Beethoven at 250: The Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3
2019–2020 Cliburn Concerts
Date: January 4, 2020 2:30 pm CST
Venue: Bass Performance Hall
To kick off 2020—which will be a yearlong, international celebration of the iconic composer’s 250th birthday—this very special Cliburn at the Bass will present each of Beethoven’s five piano concertos, in order. One day, two concerts, five spectacular pianists, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya, in the midst of his final season as the orchestra’s music director. It’s the definition of a do-not-miss event.
JOYCE YANG– Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, op. 15
2005 Cliburn Silver Medalist
“Her attention to detail and clarity is as impressive as her agility, balance and velocity.” — The Washington Post
She first came to international attention in 2005 when, at 19, she took home the Cliburn silver medal, along with special prizes for best chamber music and new work. Seoul-born Joyce Yang has since made over 1,000 concert appearances in the world’s prestigious venues and with the New York, Los Angeles, and BBC Philharmonic Orchestras, the Deutsches-Orchester Berlin, and the Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto, Sydney, and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras. She’s also a Grammy-nominated recording artist praised for her “imaginative programming” and “beautifully atmospheric playing” (Gramophone).
DAVID FRAY–Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, op. 19
“Exquisite, imaginative, and virtuosic… an extraordinary balance between the head and heart, between technical rigor and poetry.” — The Epoch Times
French pianist David Fray’s 2014 Cliburn Concerts debut was hailed as “revelatory…he didn’t drop our interest for even a moment” (Theater Jones). A distinctive voice in classical music, his star has continued to rise with performances across Europe, North America, and Asia and collaborations with the world’s leading orchestras. Additional recognition has come in the form of several prizes: Newcomer of the Year (BBC Music magazine), ECHO Klassik Prize for Instrumentalist of the Year (German Recording Academy), and Record of the Year (The Times in England and Le Soir in Belgium).
JON NAKAMATSU–Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, op. 37
1997 Cliburn Gold Medalist
“This American pianist has stunning technical control and can do anything at the piano he wants.”— The New York Times
Formerly a high school German teacher with no formal conservatory training, Jon Nakamatsu exploded onto the international scene at the 1997 Cliburn Competition and since has maintained a reputation for performances of panache and elegance. An audience favorite across the country, he has been profiled by CBS Sunday Morning and Reader’s Digest, performed for President and Secretary Clinton, and has an acclaimed discography including one recording that sat atop Billboard’s classical charts for nearly six months and another selected as a recording of the year by The New York Times.
PROGRAM BOOK
GENERAL CONCERT INFORMATION
Patrons must be 8 years of age or older to attend Cliburn Concerts.
For questions about ticketing please contact the Bass Hall Box Office at 817.212.4280.
For information on parking please visit https://www.basshall.com/plan-your-visit/parking/
Photography and recording are strictly prohibited.