.m. Sergei Prokofiev Complete Piano Sonatas: Part II

Sergei Prokofiev was one of the principal coiners of the musical lingua franca of 20th-century music. His piano sonatas, written between 1909 and 1947, are a dazzling catalog of some of his most fascinating ideas.

A Far Cry with Nicole Mitchell, contralto Saturday, March 16 at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 17 at 1:30 p.m.

The Gardner Museum’s beloved Ensemble-in-Residence returns for this program of four American masterpieces, spanning six decades: Julia Perry’s moving Stabat Mater (1951), John Adams’ giddy and hypnotizing Shaker Loops (1978), Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst (2012), and No. 1 (1955) by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, a formidable conductor and composer who has collaborated with artists as diverse as Max Roach, , , and Melvin Van Peebles.

From the Top: Live Concert Recording with special guest host Leila Josefowicz, violin Saturday, March 23 at 3 p.m. A co-presentation of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and From the Top

Boston’s long-running radio series provides a national platform for young performers to be heard playing and talking about their interests and lives. The Gardner Museum joins forces with this great American project as it welcomes Leila Josefowicz as guest host.

Musicians from Marlboro Sunday, March 24 at 1:30 p.m.

This program pairs Britten’s string quartet, an homage to Henry Purcell, with a small Bernstein work, written as a gift for , conductor of the Boston Orchestra, from the same period. The program, anchored by Dvořák’s sextet, is rounded out with a song cycle for violin and voice by . Vasil Garvanliev, tenor; Alexi Kenney and Anna Lee, violins; Luosha Fang, violin/viola; Hsin-Yun Huang, viola; Sujin Lee and Judith Serkin, will perform Henry Purcell’s Chacony (c. 1680); Antonín Dvořák’s String Sextet in , Op. 48

(1878); Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Along the Field (1927); Leonard Bernstein’s Andante Contemplativo (1944); and ’s String Quartet in , Op. 36 (1945).

Bridget Kibbey, harp Sunday, March 31 at 1:30 p.m.

Virtuoso harpist Bridget Kibbey has assembled an all-star cast of musicians for this performance of spectacular French , including one of Ravel’s most succulent works, and a chamber tone poem by Andre Caplet, who conjures Edgar Allen Poe’s “Mask of the Red Death” in his Conte Fantastique. Chad Hoopes and Francisco Fullana, violins; Matthew Lipman, viola; Brooke Speltz, , Jasmine Choi, flute; and Romie de Guise Langlois, clarinet join Kibbey to perform: Cecile Chaminade’s for Flute (1902); Claude Debussy’s Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane (1904); ’s Introduction and Allegro (1905); Camille Saint-Saëns’s Fantaisie for Violin and Harp (1907); André Caplet’s Conte Fantastique (1923); and Leonard Bernstein’s “For Felicia Montealegre” (1948).

Xavier Foley, Sunday, April 7 at 1:30 p.m. Boston Debut

The winner of a 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Xavier Foley is blazing a trail as a bassist and composer. Only a few years ago, he won both the Sphinx Competition and the Young Concert Artists Prize. Now he is a resident artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s CMS Two. Foley will perform Serge Koussevitzky’s Chanson Triste (1906); Leonard Bernstein’s “For Serge Koussevitzky” (1943), Foley’s new work, and other repertoire to be announced.

Boston Children’s Chorus Saturday, April 13 at 1:30 p.m. Program to be announced

The 2018–2019 Boston Children’s Chorus concerts are generously sponsored by Willa and Taylor Bodman.

Attacca Quartet Sunday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Boston Debut

One of America’s most talented young string quartets, Attacca recently completed an exploration of Haydn’s 68 string quartets. They round out this program with two works by Caroline Shaw, the youngest composer to win the Pulitzer Prize. Attacca will perform Franz Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 77, No. 2 (1799); Ludwig van Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 15 in A Minor, Op. 132; and “Heiliger Dankgesang” (1825); Caroline Shaw’s Entr’acte (2011) and Valencia (2012); and Leonard Bernstein’s (arr. Andrew Yee), from Piano Anniversaries.

Handel and Haydn Society, “The Magic of Venice” Sunday, April 28 at 1:30 p.m.

This program directed by Ian Watson includes five masterful works by Vivaldi, Sinfonia “Il coro delle muse,” RV 149; Sinfonia in G, RV 146; Ostro picta, armata spina (introduzione to Gloria, RV 588), RV 642, for Viola d’amore in D, RV 392; and Concerto for Violin in E Flat, “La tempesta di mare,” RV 98.

Ifetayo Ali, cello

Sunday, May 5 at 1:30 p.m. Boston Debut / Sphinx Competition Laureate

At age 15, Ifetayo Ali became the Sphinx Competition Junior Division First-Place Laureate—and she has the remarkable musicianship and magnetic stage presence to back it up. She appeared on the Boston-based NPR program From the Top this season, and now makes a full recital debut with an exciting program. Ali will perform Johannes Brahms’ No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38 (1865); Ludwig van Beethoven’s Seven Variations on “Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen” (from The Magic Flute), WoO 46 (1801) , Pampeana No. 2 for Cello and Piano, Op. 21 (1950); J.S. Bach’s Adagio from Toccata in C Major BWV 564 (c. 1715).

Musicians from Marlboro Sunday, May 12 at 1:30 p.m.

The Musicians from Marlboro bring a program anchored by Bartók’s riveting fifth quartet and Brahms’ first piano quartet. This dynamic program acts as the finale to the Winter/Spring 2019 season. The musicians include Gabriele Carcano, piano; Yoojin Jang and Joseph Lin, violins; Kei Tojo, viola; Sarah Rommel, cello; and they will perform Franz Schubert’s Quartettsatz in C Minor, D. 703 (1820); Johannes Brahms’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in , Op. 25 (1861); Béla Bartók’s String Quartet No. 5 (1934); and Leonard Bernstein’s Five Anniversaries (1949–1951).

Often sold-out events, the Weekend Concert Series takes place in the Museum’s Calderwood Hall, located at 25 Evans Way, Boston, Mass. Tickets are required, which may be purchased in advance or at the door, and include Museum admission. Ticket prices for the Weekend Concert Series are:

SECTION A: FLOOR LEVEL & FIRST BALCONY Adults $36, seniors $33, members $24, students & children 7–17 $15 (children under 7 not admitted).

SECTION B: SECOND & THIRD BALCONIES Adults $31, seniors $28, members $19, students & children 7–17 $15 (children under 7 not admitted).

THURSDAY EVENING CONCERTS

The Campbell Brothers Thursday, January 31 at 7 p.m.

One of the leading ensembles in America’s “sacred steel” gospel music tradition, this family of musicians makes their pedal steel guitar and lap guitar sing, swing, shout, testify, and raise the roof. These legendary artists are sure to bring down the house.

David Bowie’s Blackstar Thursday, February 28 at 6 and 8 p.m.

Composer, performer, and MIT professor Evan Ziporyn has created a blockbuster tribute to the late David Bowie, transforming his final album, Blackstar, into a for avant-garde

cellist Maya Beiser, backed by the Ambient Orchestra. A special spectacle of light and projection is being created especially for this performance in Calderwood Hall.

Maimouna Youssef Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. A Woman’s Worth

Celebrate the power and stories of women with soulful and intimate performances from local artists and Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and emcee Maimouna Youssef.

Tickets are required and include Museum admission: adults $27, seniors $24, members $17, students & children 7–17 $15.

RISE

Curated by Shea Rose and Simone Scazzocchio, RISE spotlights pop, rock, and hip-hop artists, inviting them to perform in Calderwood Hall, the Gardner Museum’s sonic cube.

Jazzmeia Horn | Latrell James Thursday, March 28 at 7 p.m. A rising star of jazz music and winner of the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute Competition, vocal powerhouse Jazzmeia Horn wows international audiences with her passionate performances, including a fiery rendition of "Moanin" at the 2018 Grammy Awards ceremony.

Moonchild | Carson Schmidt | Camille Merendail Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. Alternative R&B trio Moonchild is known for its dreamy, Soulquarians-inspired grooves and the wispy, ethereal vocals of Amber Navran.

Thursday Evening Concerts and the RISE music series are generously sponsored by Amy and David Abrams. Media sponsor: Improper Bostonian

Tickets for RISE are required and include Museum admission; adults $27, seniors $24, members $17, students and children 7-17 $15.

The Sunday Concert Series is sponsored in part by Hemenway & Barnes LLP. The Museum thanks its generous concert donors: Fitzpatrick Family Concert; James Lawrence Memorial Concert; Alford P. Rudnick Memorial Concert; Marie Louise & David Scudder Concert; Wendy Shattuck Young Artist Concert; Willona Sinclair Memorial Concert. The piano is dedicated as the Alex d’Arbeloff Steinway. The harpsichord was generously donated by Dr. Robert Barstow in memory of Marion Huse and its care is endowed in memory of Dr. Barstow by The Barstow Fund. This project is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the State of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the

Boston Cultural Council, a local agency, which is funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - a magical creation of one woman's daring vision - invites you to awaken your senses and be transported. Modeled after a Venetian palazzo, unforgettable galleries surround a luminous courtyard and are home to masters such as Rembrandt, Raphael, Titian, Michelangelo, Whistler, and Sargent. The Renzo Piano wing provides a platform for contemporary artists, musicians, and scholars, and serves as an innovative venue where creativity is celebrated in all of its forms.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum • 25 Evans Way Boston MA 02215 • Hours: Open Daily from 11a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursdays until 9 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. • Admission: Adults $15; Seniors $12; Students $10; Free for members, children under 18, everyone on his/her birthday, and all named “Isabella” • $2 off admission with a same-day Museum of Fine Arts, Boston ticket • For information 617 566 1401 • Box Office 617 278 5156 • www.gardnermuseum.org

MEDIA CONTACTS Sarah Gledhill 617-269-7171 [email protected]

Lena Castro 617-278-5127 [email protected]