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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240922T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240922T160000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240916T211043Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240916T211043Z
UID:307946-1727017200-1727020800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:The Pure and the Impure
DESCRIPTION:A new song cycle based on a collection of French author Colette’s observations on sex\, love\, and sensuality. Music by Elizabeth Doyle\, and translations and lyrics by Don Gecewicz. \nThe stellar cast includes Kimberly Jones as Colette\, with soprano Christine Steyer\, tenor Brian Pember\, baritone Evan Bravos\, and collaborative pianist Jeff Poindexter. \nAdmission is gratis\, but reservations are required. Please email: don.gecewicz@me.com. \n 
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/the-pure-and-the-impure
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=application/pdf:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Colette-2-Save-the-Date-9-22-24.pdf
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240922T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240922T193000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240828T194113Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240828T194113Z
UID:307907-1727028000-1727033400@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Autumn Equinox
DESCRIPTION:Biographies \nMICHAEL SHIMKUS: COMPOSER/MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST. I APPROACH MUSIC CREATION THROUGH AN INTUITIVE PROCESS…IT IS QUITE AN UN-TRADITIONAL \, UNIQUE APPROACH TO MUSIC CREATION. I HAVE LONG BEEN LOOKING FOR…THE SOURCE OF MUSIC….AM TOTALLY FASCINATED BY THE ROLE OF THE HARP IN HUMAN EVOLUTION…IN HUMAN CULTURE. \nMY CURIOSITY HAS ALLOWED ME TO EXPLORE MANY GENRES. BLUES\, JAZZ\, C7W\, CLASSICAL MUSIC\,CHAMBER MUSIC\,SPOKEN WORD\,ELECTRONICA\, FLAMENCO\, MR. SHIMKUS IS AN ALGORYTHMS WORST NIGHTMARE… \nAN AUTODIDACT…HE HAS BEEN INSPIRED BY MANY… DIVERGENT PEOPLE. SATIE\, ZAPPA\, BACH\, FURY LEWIS\, MIKE OLDFIELD\, JOHN AND PAUL\, FRANK\, DVORAK\, V. BACKFARK\, PHAROH SANDERS\, MC COY TYNER\, JOHN MAYALL\, RAVI SHANKAR\, JOHN MC GLAFHLIN\, SWEET HONEY ON THE ROCK\, SHAWN PHILIPS\, MUDDY WATERS\, JONI MITCHEL\, SCARLATTI\, NINA ROTI\, PINK FLOYD\, EARLY KING CRIMSON…LES SIX \n  \nLawrence Tome is the King of the River. \nYou may hear his sound waves dancing over the branching waterways of Chicago. \nLawrence Tome was born and raised in a Norman Rockwell painting. \nLawrence Tome will lull you into a trance before drenching you in lilting melodies and somber stories\, packaged neatly in harmonic wrapping paper and taped shut with the sticky side of eras long gone. \nLawrence Tome is most easily seen under the light of a full moon.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/autumn-equinox
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shimkus_tome-flyer.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240923T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240923T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240914T194153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240914T194701Z
UID:307940-1727119800-1727125200@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:The Orion Ensemble: "To Melody!"
DESCRIPTION:Program \nMax Bruch\nEIGHT PIECES for Clarinet\, Viola and Piano\, Op. 83 \nFranz Schubert\nTRIO in B-Flat Major for Violin\, Viola and Cello\, D. 581 \nAntonin Dvorák\nQUINTET in A Major for Piano\, Violins\, Viola and Cello\, Op. 81 \n  \nWith guests Stephen Boe (viola) and Mathias Tacke (violin) \n  \nRecognized as one of Chicago’s finest chamber music groups\, The Orion Ensemble has been performing since 1992. John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune called Orion “one of Chicago’s most vibrant\, versatile and distinctive ensembles.” With the possibilities inherent in its unique combination of instruments—piano\, string trio and clarinet—Orion offers exciting interpretations of standard repertoire\, introduces audiences to rarely performed masterpieces and inspires composers with commissions for new works. \nThe Orion Ensemble boasts a roster of superb musicians who have performed throughout North America\, Europe and Asia\, as an ensemble and individually in solo\, orchestral and other chamber music roles. In Chicago\, Orion presents a four-concert series in three venues\, is heard regularly on the broadcast series “Live from WFMT” and appears frequently on the Chicago Cultural Center’s Lunchbreak Series “Classical Mondays.” \nOrion programs diverse works ranging from Mozart\, Beethoven and Brahms to William Bolcom\, Chick Corea\, Paul Schoenfield\, Augusta Read Thomas and other living composers\, offering audiences a remarkably broad chamber music experience. Orion’s expansive commitment to chamber music embraces the works of the classical through modern standard repertoire as well as an extensive range of new pieces for piano quartet and clarinet. Orion continues to inspire composers with commissions for new works written especially for its unique combination of instruments. As the Chicago Tribune’s John von Rhein wrote upon Orion’s 10th anniversary\, “It seems like only yesterday that a remarkable chamber group of musicians calling itself the Orion Ensemble was born. The Orions … quickly established themselves as one of the Chicago area’s most vibrant\, versatile and distinctive ensembles\, at home in every period but especially committed to enlarging the repertory of its unusual combination of piano quartet and clarinet.”
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/the-orion-ensemble-to-melody
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/orion.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240926T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240926T203000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240910T183015Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240910T183015Z
UID:307936-1727377200-1727382600@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Canciones Del Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Songs)
DESCRIPTION:A concert featuring songs from Spain\, France\, and Greece\, performed by actress and singer Lisa Zane\, accompanied by classical guitar. The program includes works by Joaquín Rodrigo\, Manuel de Falla\, Mikis Theodorakis\, and Erik Satie\, showcasing traditions of melodic classical folk and passionate storytelling.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/canciones-del-mediterraneo-mediterranean-songs
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Lisa-017939.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240927T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240927T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240630T182934Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240806T215730Z
UID:307794-1727463600-1727470800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Bringing Classical Back
DESCRIPTION:Solo piano recital by Haley Myles featuring the works of Chicago-based composers John Griffin and Nicholas E. Ballen (including premiere of new works). \n  \nBiographies: \nAs a Steinway Artist\, Haley Myles maintains an international performance schedule. Her appearances to-date include recitals in the United States\, France\, Germany\, Austria\, Portugal\, Italy\, Switzerland\, and the United Kingdom. She has participated extensively in various high-profile international music festivals\, both domestic and foreign. She is also a laureate of seven international competitions and has appeared on radio shows throughout Europe and America. \nHaley holds diplomas and degrees from distinguished institutions including the Mozarteum (Austria)\, Imola Piano Academy (Italy)\, and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire (UK). Previous teachers include Paul Badura-Skdoa and Andrei Gavrilov. She has also had lessons from Cyprien Katsaris\, Enrico Pace\, Olli Mustonen\, Boris Petrushansky\, and László Gyimesi\, amongst others. \nIn addition to performing core repertoire\, Haley regularly collaborates with contemporary composers. She has worked with over 50 composers to-date\, proof playing\, recording\, and performing their works. Her YouTube channel boasts over 100 recordings resulting from these collaborations. \n  \nNick Ballen is an American composer based in Chicago. Born and raised in Washington\, D.C.\, he earned his undergraduate degree in international studies from Middlebury College in Vermont and his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law at Champaign-Urbana. A lifelong fan of classical music\, among many other genres and styles\, and an erstwhile student of the piano in his youth\, Nick is largely self-taught as a composer. He began composing as a hobby and creative outlet while not otherwise engaged in his day job as an attorney. \nNick especially enjoys writing in the classical style\, which also happens to be his favorite period for playing and listening alike\, and is heavily inspired by Mozart\, Hadyn\, and Beethoven. \n  \nGrowing up\, John Griffin idolized Beethoven symphonies\, Star Wars movies\, and Disney Cartoons in equal measure. So he went to film school with a minor in music composition hoping that filmmaking would be the path to using all of his talents. Instead\, it led to a lengthy career as a TV Animation Director which didn’t allow much time for music.\nBut that was then…\nIn 2017 John began composing again with intensity and renewed skill. The result has been 4 full piano sonatas\, 2 Violin Sonatas\, a Cello Sonata\, 2 Clarinet Sonatas\, A Flute Sonata\, a String Quartet\, and a set of 5 bagatelles for piano (plus a few misc. works).\nJohn has labelled his musical style as “RetroClassical” – a mix of 19th century musical forms with a cinematic sense of drama.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/bringing-classical-back
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Pianoforte-banner-2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241009T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241009T203000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240731T002233Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240923T234047Z
UID:307833-1728500400-1728505800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Healing A Fractured World: A Portrait of Exiled Composer Egon Lustgarten
DESCRIPTION:Egon Lustgarten (1887-1961)\, an Austrian composer of Jewish descent\, was forced to emigrate to the United States after Hitler’s annexation of Austria. The Chicago premiere of ‘Healing a Fractured World: A portrait of exiled composer Egon Lustgarten’ brings the composer’s story to life through performance of his rarely heard musical works\, narrated personal correspondence\, images and a brief lecture. This program is presented by The Lahr von Leïtis Academy and Archive under the auspice of Elysium Between Two Continents. \nA brief opening lecture will give an overview of Lustagrten’s story and the political circumstances that led to his exile. Musical selections will include works for piano\, Lieder and opera performed by soprano Melissa Primavera\, pianist Sarah Jenks\, baritone Carl Ratner\, and flutist Suzanne Hannau. Interspersed with the musical selections will be narration by actor Fred Wellisch of selected letters to Lustgarten’s loved ones and colleagues as well as his diary entries. These media combined will create a portrait of Lustgarten as an artist\, an emigrant\, and a human. The music will be sung in German with English supertitles and narrated components in English. Images of the composer and places of importance to his story will be displayed as part of the performance. Running time is approximately 90 minutes followed by a brief reception to allow for audience reflection\, dialogue\, and engagement with the performers. \n \n  \n  \nThe mission of The Lahr von Leïtis Academy and Archive is to expose younger generations to exiled art; helping them create a future that incorporates lessons learned from history. The Lahr von Leïtis Academy and Archive has curated and preserved Lustgarten’s musical manuscripts and correspondence which would otherwise remain in the shadows. We aim to bring these musical masterpieces to light so that contemporary audiences can experience their inherent beauty while also gaining an understanding of their significant historical context. \nAudience Advisory: The program content may not be suitable for young children. \nTickets: There is no cost for admission. Reservations are required as seating is limited. If you wish to support the program with an optional\, tax-deductible donation\, please visit: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1419634 \nAccessibility: An elevator and designated seating area for mobility devices is available. Please indicate your accessibility needs when reserving your seats so we may better assist you. \nParking: https://pianofortechicago.com/parking/ \nPublic Transportation: PianoForte Studios is located near the Roosevelt CTA station (Red\, Orange & Green lines.) \nLinks: \nThe Lahr von Leïtis Academy and Archive\nMelissa Primavera\nSarah Jenks
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/healing-a-fractured-world-a-portrait-of-exiled-composer-egon-lustgarten
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/MLpromo-video-thumbnail-slide.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241012T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241012T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240818T172701Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240818T174956Z
UID:307889-1728761400-1728766800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:MAPS (abridged) | A Concert for Piano by DM Stoermer
DESCRIPTION:Embark on a captivating musical adventure with D.M.Stoermer as he delves into the world of exotic scales and modes\, presented in his unique contemporary classical style. \nDaniel Stoermer\, a California native\, started his classical piano training at the age of eight and began composing original pieces at sixteen. With 40 years of honing his craft\, he found inspiration in California’s diverse landscapes\, particularly its majestic mountains and vast Pacific coastline. Seeking change\, Mr. Stoermer relocated to Chicago in 2000\, where the city’s urban landscape and diversity influenced him to create numerous new works\, including Maps.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/d-m-stoermer-piano-concert
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/daniel-stoermer-pic.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241025T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241025T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240630T181511Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240630T184746Z
UID:307791-1729884600-1729890000@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:The Exorcist: An Operetta
DESCRIPTION:Join songwriter/comedian Eli Pasic as he presents his one-man musical comedy\, The Exorcist: An Operetta! A tongue-in-cheek variation of the 1970s horror classic\, Eli Pasic will render the tale by way of narration\, dialogue\, and song! Don’t miss a tuneful jaunt through this dazzling portal to hell! You’ll be possessed with laughter from start to finish! \n \nEli studied piano and composition at Berklee College of Music and was mentored by Broadway orchestrator Larry Blank (The Producers\, The Drowsy Chaperone). He’s written a musical comedy with composer Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls\, Side Show)\, which has been published by Broadway Licensing. For more details\, visit linktr.ee/elipasic. \n“Imagine if famed operettists Gilbert and Sullivan wrote ‘The Exorcist’…it would be filled with romance\, charming rhymes\, peppy melodies\, and devilishly funny jokes. Thankfully Eli Pasic has done just that and created the best operetta no one asked for.” \n—Robyn Grant-Moran\, Intermission Magazine \n“His lyrics are clever and sometimes surprising\, and yes\, they incorporate all the profanity and bodily fluids of the original\, set to the rousing choruses full of party guests and servants that are the hallmarks of the musical form. It’s a delightfully strange mashup…and entirely enjoyable\, a…smooth operetta.” \n— Ilana Lucas\, Broadway World \nAudience Advisory: Mature subject matter\, offensive language\, showtunes.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/the-exorcist-an-operetta
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Poster-Exorcist-Operetta-Portrait.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241026T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241026T183000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240914T191258Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240914T191258Z
UID:307933-1729962000-1729967400@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:American Chamber Music Society: FAURE'S SALON
DESCRIPTION:The American Chamber Music Society presents: Fauré’s Salon | An evening of music by Schubert\, Ravel\, Scriabin\, and Fauré. \nAmerican Chamber Music Society Director & Violinist Eric Gratz is joined by special guests: cellist Ken Olsen and violist Lawrence Neuman of the Chicago Symphony\, and international prizewinning pianist Christopher Guzman of Northwestern University. \nPROGRAM \nFranz Schubert: Sonatina in A Minor \nMaurice Ravel: Menuet Antique \nAlexander Scriabin: Op. 8\, no. 11 and 12 \nGabriel Fauré: Piano Quartet in C Minor \nFor more information\, visit www.americanchambermusic.org.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/american-chamber-music-society-faures-salon
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/acm-oct-pic.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241109T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241109T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240920T232600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240921T212423Z
UID:307966-1731180600-1731186000@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Jean-Claude ORFALI Solo Piano in Chicago & Guests: "Toujours l'amour! "
DESCRIPTION:Toujours l’amour! \nFrom Piaf to Sinatra and Michel Legrand to his own original songs\, Jean-Claude ORFALI\, pianist\, performs his jazzy and semi-classical arrangements of standards\, French and International music. Join him as he takes you on a musical journey with his various improvisations and variations on the worldʼs most beautiful melodies. Above all\, his aim is to share with his audience the emotional content of his music\, taking particular care to bring out its spiritual beauty and qualities. \nWe are serving this concert as “dessert” to the Cabaret Connexion concert festival\, with the inestimable pianist Jean-Claude ORFALI\, direct from the Cabaret Lapin Agile of Paris and special guest vocalists Christine Steyer\, Claudia Hommel and Angélique Dessaint. Offering inventions and variations on new and favorite French love songs. \n  \nJean-Claude ORFALI pianist\, composer and music director. He comes from a family of musicians. Very early on\, his father Elie ORFALI \, a pianist and composer\, gave him a taste for music and taught him the basics of the profession. At a young age\, he took private piano lessons with Giuseppe PULLI and followed classical training at the conservatory with Herta PAPPO and with the Royal Schools of London. He also took composition and singing lessons and trained in jazz piano and orchestral conducting. \nHe began his career in 1984 with a variety group and then as a solo artist. He exercised his talent on numerous cruises during which he acquired experience in contact with an international audience.\nIn Paris\, and for several years\, we have been able to listen to him regularly in palaces such as: the George V\, the Bristol\, the Plaza-Athénée\, the Crillon\, the Meurice and many others. He appears at the oldest Parisian artistic cabaret Lapin Agile and serves as pianist and instructor for the Chicago Paris Cabaret Connexion. He has participated in many international events and gives a few concerts in several countries around the world.He performs a varied repertoire of world music and jazz standards as well as international songs. \nSince 1997\, he has been the pianist of the Parisian jazz Big Band ” BB15 “; he took over as its director in 2009\, succeeding guitarist and conductor Gérard CURBILLON. With the BB15 he has given various concerts at UNESCO\, the Luxembourg Gardens\, the Champ de Mars\, the Asnières Theatre\, the Parc Floral\, etc. He also plays in a small jazz group and accompanies jazz and French song singers on the piano. \nORFALI has composed and performed for film. He also composes for American\, Canadian and Middle Eastern singers and is collaborating with the American soprano Christine Steyer on a book of cabaret songs. \nHe has accompanied Mexican diva Maria Felix on the piano and has performed in the presence of international show business stars: Celine Dion\, Lionel Richie\, Paul McCartney\, Mariah Carey\, Quincy Jones\, Morgan Freeman\, Mel Gibson\, Isabelle Adjani\, Jean-Michel Jarre\, Line Renaud\, Ron Wood (Rolling Stones)\, Johnny Hallyday and many others.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/toujours-lamour
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/jean-claude-pic.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241111T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241111T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240914T194609Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240914T194609Z
UID:307941-1731353400-1731358800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:The Orion Ensemble: “To Hope!"
DESCRIPTION:Program \nSamuel Coleridge-Taylor\nQUINTET in F-Sharp Minor for Clarinet and String Quartet\, Op. 10 (1895) \nJose Elizando\nTHE DAWN OF HOPE\, LIMONCELLO and CHERRY BLOSSOMS (c. 2018) \nDmitri Shostakovich\nQUINTET in G Minor for Piano and String Quartet\, Op. 57 (1940) \n  \nWith guests Stephen Boe (viola) and Mathias Tacke (violin) \n  \nRecognized as one of Chicago’s finest chamber music groups\, The Orion Ensemble has been performing since 1992. John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune called Orion “one of Chicago’s most vibrant\, versatile and distinctive ensembles.” With the possibilities inherent in its unique combination of instruments—piano\, string trio and clarinet—Orion offers exciting interpretations of standard repertoire\, introduces audiences to rarely performed masterpieces and inspires composers with commissions for new works. \nThe Orion Ensemble boasts a roster of superb musicians who have performed throughout North America\, Europe and Asia\, as an ensemble and individually in solo\, orchestral and other chamber music roles. In Chicago\, Orion presents a four-concert series in three venues\, is heard regularly on the broadcast series “Live from WFMT” and appears frequently on the Chicago Cultural Center’s Lunchbreak Series “Classical Mondays.” \nOrion programs diverse works ranging from Mozart\, Beethoven and Brahms to William Bolcom\, Chick Corea\, Paul Schoenfield\, Augusta Read Thomas and other living composers\, offering audiences a remarkably broad chamber music experience. Orion’s expansive commitment to chamber music embraces the works of the classical through modern standard repertoire as well as an extensive range of new pieces for piano quartet and clarinet. Orion continues to inspire composers with commissions for new works written especially for its unique combination of instruments. As the Chicago Tribune’s John von Rhein wrote upon Orion’s 10th anniversary\, “It seems like only yesterday that a remarkable chamber group of musicians calling itself the Orion Ensemble was born. The Orions … quickly established themselves as one of the Chicago area’s most vibrant\, versatile and distinctive ensembles\, at home in every period but especially committed to enlarging the repertory of its unusual combination of piano quartet and clarinet.”
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/the-orion-ensemble-to-hope
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/orion.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241116T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241116T173000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240926T203130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241111T220445Z
UID:307972-1731772800-1731778200@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Yoahn John Kwon Plays Chopin
DESCRIPTION:*THIS CONCERT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM SATURDAY OCTOBER 19 TO SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16 AT 4PM* \n  \nInternationally acclaimed pianist Yoahn Kwon plays Chopin’s epic Four Ballades and his monumental Sonata No.3. \nBallade No. 1 in G minor\, Op. 23 \nBallade No. 2 in F major\, Op. 38 \nBallade No. 3 in A♭ major\, Op. 47 \nBallade No. 4 in F minor\, Op. 52 \nSonata No.3 in B Minor\, Op.58 \n  \nPianist Yoahn John Kwon\, a native of South Korea\, has won extraordinary critical acclaim for his profound musicianship\, sensitivity\, and rare insight. Renowned critic Harris Goldsmith called him a ‘versatile and interesting musician who keeps audiences’ attention from beginning to end.’ \nMr. Kwon started piano studies at the age of nine. He attended the Pre-College Division of The Juilliard School. After graduating from the LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts\, Mr. Kwon received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Mannes College of Music. \nAt Mannes\, he studied piano with Diane Walsh and theory and analysis with Carl Schachter\, with a generous scholarship from the Jerry Seinfeld Family Foundation. \nFurthermore\, Mr. Kwon completed the Stages de Perfectionnement at France’s L’Ecole Normale de Musiques de Paris\, studying with Anne Queffelec for four consecutive years. \nDuring his formative years\, he studied with pianist Jacob Krichaf (a student of Claudio Arrau) in New York. And later frequently taught by Anton Kuerti\, Jacques Rouvier\, and John O’Conor. \nWith the essential interpretation based on his unique touch and detailed musical analysis\, his concerts\, recitals\, concerto appearances\, and chamber music performances with members of the New York Philharmonic\, Metropolitan Opera\, Chicago Symphony\, and London Philharmonic Orchestra received praise and acclaim from audiences and critics at renowned concert halls worldwide. \nAs a prolific recording artist\, Mr. Kwon has recorded many CDs for Audioguy\, WFMT Chicago\, and the SONY Classical label. \nAlongside his ongoing critically acclaimed concerts\, Mr. Kwon’s teaching is highly in demand by prospective students from South Korea. His most recent private students successfully got accepted to many of the highest-level conservatories and universities around the world\, such as the Manhattan School of Music\, Mannes College of Music\, Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University\, Indiana University in Bloomington\, Oberlin College\, Cleveland Institute of Music\, Eastman School of Music at Rochester University\, Northwestern University\, University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music\, Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris\, HMDK Stuttgart\, and Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. \nMr. Kwon is a concert piano technician\, church organist\, harpsichordist\, and conductor who lives in Hoffman Estates\, Illinois.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/yoahn-john-kwon-chopin-on-bechstein
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/200-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241116T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241116T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20241106T232712Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241106T232712Z
UID:308037-1731783600-1731790800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Passione d'Amore: Arias of Love and Longing
DESCRIPTION:Immerse yourself in opera’s most cathartic moments as passion and longing intertwine through the masterworks of Handel\, Dvorak\, Puccini\, and Verdi. Dr. Megan Ratliff guides you through an intimate journey where each aria unveils a character caught in their most vulnerable moment of love – from the first flutter of desire to the depths of romantic longing. \nAs stars appearing in a darkening sky\, these timeless stories of love emerge one by one\, each expressing that singular moment when the heart must speak. Romantic piano interludes bridge each aria’s unique expression proving passion needs no words. \nExperience the raw power of opera’s most moving works in one unforgettable evening\, followed by a light reception where the warmth of these timeless melodies will linger in conversation and companionship. \nLet yourself be swept away in this celebration of love’s transformative power through the centuries’ most passionate operatic expressions. \n  \nDr. Megan Anania Ratliff‘s musical journey began at age four with Suzuki violin training\, laying the foundation for her diverse musical career. Her early accomplishments included earning first chair in the prominent St. Cecelia Music Society orchestra and summers spent at the renowned Interlochen Arts Camp. A pivotal moment came when she was selected for the Grand Rapids Youth Chorale\, igniting her passion for vocal performance. \nUnder the instruction of accomplished vocalists’ mezzo-soprano Lynn Maxwell Keller and coloratura Diane Penning\, Dr. Ratliff developed her operatic technique. Her vocal journey has included performances with the Milwaukee Symphony Choir and Bel Canto choir of Milwaukee\, as well as a notable concert appearance with jazz legend Wynton Marsalis. Her versatility as a vocal performer extends to musical theatre including “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Meet Me in Saint Louis.” \nCurrently\, Dr. Ratliff contributes her talents to the West Michigan Opera Project\, an organization dedicated to making opera accessible to all audiences. In a career highlight\, she will perform with the group at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in June 2025. \n  \nJulia Siciliano is an award-winning concert pianist praised for her “fabulous creative power” by the Bonn General-Anzeiger. Her impressive career spans multiple continents\, with performances across North America\, Europe\, Asia\, and Central America at prestigious venues including Moscow’s Rachmaninov Hall\, Tokyo’s Kioi Hall\, and the Teatro Nacional of Guatemala. She has earned top prizes at several international competitions\, including the Sicily International Piano Competition and Heida Hermanns International Competition. In 2020\, she accomplished the notable feat of performing Beethoven’s complete “accompanied sonatas” across multiple countries. \nA graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan\, where she studied under Nelita True and Logan Skelton respectively\, Siciliano has established herself as both a distinguished solo artist and chamber musician. She has collaborated with Metropolitan Opera stars and acclaimed instrumentalists\, and regularly performs with prestigious orchestras worldwide. Her 2016 debut album “Dream Catchers\,” featuring works by Beethoven\, Schumann\, Schubert\, Ravel\, and Debussy\, received high praise from both Fanfare Magazine and Gramophone Magazine\, with the latter specifically commending her “fine technique and natural musicality” and her “masterful delicacy\, harmonic motion\, and timing” in Debussy’s Images II.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/passione-damore-arias-of-love-and-longing
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/megan.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241120T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241120T203000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240806T221010Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240806T221010Z
UID:307863-1732129200-1732134600@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Ensemble Vitelotte presents music by Viardot-Garcia\, Farrenc\, and Mayer
DESCRIPTION:Violin and piano duo Ensemble Vitelotte has been committed to sharing the music of historical women composers since 2019. In this free recital\, they will perform selections from Pauline Viardot-Garcia’s Six Morceaux\, Louise Farrenc’s Violin Sonata no. 2\, and Emilie Mayer’s Sonata op. 29. This project is partially supported by an Individual Artists Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. \nBIOGRAPHIES: \nEnsemble Vitelotte is a violin-keyboard duo formed in 2019 with the mission of illuminating the stories and music of historical women composers. Sun Chang\, pianist/harpsichordist\, and Kiyoe Matsuura\, violinist\, met in Italy while studying at the summer baroque-music institute “Juilliard at the Piccola Accademia”. After discovering their shared musical interests\, a natural collaboration unfolded. Since its inception\, the ensemble has received funding from Luminarts Foundation and Ars Musica Chicago\, and presented educational outreach events for Chicago public school students. This past season\, Ensemble Vitelotte proudly performed the music of composers including Jacquet de la Guerre\, Isabella Leonarda\, Germaine Tailleferre\, Pauline Viardot-Garcia\, and Louise Farrenc at the Marilyn Horne Museum and the Landowska Harpsichord Society. \nEmbracing a vibrant freelance career\, violinist Kiyoe Matsuura thrives as both a performer and educator. Specializing in historical instruments\, she performs across the country on both violin and viola in groups such as Ensemble Affect\, the Haymarket Opera Orchestra\, Callipygian Players\, the Bach and Beethoven Experience\, Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra\, Bella Voce Sinfonia\, and the Madison Bach Musicians. As a chamber musician\, one of her main projects is Ensemble Vitelotte\, a duo with keyboardist Sun Chang\, dedicated to showcasing works by historical women composers. The duo has performed for the Landowska Harpsichord Society and the Marilyn Horne Museum\, and was recently awarded a grant by Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. \nKiyoe’s skills are the product of extensive training\, having studied historical performance at institutes including ‘Juilliard at the Piccola Accadamia\,’ the Chamber Music Collective\, American Bach Soloists Academy\, Amherst Early Music Festival\, and Oberlin’s Baroque Performance Institute. Kiyoe holds a Master’s Degree from DePaul University’s School of Music\, where she studied violin with Ms. Janet Sung. With fellow DePaul students\, Kiyoe co-founded DePaul’s first period-instrument ensemble\, which was featured on the Pegasus Rising Young Artist concert series. Prior to that\, she earned her Bachelor of Music degree from California State University\, Long Beach\, studying on a full scholarship under the guidance of Dr. Lorenz Gamma. During her time there\, she was a member of the University String Quartet and served as concertmaster of the University Symphony Orchestra. Kiyoe further honed her orchestral skills as a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago\, and in American Youth Symphony and Debut Orchestra in Los Angeles. \nIn addition to performing\, Kiyoe enjoys sharing her knowledge with others. She completed Suzuki teacher training in violin units one through six under the guidance of Rolando Freitag. Her dedication to teaching has yielded notable successes\, with her students achieving acceptance into the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and winning prizes in the Chinese Fine Arts Society violin competition. For seven years\, Ms. Matsuura served on the violin faculty of DePaul University’s Community Music Division\, where she taught both individual and group classes. Along with in-person teaching\, Kiyoe has created over 200 YouTube videos about violin student repertoire\, which have received hundreds of thousands of views. Outside of her musical activities\, Kiyoe is also a certified yoga instructor and has been teaching yoga classes throughout Chicago since 2017. \nSun Chang is a pianist and harpsichordist known for her adept interpretation of historical and contemporary works with a passion for building meaningful connections with her audiences through music. Sun studied with Dr. Peter Mack and later with Alan Chow at Northwestern University. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Harpsichord from the Royal Academy of Music\, under tutelage of Carole Cerasi. \nSun’s musical career is eclectic. Some ensembles and people she has worked with include: Haymarket Opera\, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra\, Friction Quartet\, Vadim Gluzman\, Trevor Pinnock\, Ars Musica Chicago\, WFMT Bach Organ Project\, and American Bach Soloists. She has a keen interest in discovering and sharing music by historical women\, and has co-founded Ensemble Vitelotte dedicated to this purpose. \nNotably\, Sun is also working on a solo album of keyboard suites by Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre recorded on piano\, a project made possible with support by the Luminarts Foundation. She also plays for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre\, maintains a studio of dedicated young pianists\, and is an amateur gambist.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/ensemble-vitelotte-presents-music-by-viardot-garcia-farrenc-and-mayer
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/kiyoe-portraits-earthbelowphoto-85_websize.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241123T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241123T203000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240622T232445Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240622T232445Z
UID:307760-1732388400-1732393800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Virtuosic Music for the Left Hand Alone / Nicholas Ross
DESCRIPTION:Program \nChaconne from Partita no. 2 in D minor J.S. Bach (1685-1750)\,\nfor solo violin\, BWV 1016 (arr. 1877) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) \nThird Suite Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942)\nI. Preludio\nII. Air\nIII. Zingara\nIV. Improvazione\nV. Finale \nPrélude op. 232\,1 (“Asturias”) Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909)\nArr. Nicholas Ross \nPiano Sonata No. 6 (Black Elk) Kent Holliday (b. 1940)\nI. Wakinyan\nII. Nanigukwa\nIII. Black Elk\nIV. Crazy Horse \nConcert Album (for the Left Hand Alone)  Leopold Godowsky (1870-1938)\nI. Meditation\nII. Impromptu\nIII. Capriccio Patetico\nIV. Intermezzo Melanconico\nV. Elegy\nVI. Etude Macabre \n  \nBiographies \nKent Holliday studied composition with Paul Fetler and Dominick Argento at the University of Minnesota\, where he received his Ph.D. in music theory-composition in 1968. He subsequently did postgraduate work in Paris\, France\, and at Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire. In 1969 he worked with Pietro Grossi on computer music in the Studio di Fonologia S2FM in Florence\, Italy\, and in 1988 studied composition on research-leave with Witold Szalonek of the Hochschule der Kunst in Berlin\, Germany. \nDr. Holliday was the winner of the Virginia Music Teachers Association Composition Competition in 1983\, 1996\, 1999\, and 2008. His Four Evocations won first place in the New Music Delaware Composition Competition in 1996. He taught music composition\, theory\, history\, piano\, and selected courses in the humanities at Virginia Tech since 1974. His book\, Reproducing Pianos Past and Present\, was published by Mellen Press in1989. More recently\, Dr. Holliday has also received the ASCAP PLUS award for the SCI recording of his work Tango Exótico. \nIn 2012 Holliday’s Incantations from the Popol Vuh won the Barto Prize\, an international competition for a solo piano work with a literary reference. The piece is based on the Mayan Council Book\, or Popol Vuh\, a sacred Mayan text that was translated into Spanish in the sixteenth century. Pianist Tzimon Barto performed the work throughout Europe\, the United States\, and southeast Asia during the concert season 2012-2014. \n  \nPianist Nick Ross is known for his piano concerts that feature virtuoso repertoire for the left hand. His repertoire includes music by early Twentieth Century composers such as Leopold Godowsky\, Erwin Schulhoff\, Ravel\, Prokofiev and newly commissioned music for the left hand alone. Inspired by the resilience of left-handed pianist Paul Wittgenstein\, Nick turned to this relatively unknown yet rich and rewarding genre after sustaining nerve injury in his right arm and hand. In 2018\, he spent his sabbatical researching\, studying\, and performing music by Polish American virtuoso composer Leopold Godowsky. This sabbatical resulted in his latest recording\, Leopold Godowsky: Apostle of the Left Hand (Centaur Records Inc.\, CRC 3754). The recording has received critical international praise for his playing and extensive notes: “The notes\, by the pianist\, are exceptional as is the playing. […] All is played with an abundance of expression and security of execution-no mean accomplishment considering the demands made on the pianist.” (American Record Guide) “[…] A very worthy addition to the Godowsky discography.” (Fanfare Magazine). \nOther recent research areas include an examination of the racist Virginian composer John Powell and the golden ratio in the music of Mozart\, Debussy\, Bartók\, and others. This research was recently featured in programs on BBC Radio 3 (“A Racist Music\,” broadcast in November 2019) and Radio 4 (“A Mathematician’s Guide to Beauty\,” broadcast February 2020). Music related to these topics can be found in his recordings\, John Powell: Early Piano Music and A Golden Proportion Recital.  Additionally\, Nick recorded and wrote program notes for two collaborative discs of Arthur Honegger’s music on the Centaur Records label\, as a pianist of the Prospero Trio and in collaboration with baritone Sinan Vural and soprano Claudia Patacca. He has also recorded the piano music of composer Kent Holliday in collaboration with pianist Emily Yap Chua. \nNick has performed solo recitals\, concertos\, and chamber music concerts throughout the US\, England\, Ireland\, and the Netherlands. He has performed recitals at such venues as St. Martin’s-in-the-Field\, London\, the Field Room in Dublin\, de Engelse Kerk in Amsterdam\, and many U.S. colleges and universities\, including multiple solo recitals at Virginia Tech. He was also the pianist of the James Piano Quartet\, who were Virginia touring artists and Artists-in-Residence at the Wintergreen Summer Festival and Sweet Briar College. \nNick is a Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Otterbein University in Westerville\, Ohio\, where he is the director of the keyboard studies program.  Previously he was an Associate Professor at Sweet Briar College\, Virginia.  His primary piano professors were John Perry\, John Bingham\, Benno Pierweijer and Matthijs Verschoor.  In addition\, he worked with Christine Croshaw and David Newbold on collaborative piano\, and played in masterclasses and courses for Graham Johnson\, Christopher Czaja Sager and Theodore Paraskivesko among others. He obtained piano performance degrees from ArtEz in the Netherlands\, Trinity College of Music in London\, and a DMA degree in piano performance from Rice University. Nick is a Yamaha Artist.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/virtuosic-music-for-the-left-hand-alone-nicholas-ross
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pose6-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241130T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241130T163000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20241123T191607Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241123T191607Z
UID:308067-1732978800-1732984200@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Jolynn Kuo Piano Concert
DESCRIPTION:Program: \n  \nS. Rachmaninoff \nPrelude in C-sharp Minor\, Op.3 No.2 \n  \nC. Debussy \nSuite Bergamasque\, L.75 \nI. Prelude \nIII. Clair de Lune \n  \nF. Chopin \nBallade No.1 in G Minor\, Op.23 \n  \nG. Gershwin \nRhapsody in Blue for Piano 4 hands \nwith Wenlin Cheng\, piano
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/jolynn-kuo-piano-concert
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_7537.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20241208T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241208T193000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20241121T210535Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241121T210535Z
UID:308065-1733680800-1733686200@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Sonatas for Cello & Piano by Debussy and Shostakovich
DESCRIPTION:Cellist Christopher Ferrer and Pianist Cacie Miller perform sonatas by Claude Debussy and Dmitri Shostakovich. \n  \nSonata for Cello and Piano by Claude Debussy (1915). \nPrologue \nSérénade \nFinale \n  \nCello Sonata in D minor by Dmitri Shostakovich (1934). \nAllegro non troppo \nAllegro \nLargo \nAllegro
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/sonatas-for-cello-piano-by-debussy-and-shostakovich
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FerrerMiller.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250208T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250208T183000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250105T204107Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250105T204253Z
UID:308107-1739034000-1739039400@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:MOSAIC: An Evening with Violinist Eric Gratz
DESCRIPTION:The American Chamber Music Society presents: \nMOSAIC | An Evening with Violinist Eric Gratz \n“Spellbinding” ~ San Antonio Express-News \nMOSAIC is an eclectic and soulful evening of music for violin and piano inside a cozy 75 seat concert hall\, performed by international prizewinning soloist Eric Gratz with Eliot Goldmund. Explore a love triangle between composers (Brahms\, Robert and Clara Schumann)\, fact and fiction (Fritz Kreisler and Gaetano Pugnani)\, and other fascinating connections. \nSince his concerto debuts at the age of 14 in the United States\, Spain\, and Portugal\, American violinist Eric Gratz has been celebrated as a thrilling performer\, combining an old world style with a modern musical intellect. He has appeared as soloist/concertmaster with orchestras of Cleveland\, Louisiana\, Phoenix\, San Antonio\, and the Santa Fe Opera. Gratz is Director of the American Chamber Music Society in Chicago. \nHailed by The New York Times as “nimble” and “colorful\,” Eliot Goldmund (https://www.eliotgoldmund.com/) is a Korean-American pianist\, composer\, and conductor based in New York City. \nMOSAIC features the music of Clara Schumann\, Lili Boulanger\, Ernest Bloch\, Béla Bartók\, Fritz Kreisler\, Maurice Ravel\, Johannes Brahms\, Felix Mendelssohn\, and others.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/mosaic-an-evening-with-violinist-eric-gratz
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GRATZ-5-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250222T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250222T163000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250112T184331Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250123T214012Z
UID:308104-1740236400-1740241800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Violin and Piano Duo
DESCRIPTION:Please join this compelling duo as they embark on a musical journey across the years presenting some of classical music’s most stunning and radical compositions. Program to include works by Schubert\, Bartok\, and Gershwin. \nProgram: \n3 Preludes George Gershwin\, Transc. by Jascha Heifetz (1898-1937)\nI. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso \nII. Andante con moto e poco rubato\nIII. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso \nFantasy for Piano and Violin\, Op. 159\, D. 934 Franz Schubert (1797-1828)\nI. Andante molto\nII. Allegretto\nIII. Andantino\nIV. Tempo I\nV. Allegro vivace\nVI. Allegretto\nVII. Presto \nRhapsody No. 1 for Violin and Piano\, Sz. 86 Béla Bártok (1881-1945)\nPart I Lassu moderato\nPart II Friss\, Allegretto moderato \nBiographies: \nCarlos Chacon\, a violinist hailing from Venezuela\, began his journey with the violin at the tender age of 7 in the El Sistema program. Some years later he entered the Simon Bolivar Music Conservatory in Caracas\, where embarked on a specialized academic study of music. \nAt a mere 15 years old\, Carlos took a great step in his career by joining the Caracas Symphony Orchestra. In 2018 became part of the Violin section of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra\, under the baton of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. With this orchestra\, they graced international stages such\, Italy\, Turkey\, Spain and Russia bringing their music to different audiences. \nCarlos has played with illustrious ensembles such as the Mahler Chamber Orchestra\, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra\, The Orchestra of San Antonio and many others and participated in festivals such as Rimini Altschuler Institute in Italy and Chautauqua Institute in the state of New York. \nNowadays\, Carlos is a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and member of the first violins section in Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra \nThroughout his career\, he has been guided by teachers such as Almita Vamos\, Minghuan Xu\, Camilo Acosta\, Luis Miguel Gonzales\, and José Francisco del Castillo. \nIn this current chapter of his journey\, Carlos continues to refine his craft under the guidance of Almita Vamos and Minghuan Xu at the Chicago College of Performing Arts\, affiliated with Roosevelt University. Simultaneously\, he lends his talents to William Harris Lee & Co. serving as official violin player and as Fine Instrument Specialist. This juncture in his life presents an opportunity for Carlos to embrace new horizons and expand his artistic career. \n  \nSarah Loisch began her musical studies at an early age alongside her six older siblings in Kokomo\, Indiana where the family’s (active involvement) in vocal and instrumental learning led to performances across the Midwest. Upon discovering a deep connection to piano literature\, she committed to full-time musical studies and has since been an active collaborator and performer with orchestras and ensembles\, including the Indiana Wind Symphony\, the Heartland Festival Orchestra\, and the Northwest Indiana Symphony. Miss Loisch’s musical commitment to Chicago’s music community have led to numerous solo and collaborative appearances establishing her career as an emerging collaborative artist. \nAfter completing her MA in Piano at Eastern Illinois University studying under Dr. Victor Cayres\, Miss Loisch traveled to Crete and Italy to pursue further instruction with collaborators and teachers such as Thomas Pandolfi and Constantinos Papadakis. Sarah Loisch studied with Paul Kenyon during her BA in Music program at Olivet Nazarene University. She has made multiple concerto appearances performing works by Chopin\, Rachmaninoff\, Mendelssohn\, and Saint-Saëns. \nAs a performer\, Miss Loisch seeks to express the intersection of life and music in her work. In addition to her performance endeavors\, she maintains a private teaching studio where she believes technique and musicianship work together to foster a greater appreciation and love for the art of music. She was named the 2022 Top Teacher by Steinway & Sons in Chicago.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/violin-and-piano-duo
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Untitled-design.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250305T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250305T130000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250115T175544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250115T175705Z
UID:308117-1741176000-1741179600@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:WDCB Live Broadcast | "Women in Jazz" with Affinity Trio
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a live studio broadcast of WDCB’s program “Women in Jazz” hosted by Leslie Keros. The program will feature Affinity Trio. \n  \nAffinity Trio consists of Eric Jacobson on trumpet\, Clay Schaub on bass\, and Pamela York on piano. Individually\, they have worked with some of the biggest names in the jazz world: Benny Golson\, Phil Woods\, Jeff Hamilton\, John Clayton\, Bruce Barth\, Brian Lynch\, Greg Tardy\, Frank Morgan\, etc. \nThe trio holds a weekly residency at Milwaukee’s Mason Street Grill inside the historic Pfister Hotel that began in 2021. Performing without a drummer\, Affinity Trio creates an intimate ambience with a strong rhythmic groove. Their repertoire includes standards from the Great American Songbook\, original music\, and bebop. \nAffinity Trio’s debut recording\, Hindsight\, was ranked Top 55 on the national jazz charts\, and is now available on Origin Records. Please check out the Shows page to see where the trio will be performing next and join the email list so you can stay updated on the latest news! \nhttps://affinitytrio.com/home \n  \nA book editor and jazz and blues maven\, Leslie Keros is the midday host of ‘DCB Jazz. She is a native of the Detroit area and has been steeped in music since childhood\, taking classical piano lessons from age 7 throughout her school years\, singing in youth and adult choirs\, and attending fine arts camp every summer until high school. She entered college intending to be a music major but was seduced by English literature\, a romance that eventually spawned a career in book publishing. In 2000\, Leslie began hosting shows featuring her favorite jazz and blues artists at area radio stations. She joined WDCB in 2010 as a cohost of Blues Edition on Saturday nights\, and has since enjoyed hosting both jazz and blues shows as well as producing occasional pieces for The Arts Section. \n  \n \n 
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/wdcb-live-broadcast-women-in-jazz-with-affinity-trio
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/affinity-trio-wdcb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250310T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250310T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240914T194856Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240914T194924Z
UID:307942-1741635000-1741640400@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:The Orion Ensemble: “To Life!"
DESCRIPTION:Program \nJohannes Brahms\nTRIO in B Major for Violin\, Cello and Piano\, Op. 8 \nWolfgang Amadeus Mozart\nTRIO in B-Flat Major for Violin\, Cello and Piano\, K. 502 \nAlexander Goldstein\nTRIO ON THE ROOF for Violin\, Clarinet and Piano (2013) \n  \nRecognized as one of Chicago’s finest chamber music groups\, The Orion Ensemble has been performing since 1992. John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune called Orion “one of Chicago’s most vibrant\, versatile and distinctive ensembles.” With the possibilities inherent in its unique combination of instruments—piano\, string trio and clarinet—Orion offers exciting interpretations of standard repertoire\, introduces audiences to rarely performed masterpieces and inspires composers with commissions for new works. \nThe Orion Ensemble boasts a roster of superb musicians who have performed throughout North America\, Europe and Asia\, as an ensemble and individually in solo\, orchestral and other chamber music roles. In Chicago\, Orion presents a four-concert series in three venues\, is heard regularly on the broadcast series “Live from WFMT” and appears frequently on the Chicago Cultural Center’s Lunchbreak Series “Classical Mondays.” \nOrion programs diverse works ranging from Mozart\, Beethoven and Brahms to William Bolcom\, Chick Corea\, Paul Schoenfield\, Augusta Read Thomas and other living composers\, offering audiences a remarkably broad chamber music experience. Orion’s expansive commitment to chamber music embraces the works of the classical through modern standard repertoire as well as an extensive range of new pieces for piano quartet and clarinet. Orion continues to inspire composers with commissions for new works written especially for its unique combination of instruments. As the Chicago Tribune’s John von Rhein wrote upon Orion’s 10th anniversary\, “It seems like only yesterday that a remarkable chamber group of musicians calling itself the Orion Ensemble was born. The Orions … quickly established themselves as one of the Chicago area’s most vibrant\, versatile and distinctive ensembles\, at home in every period but especially committed to enlarging the repertory of its unusual combination of piano quartet and clarinet.”
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/the-orion-ensemble-to-life
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/orion.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250321T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250321T203000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250208T221259Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250208T221259Z
UID:308162-1742583600-1742589000@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:American Chamber Music Society: STRING THEORY
DESCRIPTION:The American Chamber Music Society Presents: \nSTRING THEORY \n“Electric . . . [the] performance extracted all the tensions\, fun\, and charm that can be found”~THIRD COAST REVIEW \nExperience the virtuosity of an all-string concert featuring three brilliant soloists. STRING THEORY is a fiery program featuring Zoltan Kodaly’s Duo for Violin and Cello\, Cassado’s Suite for Solo Cello\, and Beethoven’s epic String Trio in C Minor. \nGRAMMY-nominated cello soloist Julian Schwarz returns\, while Matthew Cohen\, prizewinner of the Primrose International Viola Competition and member of the acclaimed Formosa Quartet makes his American Chamber Music Society debut. \nTickets start at just $10. \nPhoto by Eliot Mandel Photography.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/american-chamber-music-society-string-theory
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/gratz-acm-march2025.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250330T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250330T153000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250204T024738Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250204T024738Z
UID:308147-1743343200-1743348600@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Americas | Avalon String Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Explore the Americas through the music of Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov\, Jamaican composer Eleanor Alberga\, American composer John Adams\, and Austrian-American composer Erich Korngold who gave rise to the sound of Hollywood movie scores. \nProgram: \nOsvaldo Golijov: Tenebrae \nEleanor Alberga: String Quartet No. 2 \nJohn Adams: Fellow Traveler \nErich Korngold: String Quartet No. 2 \n  \nDescribed by the Chicago Tribune as “an ensemble that invites you — ears\, mind\, and spirit — into its music\,” the Avalon String Quartet has established itself as one of the country’s leading chamber music ensembles. \nThe Avalon has performed in major venues including Carnegie Hall\, Alice Tully Hall\, the 92nd St Y\, Merkin Hall\, and Bargemusic in New York; the Library of Congress and National Gallery of Art in Washington DC; Wigmore Hall in London; and Herculessaal in Munich. Other performances include appearances at the Bath International Music Festival\, Aldeburgh Festival\, Caramoor\, La Jolla Chamber Music Society\, NPR’s St. Paul Sunday\, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum\, Dame Myra Hess Concerts\, Los Angeles Music Guild\, and the Ravinia Festival. The quartet performs an annual concert series in historic Fullerton Hall at the Art Institute of Chicago\, where it has presented the complete quartet cycles of Beethoven\, Bartok\, and Brahms in recent seasons. The Avalon is quartet-in-residence at the Northern Illinois University School of Music\, a position formerly held by the Vermeer Quartet. Additional teaching activities have included the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Institute\, Interlochen Advanced Quartet Program\, Madeline Island Music Camp\, and the Britten-Pears School in England\, as well as masterclasses at universities and conservatories throughout the United States. Additionally\, they have given numerous performances and presentations to young audiences in under-resourced schools and communities. \nIn 2015\, the quartet released “Illuminations”\, its first recording for Cedille Records. It was met with praise from NY Times\, WQXR radio and Chicago Tribune. This recording follows a critically acclaimed CD of contemporary American works on the Albany label in 2010. The Avalon String Quartet’s debut CD\, Dawn to Dusk\, featuring quartets by Ravel and Janacek\, was honored with the 2002 Chamber Music America/WQXR Record Award for best chamber music recording. The quartet’s live performances and conversations are frequently featured on Chicago fine arts radio station WFMT. They have also been heard on New York’s WQXR and WNYC\, National Public Radio’s Performance Today\, Canada’s CBC\, Australia’s ABC\, the ARD of Germany\, and France Musique. \nThe Avalon captured the top prize at the ARD Competition in Munich (2000) and First Prize at the Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York City (1999). In its early years\, the ensemble trained intensively with the Juilliard Quartet at The Juilliard School\, the Emerson Quartet at the Hartt School of Music\, and the Vermeer Quartet at Northern Illinois University.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/americas-avalon-string-quartet
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/avalon-quartet-pic-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250330T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250330T203000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250221T154412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250222T141101Z
UID:308194-1743361200-1743366600@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Cello and Piano Duo: Romantic & Modern Favorites
DESCRIPTION:Cellist Lewis Rawlinson and pianist Mo Xu will present a concert of dynamic and rousing selections from the Romantic and Modern canons\, including works by Debussy\, Rachmaninoff\, Sibelius\, Piazzolla\, and more. \n  \nProgram: \nGaspar Cassadó\nSuite for Cello\nI. Preludio-Fantasia\nIII. Intermezzo e Danza Finale \nSergei Rachmaninoff\nSonata in G minor for Cello and Piano\, Op. 19\nIII. Andante \nClaude Debussy\nSonata for Cello and Piano\nI. Prologue\nII. Sérénade\nIII. Finale \nJean Sibelius\nMalinconia Op. 20 \nCésar Franck\nSonata in A major for Violin and Piano\, arranged for Cello by Jules Delsart\nIV. Allegretto poco mosso \nAstor Piazzolla\nLe Grand Tango \n  \nBiographies: \nLewis Rawlinson is a cellist and theatre artist based in Chicago. Recently\, he performed sold-out performances of his autobiographical solo show\, Nervous Breakdown in G Minor\, at The Den Theatre and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. As a pit orchestra musician\, he has performed with Goodman Theatre\, Music Theater Works\, and Porchlight Music Theatre. As a classical musician\, he has performed with numerous ensembles\, including two international tours to Asia\, and a performance of Saint-Saens’ “La Muse et le Poéte” concerto for violin and cello with the Billings Symphony Orchestra. Chicago acting credits include High Fidelity (Non-Equity Jeff Award – Production of a Musical\, Refuge Theatre Project)\, bare: a pop opera (Refuge)\, and Fun Home (Towle Theater). Regional acting credits include Triassic Parq (Theatre Bay Area Award Nomination\, Ray of Light Theatre) and Godspell (TBA Award Nomination\, OMG I Love That Show Productions). Assistant Music Directing credits include The Total Bent (Haven)\, The Last Session (Refuge)\, and Songs for a New World (Dominican University). He has also recorded\, arranged\, performed\, and toured with bands such as The Family Crest\, Liz & the Lovelies\, and The Okay Lakes. Lewis is a graduate of Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of the Performing Arts. www.lewisrawlinson.com \n  \nMo Xu\, an active soloist\, has performed at many prestigious venues\, including Weill Recital Hall at the Carnegie Hall and Sweeney Concert Hall. In 2022\, she performed Prokofiev Concerto No. 3 with the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra. She played for the world premiere of David Maslanka’s Symphony No. 9 and Carl Schimmel’s Oulipian Episodes. She also collaborates with other instrumentalists on chamber works year-round. Mo received second prize at the “Golden Classical Music Awards” International Competition and honorable mentions at the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition and the Paderewski International Piano Competition in Connecticut. She earned her MM from Illinois State University and her DMA from the University of Iowa\, where she studied with Dr. Uriel Tsachor.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/cello-and-piano-duo-romantic-modern-favorites
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Lewis_and_Mo-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250403T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250403T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250118T185355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250403T133409Z
UID:308115-1743708600-1743714000@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:PIANO BATTLE | “Time Is Limited”
DESCRIPTION:Welcome to PIANO BATTLE “Time Is Limited”. Time is very subjective. An event two years ago might feel to one like yesterday\, to another it might feel as if decades had passed. How does this translate to our listening experience with music? \n \nAnd who plays faster? In a show with this title\, a “speed round” cannot be missed. The famous Turkish March by Mozart is an ideal piece for the audience to understand the effect of “speed”. On your marks\, get set\, go! In 1:03 and the other in 1:05? For sure\, it will be a tight decision. \nIn every interactive PIANO BATTLE show\, Paul and Andreas invite members of the audience on stage. The challenge this time: Musical Memory. Two teams compete with their ears as they have to find their way through number cards. 7 different musical pieces\, each of them represented by 2 of the cards. Which team can listen well and remember in order to identify the pairs of cards through the music? \nIn the Finale\, Paul and Andreas both intend to play a solo piano concerto. But which one? Paul wants to play Grieg concerto and Andreas prefers Chopin concerto. None of them wants to give in and on top of that play just the orchestra part for the other\, so they perform both their concertos – at the same time! A Chicago premiere! \nhttp://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/piano_battle_trailer_2019-720p.mp4\n  \nConcert sponsored by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chicago \n \n 
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/piano-battle-time-is-limited
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PIANO-BATTLE-Logo-mit-Namen.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250405T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250405T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250206T163759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250403T222228Z
UID:308150-1743881400-1743886800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:CHICAGO COMPOSERS' CONSORTIUM and YARN/WIRE | New Music for 2 Pianos\, 2 Percussion
DESCRIPTION:Chicago Composers’ Consortium is thrilled to welcome Yarn/Wire\, a phenomenal New York quartet of two pianists and two percussionists\, in a program of World Premieres written expressly for Yarn/Wire. Music of five Chicago composers plus the Chicago premiere of Steve Reich’s iconic ‘Quartet’\, which Reich calls “one of the more complex I have composed.” \nTickets are $25 for general admission and $5 for students. \nProgram: \nAscensions – Timothy Dwight Edwards \n‘After Clouds\,…’ – Elizabeth Start \nAu revoir a soi – Timothy Ernest Johnson \nGame of Fibs – Amos Gillespie \nVelocities – K.C. Ginther \nQuartet – Steve Reich (Chicago premiere) \n  \nYarn/Wire is a NYC-based piano and percussion quartet dedicated to energetic and insightful performances of today’s most adventurous music\, and to the promotion of creative\, meaningful live musical experiences in the US and abroad. Yarn/Wire started making music together in 2005\, focused from the beginning on creating music in partnership with composers\, sound artists\, noise musicians and more people around the globe who inspired them. Now\, some 18 years later\, Yarn/Wire is still guided by the same principles of openness\, curiosity\, and experimentation. New York Classical Review writes: “Yarn/Wire may well be the most important new music ensemble on the scene today.” \nChicago Composers’ Consortium (C3) is a composer-led collective which promotes the creation\, performance and promulgation of new music by Chicago composers. Over its 35-year history\, C3 has produced hundreds of concerts and events\, presenting the works of emerging and established composers alike\, and collaborating with other ensembles in the creation of unique musical events. What sets C3 apart from other contemporary music organizations is a history of innovative composer-generated collaborative projects and a spirit of adventure\, with a focus on works by little known and emerging composers who are deserving of a larger audience.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/chicago-composers-consortium-and-yarn-wire-new-music-for-2-pianos-percussion
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Yarn-Wire.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250410T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250410T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250208T223056Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250208T223056Z
UID:308164-1744313400-1744318800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Markus Rutz & Third Coast Sounds | Concert for Jazz Appreciation Month
DESCRIPTION:Join Markus Rutz & Third Coast Sounds for a FREE concert in partnership with The Chicago Federation of Musicians. \nThe concert is to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month and is set for Thursday\, April 10 2025 at 7:30 pm (7 pm doors). \nThis LIVE performance is a a FREE event open to the public with ticketed reservations: RutzMusicWorks.com/upcoming-gigs. \nThe concert is an appreciation of Chicago musicians historical and contemporary playing original and standards. \nhttps://rutzmusicworks.com/more-about-markus
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/markus-rutz-third-coast-sounds-concert-for-jazz-appreciation-month
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMGL0976-copy-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250424T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250424T200000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250227T004359Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250227T004359Z
UID:308202-1745519400-1745524800@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Isabelle Olivier | Impressions CD Release Party
DESCRIPTION:Acclaimed jazz harpist and composer Isabelle Olivier explores Impressionism in music and the visual arts with her genre-melding new album. Out now in Europe and March 21\, 2025 in the US and Canada via Rewound Echoes\, Impressions brings together jazz and classical influences via a remarkably versatile electro-acoustic ensemble. \n  \nIsabelle Olivier\, harp and composition \nTom Olivier piano\, accordion and composition \nRaphael Olivier\, electronics \nAnya Brumfield\, violin \nCaroline Jesalva\, violin \nWilfred Farquharson\, viola \nJ Holzen\, cello \nErnie Adams\, drums \n  \n“Leaping from traditional repertoire to time- and space-tripping avant-garde\, the musicians fuse groove and improvisation\, and perform with a kind of measured steadiness that only could be delivered by their highly skilled hands.” – Denise Sullivan\, DownBeat review of OASIS \n“[Olivier’s] bold approach is characterized by permanent risk-taking and a strong desire to collaborate with musicians and artists from various backgrounds.” – Joel Chevassus\, 6Moons.com \nThe French Impressionists revolutionized the art world by privileging the emotional and spiritual perception of the natural world over its literal reproduction. Hailing from France\, harpist Isabelle Olivier has always felt an innate affinity for Impressionism and discovered its echoes within her other artistic passions\, primarily the parallel worlds of jazz and classical music. \nOn her vibrant new album\, Impressions\, Olivier conjures a bold musical landscape from the lush and stirring hues of her diverse influences. Inspired by tenor sax icon John Coltrane’s revered composition “Impressions\, ” she explores the confluences of jazz and Impressionism with a painter’s instinct for complementary colors\, forms and textures. \n“I think about Impressionism as a combination between elegance\, minimalism\, spectral notions\, feelings and vibes – things that you can feel but you cannot explain\, ” Olivier describes. “Looking at Impressionist art is like becoming part of nature\, to the point where you forget that you’re human. I love this feeling.” \nOut now in Europe and in the US/Canada on March 21\, 2025 via Olivier’s Rewound Echoes imprint\, Impressions features a versatile and genre-fluid ensemble that includes the harpist’s sons – pianist and accordionist Tom Olivier-Beuf and electronic musician Raphael Olivier – along with a string quartet and drummer Baptiste Thiebault. In addition to Olivier’s Impressionism-inspired compositions\, the album is interspersed with a number of group improvisations that suggest or were suggested by impressionistic ideas – from the misty\, crepuscular “Fog on the Lake” to the stark\, pointillist “A Pizzicato Life.” \nWith its many references to Chicago art and artists\, Impressions brings together the two metropolises that Olivier calls home – the Windy City and the City of Lights\, Chicago and Paris. The album bridges various landmarks for the harpist\, including her roots in jazz and classical music\, as well as her love for aural and visual art. These seemingly divergent poles have never been separate in her mind – she was introduced to her instrument in the first place by Duchess\, the harp-playing cat in Walt Disney’s jazz-inflected 1970 animated film The Aristocats. Not long after finishing her classical studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Lyon\, she co-founded the jazz quartet Océan with the Moutin Brothers\, well known figures on the French and American jazz scenes. \nOlivier recalls the first time that she was deeply affected by visual art. “It was a painting from Van Gogh\, ” she says\, recalling the first of many experiences that left her with the suspicion that she has a minor form of Stendahl Syndrome\, the condition of being affected physically by beautiful art or objects. \n“I was just shocked. I had goosebumps\, then I wanted to cry. I didn’t understand it\, but I was so moved.” \nVan Gogh’s work is suggested by the opening track of Impressions\, “Fleurs de Soleil\, ” which Olivier wrote in tribute to her 94-year-old mother. The title refers obliquely to Van Gogh’s famed series of “Sunflowers” paintings\, which the composer was stunned to see grouped together in an Amsterdam exhibition. The literal French translation of “sunflowers\, ” though\, is “tournesols\, ” which didn’t capture the tenderness that Olivier wanted to express towards her mother’s final months. \nWith Olivier-Beuf’s accordion alternately suggesting French and Eastern European folk rhythms\, “Eclats” draws inspiration from the musicological expeditions of Béla Bartók. “Cezanne” makes reference to the titular Impressionist in its soft\, lush colors\, and forms a diptych with the breezy\, propulsive “Bike\, ” named for a piece by Chicago-based illustrator Darcy Day Zoells. The melding of harp and electronics on “An Open Window” depicts Olivier’s stay on a picturesque island on Lake Michigan\, which she says supplied her with\, “a wonderful soundtrack of birds\, and waves and wind.” \nThe gentle rocking of waves is suggested by the string figures of “The Boating Party\, ” which is based on a painting by the American Impressionist Mary Cassatt. “Forlane” strikingly adapts a composition by the Impressionist composer Maurice Ravel\, while Olivier-Beuf indulges in a bit of modern-day Impressionism of his own with his composition “Evanescence\, ” swooningly capturing the evasive ethereality hinted at by its title. “Tango” takes an impassioned cue from the music of the brilliant Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla\, whose studies with the French composer and pedagogue Nadia Boulanger provides a spiritual link to the Gallic heart of the album. \n“La Gare” is a painting come to life\, providing a soundtrack to Claude Monet’s “Arrival of the Normandy Train\, Gare Saint-Lazare\, ” which resides at the Art Institute of Chicago. Not only is Olivier’s composition built on a locomotive foundation\, but the ensemble adds a variety of voices and soundtracks to bring the locale to imaginative life. Paired with the album’s closer\, Coltrane’s familiar title tune\, it ends the vivid proceedings with another diptych\, pairing a train with the Trane. Like in so much of Olivier’s work\, she manages to find echoes that are playful\, resonant and beautiful by making unexpected connections. \nAs a jazz harpist and composer\, Isabelle Olivier has charted an unconventional path throughout her career\, forging interdisciplinary connections within the arts and exploring various musical styles. Artistic and human exploration through the harp has allowed her to broaden her musical horizons across disciplines and territories. Olivier has recorded a dozen albums featuring her own compositions and has traveled to 25 countries to present collaborative and interactive projects. In 2021 she celebrated three decades on stage with Smile\, an album that paid homage to Charlie Chaplin and Emily Dickinson\, Cannonball Adderley and James Blake. Olivier has collaborated with such exceptional artistic personalities as Oscar-winning filmmaker Agnes Varda\, acclaimed drummer Peter Erskine\, and innovative guitarist Rez Abbasi. As the first composer laureate of the Villa Le Nôtre in Versailles\, she was commissioned by the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017 to compose and perform an artistic response to “Gauguin\, the Alchemist.” Supported by the FACE Foundation for her OASIS project with Rez Abbasi\, she is passionate about intercultural and intergenerational intersections.
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/isabelle-olivier-impressions-cd-release-party
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Isabelle-Olivier-Impressions-digipack-FRONT-PHOTO-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250425T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250425T203000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20250301T155846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250409T225849Z
UID:308206-1745607600-1745613000@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:Out of Time\, Out of Place
DESCRIPTION:The Kombos Collective presents Out of Time\, Out of Place\, a look at displacement and self-discovery through the eyes of artists in the diaspora. Hellenic-American artists Michael Malis (piano)\, Constantine Novotny (baritone) and Ellie Falaris Ganelin (flute) explore these concepts through the convergence of music and poetry. The cornerstone of the program is Malis’s original song cycle Another Shore\, Another Country set to the poetry of C.P. Cavafy\, commissioned by ProMusica Detroit and premiered in February 2024. Cavafy\, who lived most of his life in Alexandria\, Egypt\, is the quintessential voice of the Greek diaspora and a prominent figure among 20th-century poets. \nThrough Ganelin’s and Malis’s own arrangements\, the trio performs songs of love and longing by Greek idols Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hadjidakis. These masterful colleagues born the same year (1925) each brought a new vision and prominence to Hellenic music through the radio in their homeland and in film worldwide. Also on the program is “6 Short Pieces” for solo flutes by Athens-based composer Constantine Lignos. \nThis concert is made possible by the generous support of the Charles C. Condes Trust\, The Greek Women’s University Club\, and Hellenic Museum of Michigan. \nThis is a free concert\, but RSVP is required \n \nPresented Under the auspices of the Consulate General of Greece in Chicago
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/out-of-time-out-of-place
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Trio-crop.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250428T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250428T210000
DTSTAMP:20260730T124722
CREATED:20240914T195150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240914T195150Z
UID:307943-1745868600-1745874000@pianofortechicago.com
SUMMARY:The Orion Ensemble: “To Joy!"
DESCRIPTION:Program \nRichard Strauss\nQUARTET in C Minor for Violin\, Viola\, Cello and Piano\, Op. 13 \nLudwig van Beethoven\nSEPTET in E-Flat Major for Strings and Winds\, Op. 20 \n  \nWith guests Stephen Boe (viola)\, Robert Kassinger (bass)\, Andrei Muravev (bassoon) and Greg Flint (French horn) \n  \nRecognized as one of Chicago’s finest chamber music groups\, The Orion Ensemble has been performing since 1992. John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune called Orion “one of Chicago’s most vibrant\, versatile and distinctive ensembles.” With the possibilities inherent in its unique combination of instruments—piano\, string trio and clarinet—Orion offers exciting interpretations of standard repertoire\, introduces audiences to rarely performed masterpieces and inspires composers with commissions for new works. \nThe Orion Ensemble boasts a roster of superb musicians who have performed throughout North America\, Europe and Asia\, as an ensemble and individually in solo\, orchestral and other chamber music roles. In Chicago\, Orion presents a four-concert series in three venues\, is heard regularly on the broadcast series “Live from WFMT” and appears frequently on the Chicago Cultural Center’s Lunchbreak Series “Classical Mondays.” \nOrion programs diverse works ranging from Mozart\, Beethoven and Brahms to William Bolcom\, Chick Corea\, Paul Schoenfield\, Augusta Read Thomas and other living composers\, offering audiences a remarkably broad chamber music experience. Orion’s expansive commitment to chamber music embraces the works of the classical through modern standard repertoire as well as an extensive range of new pieces for piano quartet and clarinet. Orion continues to inspire composers with commissions for new works written especially for its unique combination of instruments. As the Chicago Tribune’s John von Rhein wrote upon Orion’s 10th anniversary\, “It seems like only yesterday that a remarkable chamber group of musicians calling itself the Orion Ensemble was born. The Orions … quickly established themselves as one of the Chicago area’s most vibrant\, versatile and distinctive ensembles\, at home in every period but especially committed to enlarging the repertory of its unusual combination of piano quartet and clarinet.”
URL:https://pianofortechicago.com/event/the-orion-ensemble-to-joy
LOCATION:PianoForte Studios\, 1335 South Michigan Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60605\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://pianofortechicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/orion.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR