Shostakovich festival

After an exciting concert by the Moscow Symphony last night, we will have two more days to experience his music. Miri Yampolsky and Xak Bjerken are putting together a chamber music festival over the next two days exploring Shostakovich's music.

Note two orchestra members are featured in the concerts.
Jian Liu of CSO and Abe Katzen of CCO.
Also our two Brahms Double soloists; John Haines-Eitzen and Stephen Miahky are featured soloists.

Here is the press release info.

Shostakovich Festival
Miri Yampolsky, director
Friday and Saturday, November 17-18, 8:00 PM
Barnes Hall

On the heels of the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra's all-Russian program on November 15 (with the Cornell Concert Series), the Department of Music presents a Shostakovich Festival organized by faculty pianist Miri Yampolsky. Funded, in part, by a grant from the Cornell Council for the Arts, the festival features two evening concerts (8:00 PM) in Barnes Hall on Friday and Saturday, November 17 and 18, with faculty and selected student musicians, as well as a number of guest artists--all in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975).

"Celebrating the life and music of any composer is a good 'excuse' for a festival," says Miri Yampolsky, "but I could think of no twentieth-century composer other than Dmitri Shostakovich for whom it would be a special privilege to put together the best of his chamber music works--in the form of chamber music concerts here at Cornell--to celebrate the 100th year of his birth. Being of Russian heritage myself adds a special personal feeling. All of my life as a musician I have felt an incredible bond with the music of this genius whom I (and many others) consider perhaps the 'grand' genius of the twentieth century. His Jewish elements add a special personal link to me. Every piece of music featured on this festival carries an 'emotional weight' of the most intimate kind; his music is moving beyond belief--at times almost too 'strong' to bear. Sharing the stage with the most wonderful musicians and friends and amazing students could not be more perfect for this occasion. I hope that my colleagues, my students, and the public will experience a similar connection to this music during the course of the two concerts."

On the Friday night concert, November 17, concert-goers will hear Satires, a song cycle for soprano and piano (Judith Kellock, Miri Yampolsky) and the Viola Sonata, op. 147 (guest Michael Zaretsky, with Xak Bjerken). Following intermission, three students perform the Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, op. 67 (Cris Valenzuela, piano; Jian Liu, violin; Abe Katzen, cello).

The Saturday night, November 18, concert opens with Seven Romances on verses by Alexander Blok, op. 127, for soprano and piano trio (Judith Kellock with Ariadne Daskalakis, violin; Elizabeth Simkin, cello; Xak Bjerken, piano), followed by the Cello Sonata, op. 40 (John Haines-Eitzen, with Xak Bjerken). The program--and festival--ends with Shostakovich's Piano Quintet in G Minor, op. 57, featuring Ariadne Daskalakis (violin) and Michael Zaretsky (viola), along with music faculty Stephen Miahky (violin), John Haines-Eitzen (cello), and Miri Yampolsky (piano).
[Note that Alla Yampolsky will not be playing on this concert as originally advertised.]

FRIDAY
Satires, op. 109
with Judith Kellock, soprano, and Miri Yampolsky, piano

Viola Sonata, op. 147
with guest Michael Zaretsky, viola, and Xak Bjerken, piano

Intermission

Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, op. 67
with chamber music students Cris Valenzuela, piano; Jian Liu, violin; Abe Katzen, cello

SATURDAY
Seven romances on verses by Alexander Blok, op. 127
with Judith Kellock, soprano; Xak Bjerken, piano; and
guests Ariadne Daskalakis, violin; Elizabeth Simkin, cello
Cello Sonata, op. 40
with John Haines-Eitzen, cello; Xak Bjerken, piano

Intermission
Piano Quintet in G Minor, op. 57
with Miri Yampolsky, piano; guest Ariadne Daskalakis and
Stephen Miahky, violins; guest Michael Zaretsky, viola; John Haines-Eitzen, cello
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