Arts

[email protected] takes famed composers' work to 21st century

Online concert brings together pieces by two masters: George Gershwin and Maurice Ravel

Violinist Kristin Lee joins pianist Orion Weiss joins in a virtual performance "Mutual Admiration: Gershwin and Ravel," presented as part of [email protected]'s Explorers Series. The program also features Lee and Weiss discussing the composers' works. Photo by Sophie Zhai

What happens when two renowned but very different musical masters cross paths? According to [email protected], "mutual admiration" sparked when French composer Maurice Ravel and American composer George Gershwin met in 1928 at a birthday celebration for Ravel. That the two composers held each other's artistry in such esteem inspired the theme of [email protected]'s latest virtual concert, "Mutual Admiration: Gershwin and Ravel," featuring violinist Kristin Lee and pianist Orion Weiss.

Lee and Weiss will play a selection of works by Gershwin and Ravel in a performance available online for on-demand viewing through Saturday, Jan. 23.

The concert is presented as part of [email protected]'s online Explorer Series, which pairs musical performances and discussion.

The program opens with Ravel's Violin Sonata no. 2 in G major, op. 45 (1923–27), followed by Five Selections from Porgy and Bess for Violin and Piano by Gershwin (arranged by Jascha Heifetz) and concludes with Ravel's Tzigane for Violin and Piano.

Pianist Orion Weiss performs a program of works by Gershwin and Ravel with violinist Kristin Lee in an online concert presented as part of [email protected]'s Explorers Series. Photo by Jacob Blickenstaff

[email protected]'s co-directors, Wu Han and David Finckel, are also co-artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center in New York City, giving [email protected] a deep well of talented guest artists to draw from for its own season. Lee and Weiss are both members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and they each have many credits, among them: Lee is a principal artist with Camerata Pacifica in Santa Barbara while in recent years, Weiss has released recordings of the complete Gershwin works for piano and orchestra with longtime collaborators the Buffalo Philharmonic and conductor JoAnn Falletta.

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Listeners can get Lee and Weiss' insights into the works featured in the "Mutual Admiration" performance during a short discussion presented as part of the program.

Tickets are $25. For more information, visit musicatmenlo.org.

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Heather Zimmerman
Heather Zimmerman has been with Embarcadero Media since 2019. She writes and edits arts stories, compiles the Weekend Express newsletter, curates the community calendar, helps edit stories for the Voice and The Almanac and assists with assembling the Express newsletters for those publications. Read more >>

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[email protected] takes famed composers' work to 21st century

Online concert brings together pieces by two masters: George Gershwin and Maurice Ravel

by / Palo Alto Weekly

Uploaded: Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 12:22 pm

What happens when two renowned but very different musical masters cross paths? According to [email protected], "mutual admiration" sparked when French composer Maurice Ravel and American composer George Gershwin met in 1928 at a birthday celebration for Ravel. That the two composers held each other's artistry in such esteem inspired the theme of [email protected]'s latest virtual concert, "Mutual Admiration: Gershwin and Ravel," featuring violinist Kristin Lee and pianist Orion Weiss.

Lee and Weiss will play a selection of works by Gershwin and Ravel in a performance available online for on-demand viewing through Saturday, Jan. 23.

The concert is presented as part of [email protected]'s online Explorer Series, which pairs musical performances and discussion.

The program opens with Ravel's Violin Sonata no. 2 in G major, op. 45 (1923–27), followed by Five Selections from Porgy and Bess for Violin and Piano by Gershwin (arranged by Jascha Heifetz) and concludes with Ravel's Tzigane for Violin and Piano.

[email protected]'s co-directors, Wu Han and David Finckel, are also co-artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center in New York City, giving [email protected] a deep well of talented guest artists to draw from for its own season. Lee and Weiss are both members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and they each have many credits, among them: Lee is a principal artist with Camerata Pacifica in Santa Barbara while in recent years, Weiss has released recordings of the complete Gershwin works for piano and orchestra with longtime collaborators the Buffalo Philharmonic and conductor JoAnn Falletta.

Listeners can get Lee and Weiss' insights into the works featured in the "Mutual Admiration" performance during a short discussion presented as part of the program.

Tickets are $25. For more information, visit musicatmenlo.org.

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