Jennifer Koh, violin and Shai Wosner, piano
7:30 – 9:30PM
Program:Debussy: Sonata in G minor, L. 140 Kurtag: Tre Pezzi Beethoven: Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96 Saariaho: Tocar Fauré: Sonata No. 1 in A Major, Op. 13
About Jennifer Koh and Shai Wosner:Violinist Jennifer Koh and pianist Shai Wosner’s longtime collaboration has been praised for its “breathtaking display of tight virtuosity” ( Buffalo News) and “precision and wit” (San Francisco Chronicle). Their 2013 recording Signs, Games + Messages was noted for a “high level of technical assurance” by Gramophone. Their ambitious current project, Bridge to Beethoven, explores the impact and significance Beethoven and classical music has had on a diverse group of composers and musicians. Bridge to Beethoven features new commissions from composers Andrew Norman, Vijay Iyer, and Anthony Cheung as companion pieces to Beethoven’s violin sonatas. Bridge to Beethoven has created compositional conversations that inspire ownership of music from artists and audiences of diverse racial and ethnic lineage. The project launched with a series of premieres in 2015.
Violinist Jennifer Koh is recognized for her intense, commanding performances, delivered with dazzling virtuosity and technical assurance. With an impassioned musical curiosity, she is forging an artistic path of her own devising, choosing works that both inspire and challenge. She is dedicated to performing the violin repertoire of all eras from traditional to contemporary, believing that the past and present form a continuum. Pianist Shai Wosner has attracted international recognition for his exceptional artistry, musical integrity and creative insight. His performances of a broad range of repertoire, from Beethoven and Mozart to Schoenberg and Ligeti, as well as music by his contemporaries, communicate his imaginative programming and intellectual curiosity.