The Lyric Theatre Presents
Joshua Bell
Often referred to as the "poet of the violin," Bell continues to enchant audiences with his breathtaking virtuosity, tone of sheer beauty and charismatic stage presence. His restless curiosity, passion, universal appeal and multi-faceted musical interests have earned him the title of "classical music superstar." Joshua Bell has transformed the way that international audiences view the instrument, from academia to cinematic scores. Bell has collaborated with some of the best composers and symphonies in the world, and received international recognition when Bell’s YouTube video of his undercover subway performance in Washington D.C. hit over 3 million views. Now the global sensation performs for
you, one night only at The Lyric.
Program ~
Joshua Bell, violin
Sam Haywood, piano
SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Sonatina in A minor D385 (Op. posth. 137 No. 2)
Allegro moderato
Andante
Menuetto (Allegro)
Allegro
STRAUSS (1868-1949)
Sonata for Violin and Piano in E-flat, Op. 18
Allegro, ma non troppo
Improvisation: Andante cantabile
Finale: Andante - Allegro
—Intermission—
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94 bis
Moderato
Presto–Poco meno moss –Tempo 1
Andante
Allegro con brio–Poco meno mosso–
Tempo 1–Poco meno mosso–Allegro con brio
Additional works to be announced from the stage.
Mr. Bell will personally autograph programs and recordings in the lobby following the performance.
*PROGRAM IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
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A Lyric Art Cinema Presentation ~ Tuesday, February 19th
Joshua is interviewed in the documentary “Orchestra of Exiles.” The documentary tells the story of Bronislaw Huberman who founded the Palestine Symphony, the orchestra that became the Israel Philharmonic. In one of the greatest “Ah Ha!” moment of cultural history, Huberman saw Hitler's firing of the great Jewish musicians of Germany's orchestras as an opportunity to bring European culture to Palestine, saving 1,000 Jewish lives from the Holocaust in the process. “Orchestra of Exiles” opened a few weeks ago to rave reviews.The film features interviews with Joshua Bell in which he talks about Huberman's stolen Stradivarius, the instrument on which Joshua now plays. And in the climactic moments at the end of the film Joshua plays excerpts from the Brahms Violin Concerto, the same piece Huberman performed on the same violin for Brahms in 1896. To find out play dates and other information please go to http://www.Orchestraofexiles.com.
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About Joshua Bell, Violin
Among numerous awards and honors, Bell is an Avery Fisher Prize recipient and Musical America’s 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year. Recently appointed Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, he is the first person to hold this title since Sir Neville Marriner formed the orchestra in 1958. His first recording with the Academy as Music Director/conductor will be released March 19, 2013 featuring the 4th and 7th symphonies of Beethoven.
2012 summer highlights included the premiere of Edgar Meyer’s new concerto for violin and double bass which they perform at Tanglewood, Aspen and the Hollywood Bowl. Summer appearances included the Festival del Sole, Ravinia, Verbier, Salzburg, Saratoga and Mostly Mozart festivals. Bell launched the San Francisco Symphony’s fall season followed by orchestral performances in Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Cincinnati and Detroit. Additional fall highlights included a South African tour, an European tour with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and a recital tour with pianist Sam Haywood.
In 2013, Bell tours the U.S. with the Cleveland Orchestra; Europe with the New York Philharmonic and performs with the Tucson, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Nashville Symphony Orchestras.
An exclusive Sony Classical artist, Bell has recorded more than 40 CDs garnering Mercury, Grammy, Gramophone and Echo Klassik awards. Recent releases include French Impressions with pianist Jeremy Denk, the eclectic At Home With Friends, the Defiance soundtrack, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic. His discography encompasses critically-acclaimed performances of most of the major violin repertoire in addition to John Corigliano’s Oscar-winning soundtrack, The Red Violin.
Born in Bloomington, Indiana, Bell received his first violin at age four and at 12 began studying with revered violinist Josef Gingold, at Indiana University. Two years later Bell came to national attention in his debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra and, at age 17, made his Carnegie Hall debut. Bell’s extensive career has now spanned over 30 years as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and conductor.
Bell performs on the 1713 Huberman Stradivarius.
About Sam Haywood, Piano
British pianist Sam Haywood has performed to critical acclaim all over the world. Alongside his busy solo and chamber music career, he is also a composer, transcriber and Artistic Director of the Solent Music Festival (www.solentmusicfestival.com).
Haywood is a regular duo partner to violinist Joshua Bell, with whom he has toured in the USA, Canada, China, South America and throughout Europe. They have performed for the Vice-Presidents of the USA and China. He also regularly appears with cellist Steven Isserlis and will be recording a CD of piano works by Julius Isserlis, Steven’s grandfather, for Hyperion. Haywood’s latest CD, entitled 'Composers in Love', features a selection of works inspired by the objects of composers' desires.
Chopin has been a central theme throughout Haywood's musical life. To celebrate the composer’s bicentennial year he made the world premiere recording on Chopin’s own Pleyel piano of 1846. It has since been broadcast numerous times on BBC Radio 3. He used the same instrument to perform with Steven Isserlis at Lancaster House in the presence of HRH Princess Alexandra where Chopin performed on the exact date in front of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1848. Haywood has also given private performances of Chopin for Princess Diana and more recently a Chopin seminar for TED.
Following his early success in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, the Royal Philharmonic Society awarded him their prestigious Isserlis award. Haywood went on to study with Paul Badura-Skoda in Vienna, where he began his enduring passion for opera. At the Royal Academy of Music in London he was mentored by Maria Curcio, the renowned teacher and pupil of Artur Schnabel.
Outside the musical world he is passionate about the nature, food, magic, literature and technology. For further information please refer to www.samhaywood.com.
