NOW Festival: Tong Wang & Maitreyi Muralidharan - entrance $25
Please note: you can purchase individual tickets for $25 each, or purchase the NOW concert series pass for $100 ($35 off).
The first in a series of five performances celebrating the music of today. Pianist Tong Wang and violinist Maitreyi Muralidharan will perform:
Elena Kats-Chernin - Eliza’s Aria
Eliza’s Aria is a piece for soprano and orchestra composed by the Australian composer. It is part of the ballet Wild Swans, which is based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The piece was first recorded by soprano Jane Sheldon and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and released on the ABC Classics label1. The piece became famous when it was used in a series of television and cinema advertisements for British bank Lloyds under the tagline “For the journey” in 2007. The piece features a simple and catchy melody sung by the soprano using syllables, accompanied by a playful piano and strings. The piece expresses the joy and innocence of Eliza, the heroine of the fairy tale.
Fu-Tong Wong - Suite: A Dream of the Motherland
Fu-Tong Wong is a Chinese-American musician and composer whose piece Dance in D is for violin and piano. It is based on a traditional Chinese folk tune and features lively rhythms and melodies. The piece was recorded by violinist Cho-Liang Lin and pianist Evelyn Chen in 2010 as part of their album Postcards from China.
Kala Ramnath - Aalap and Tarana
Kala Ramnath’s Aalap and Tarana is a piece for violin and piano composed by the Indian violinist, who specializes in North Indian classical music. It is part of the album In 27 Pieces: the Hilary Hahn Encores, which features 27 short pieces commissioned by the American violinist Hilary Hahn from 27 different composers. Alap and Aarana is based on two forms of Indian classical music: alap, which is a slow and improvised introduction to a raga, and tarana, which is a fast and rhythmic composition using syllables. The piece showcases Ramnath’s mastery of both Indian and Western musical styles.
Dinuk Wijeratne - Violin Sonata III, “Resilience”
Resilience is a violin and piano sonata by Dinuk Wijeratne, composed in 2017. It is the third sonata in his series of violin sonatas that explore different aspects of his musical identity and influences and is dedicated to violinist Emmanuel Vukovich, who performed at Lamp earlier this Spring
Fazil Say - Sonata 2 “Mount Ida"
A violin sonata composed in 1997 by the Turkish pianist and composer Fazil Say that was was commissioned by the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music and premiered in Tucson, Arizona by Fazil Say and Mark Peskanov. The sonata combines classical western form with folk music elements of Turkey, spiced with jazz-like intensified rhythms. Part of his series of violin sonatas that explore different aspects of his musical identity and influences. The third sonata is subtitled “Mount Ida” and is inspired by the ancient mountain in Turkey where the composer spent some time in 2016. The sonata combines elements of classical, jazz, folk and world music, reflecting Wijeratne’s eclectic and innovative style. The sonata was premiered by violinist Friedemann Eichhorn and Wijeratne himself on piano in 2017 at the Heidelberg Spring Festival in Germany.
Fazil Say’s own program notes ties the theme of environmental issues together perfectly:
"Due to illegal deforestation in the nature reserve of Mount Ida, a mountain between Canakkale and Balikesir in Turkey, Fazil Say spontaneously gave an open-air concert on 18 August 2019. The artistic idea behind the concert was to listen to the music of the trees and all forest inhabitants. The Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano op. 82, "Mount Ida", composed after that concert, hence addresses this idea of life and the preservation of life in music. It describes the existence and survival of trees, birds, turtles, squirrels, and many other creatures in integrity.”
These topics hit particularly close to home and deal with current issues due to Alberta wildfires which is tragically affecting everyone here as well. We might collaborate again with some local NS poets who have been working on nature/environmental themes.
Hisaishi/Chu- Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke is a piece for violin and piano composed by Joe Hisaishi and arranged by Chu. It is based on the soundtrack of the animated film Princess Mononoke, directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The piece features themes from the film, such as the legend of Ashitaka, the encounter with San, and the battle in front of the ironworks. The piece captures the epic and emotional story of the film, which is set in a fantasy world where humans and nature are in conflict.