““ONE OF THE TOP 20 MUSIC FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD TO ATTEND THROUGH THE REST OF THE SUMMER” ”
The San Francisco International Piano Festival is supported, in part, by a grant from the Ross McKee Foundation.
Dear Friends of the Festival,
I am delighted to welcome you to our 9th annual season, a celebration of international voices, music of the Americas, exciting debuts, and local treasures. In our past two seasons, we celebrated the music of Fauré and Ravel during their important anniversary years; now, we look ahead to an eclectic and colorful mix of repertoire from diverse influences that weave throughout American music. The festival will once again make its home base at Old First Concerts with additional events at the Maybeck Studio for the Performing Arts, Noontime Concerts, and Noe Valley Ministry.
In our opening night program at Old First Concerts, all these elements are in evidence as renowned pianist Éva Polgár makes her San Francisco debut, joining me to perform music of Samuel Barber, Derek Bermel, and Franz Liszt. Barber’s Souvenirs and Derek Bermel’s Turning form a kind of microcosm of the season, the former re-imagining dances from different cultures and the latter fusing traditions of American and West African music through a hymn tune. We find connections and surprises, common ground and contrasts, all embodied in sound beyond words. Liszt forms a bedrock of virtuoso piano and philosophical tradition, having a seminal influence on what is possible at the instrument.
Continuing the theme of music of the Americas, Alexandre Dossin makes his festival debut with a solo recital of American piano music from the last century. The image of postcards has come to mind with many of the pieces in this season, works that are sent in personal communication and affection to a specific recipient. Here, the program features such homage compositions by Leonard Bernstein and Robert Pollock, character pieces and sonatas by George Walker, the fourth Bachianas Brasileiras by Villa-Lobos, and Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue. This combination of the personal and global makes for a compelling musical voyage, all the more so in the masterful hands of this artist.
The Festival has always celebrated the artistry of pianists from different generations, and it is a particular joy to welcome back Karina Tseng, a laureate of the Ross McKee Piano Competition and Young Chamber Musicians, to perform her own solo recital at our other presenting partner, Noontime Concerts. Karina will perform a tour-de-force program of Beethoven and Schumann, concluding with the great B minor Sonata of Liszt.
As always, the middle of the week is full of free events, and right at the heart of it is the McKee Masterclass Series. These three masterclasses feature gifted young artists in coaching with veteran pianists and educators, creating the environment for transformational learning. This year’s masterclass series will take place the Noe Valley Ministry which features a warm and friendly space ideal for musical performance and conversation. The first of our classes will led by distinguished pianist Elizabeth Dorman making her festival debut this season. Ms. Dorman is well known to audiences throughout the Bay Area as outstanding soloist and chamber musician. The second class will be given by festival favorite Stephen Prutsman, brilliant pianist, composer, and educator. Eric Zivian makes his inaugural appearance in the series and will conclude the week with his masterclass. Mr. Zivian is acclaimed on historical and modern piano and brings special insight as pianist, composer, and mentor to young musicians.
As we move into closing weekend, the festival is proud to welcome father and son steelpan duo TNTeague, Liam Teague and Jaden Teague-Núñez. An acclaimed leader in the performance and education world of steelpan, Liam Teague has performed internationally and has composed and arranged extensively for the steelpan. Jaden Teague-Núñez has established himself as a prominent young artist and virtuoso, the first ever steelpan soloist to perform with the Chicago Symphony. Jaden is also a gifted pianist and will perform on both instruments during this special event.
The Festival Finale brings together all the elements of the previous concerts into a dazzling showcase of musical variety. TNTeague will return for two virtuosic solos, and my great friend and colleague Elizabeth Dorman will make her festival debut in this program, joining me in works for two pianos. Gershwin’s Cuban Overture will open the program, and we will close Rachmaninoff’s epic final composition, written in the U.S., the Symphonic Dances. This masterpiece was given its private premiere in the version for two pianos by the composer and Vladimir Horowitz in Beverly Hills, in August 1942.
The festival will once again make its home base at Old First Concerts, the venue that launched the festival back in 2017. We are grateful to our presenting partners in Old First Concerts, Noontime, Concerts, the Maybeck Studio for the Performing Arts, and Noe Valley Ministry for their collaboration. A sincere gratitude goes to the Ross McKee Foundation for their continued support of our work, and I also want to acknowledge the generosity of so many individuals that make the festival possible.
I hope that you enjoy these concerts, discover new favorites, and connect to the music that sustains you. As always, I thank you for your supportive presence and deep listening and look forward to seeing you at our events.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey LaDeur
