Performers

DAVID KAPLAN, piano JANICE KARISSA, piano
JAMES AUSTIN SMITH, host

Our enormously popular morning series returns with 5 sessions devoted to the life and work of Mozart. Guiding our journey is James Austin Smith, a performer and educator known for deepening listening experiences through engaging commentary; he will briefly frame each session to help us connect the diverse threads of Mozart’s life and music across the sessions.

In Part 1, devoted to piano works, David Kaplan, a pianist of “…striking imagination and creativity” (New York Times) is joined by Salon de Virtuosi prizewinner, pianist Janice Carissa. Together, they explore Mozart’s multi-faceted compositional genius as well as his complex temperament.

Mozart wrote his Rondo in A Minor during a period of personal reflection; it offers a glimpse into Mozart’s emotional world, and stretches the expressive boundaries of the Classical style. The Piano Sonata in A Major showcases Mozart’s approach to form; eschewing traditional sonata structure, it moves from a graceful theme and variations to the spirited Rondo alla Turca, illustrating his unique gift for blending operatic lyricism with popular styles of the era. His “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” variations demonstrate Mozart’s "galant" wit and his ability to transform a simple folk tune into a sophisticated display of rhythmic ingenuity and technical brilliance.

Join us for this festival-opening portrait of Mozart as improviser, structural architect, and deeply human artist.

Program

MOZART Rondo in A Minor, K. 511 MOZART Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K.331 MOZART Variations on "Ah vous dirai-je, maman," K. 265

Tickets

Age 35+: $38 | 22-34: $20 | 21 & Under: Pay What You Wish.