RAVEL’ S BOLÉRO, DEBUSSY & SAINT-SAËNS
In recognition of his achievements in France, he was honoured in 2012 with the Chevalier del’ Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
He studied in Munich with Sergiu Celibidache, at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein, and Seiji Ozawa.
Mr. Märkl is highly dedicated to work with young musicians: For many years he worked as Principal Conductor at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo and the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado. He teaches as a Guest Professor at the Kunitachi College of Music Tokyo, and he recently founded the National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan.
Stewart Goodyear
Proclaimed " a phenomenon " by the Los Angeles Times and " one of the best pianists of his generation” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Stewart Goodyear is an accomplished concert pianist, improviser and composer. Mr. Goodyear has performed with, and has
Stewart Goodyear
been commissioned by, many of the major orchestras and chamber music organizations around the world. Last year, Orchid Classics released Mr. Goodyear’ s recording of his suite for piano and orchestra,“ Callaloo” and his piano sonata. His recent commissions Include works for violinist Miranda Cuckson, cellist Inbal Segev, the Penderecki String Quartet, the Horszowski Trio, the Honens Piano Competition and the Chineke! Foundation. Mr. Goodyear made his BBC Proms debut performing“ Callaloo” with the Chineke! Orchestra under Andrew Grams in the fall 2024.
Kaupo Kikkas
Mr. Goodyear ' s discography includes the complete sonatas and piano concertos of Beethoven, as well as concertos by Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Rachmaninov, and Prokofiev, an album of Ravel piano works, and an album entitled“ For Glenn Gould,” which combines repertoire from Mr. Gould ' s U. S. and Montreal debuts. His recordings have been released on the Naxos, Marquis Classics, Orchid Classics, Bright Shiny Things, and Steinway and Sons labels. Mr. Goodyear released his recording of Mendelssohn and Schumann concertos, with two of his original compositions, on Orchid Classics in February 2025.
Highlights for the 2025 – 26 season are his performances at the Rheingau Musik Festival, the Stratford Music Festival, and performances with the St. Louis, Winnipeg and Virginia Symphonies, and A Far Cry in Boston. He will also perform in recital on the Eastman Piano Series, and the Gilmore Piano Festival.
NOTES ON THE PROGRAM
By Paula Maust
Camille Pépin
Born: November 17, 1990, in Amiens, France Currently resides in Paris, France
LES EAUX CÉLESTES( THE CELESTIAL WATERS) [ 2023 ]
French composer Camille Pépin describes her music as being“ at the crossroads of French impressionism and American contemporary music.” Inspired by an ancient Chinese legend, her 2023 Les Eaux célestes(“ The Celestial Waters”) evocatively portrays the story of passionate romance between the sky princess Orihime and the celestial dairy herder Hikoboshi. Beginning with“ Weaving the Clouds,” Pépin uses bowed percussion and out-of-phase strings to create the sound of Orihime dutifully weaving clothing for the gods from clouds. As Orihime and Hikoboshi fall more deeply in love, they neglect their responsibilities. The cows are scattered about, and the gods wait in vain for their new clothes.
Angered by the young lovers’ irresponsibility, the gods place“ a great celestial river”( the Milky Way) between Orihime and Hikoboshi(“ The Separation”). Loud swells in the woodwinds and brass convey their anguish, and Orihime’ s weeping is depicted by the harp and celesta in“ The Pearly Tears.” Moved by the lovers’ despair, the gods eventually permit Orihime and Hikoboshi to meet once each year on the seventh day of the seventh month. Uncertain how to cross the vast expanse of the Milky Way, the lovers are ultimately assisted by a flock of birds that build“ The Bridge of Wings.”
Exuberance abounds as the lovers are blissfully reunited.
Instrumentation: Two flutes( second doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, vibraphone, crotales, bass drum, glockenspiel, cowbells, Chinese cymbal, marimba, gong, chimes, harp, celesta, and strings.
Camille Saint-Saëns
Born: October 9, 1835, in Paris, France Died: December 16, 1921, in Algiers, Algeria
PIANO CONCERTO, NO. 5, F MAJOR, OP. 103,“ EGYPTIAN” [ 1896 ]
Although Camille Saint-Saëns is most often remembered as a prolific French composer, he pursued numerous other professional and avocational interests
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