Friday, January 7, 2011

Pianist André Watts Plays Rachmaninoff with Kansas City Symphony Jan. 14 8 PM

[André Watts]

On Friday, January 14 at 8:00 p.m. Pianist André Watts will perform with the Kansas City Symphony for the first of three consecutive days, January 14, 15 and 16, 2011:

Kansas City Symphony
kcsymphony.org
Lyric Theatre Michael Stern, music director
André Watts, piano


Beethoven Grosse Fugue in B-flat Major for String Orchestra
Martinů Symphony No. 4
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2

Celebrated pianist André Watts joins the Kansas City Symphony for a performance of Rachmaninoff's famous Second Piano Concerto. Originally written as a string quartet, Beethoven's Grosse Fuge has been called the "wildest, grandest fuge ever composed." Though he was completely deaf when he composed it, Beethoven's Grosse Fuge is an energetic, introspective and powerful work. The Fourth Symphony of Bohuslav Martinů is an optimistic, radiant work filled with vigor and lush melodies.

“André Watts burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in their Young People's Concerts, broadcast nationwide on CBS-TV. Only two weeks later, Bernstein asked him to substitute at the last minute for the ailing Glenn Gould in performances of Liszt's E-flat Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, thus launching his career in storybook fashion. More than 45 years later, André Watts remains one of today's most celebrated and beloved superstars.”

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