The Beethoven Effect: Ariana Kim, violin; Ieva Jokubaviciute, piano; Daniel Temkin, composer/percussionist
Program:
Beethoven: Romance in F Major, Op. 50 for violin and piano;
Temkin: Maksimal (2019) for violin, piano and percussion;
Beethoven: Sonata No. 9 for violin and piano, Op. 47 "Kreutzer".
Admission is free.
One of Classical music's most iconic voices, Beethoven endures today - his lyrical melodies, incisive rhythms, and crisp surprises as bold and vital now as ever. Yet, for all its familiarity, Beethoven's music is enigmatic and full of contradictions. This program, featuring two works for violin and piano, shows his contrasts in spirit, as the relatively brief and serenely beautiful "Romance in F" stands opposite the epic "Kreutzer" sonata, a large, tense work of great virtuosity and emotional depth. Paired as a modern foil on this program is American composer Daniel Temkin. His colorful trio "Maksimal" for violin, piano, and percussion reflects and illuminates particular elements of Beethoven's own sensibility, as short motivic cells, fiery rhythms, poignant melodies, and bold textural shifts coalesce to form large-scale architectures and sound worlds. Heard together, these pieces reveal emotional depths and a sense of musical organicism that speaks across time, genres, and place.
Noted individually for their brilliant artistry and musical creativity, violinist Ariana Kim and pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute have performed together as a duo for over a decade. Appearing together in concerts, teaching residencies, and festivals, the duo has also commissioned and recorded numerous works together. Originally
existing as a violin concerto, "Maksimal" was arranged for the duo in 2019.
Co-Artistic Director of both Chamber Music Society of Minnesota and the Paesaggi Musicali Toscani Festival in Italy, violinist Ariana Kim performs around the world as a soloist and chamber artist. She is a professor at Cornell University.
A professor at Duke University, Ieva Jokubaviciute is veteran artist of Marlboro, Ravinia, Kneisel Hall, and other top festivals. She is a Naumburg Chamber Music laureate and recipient of the prestigious Borletti-Buitoni Fellowship.
An award-winning composer, Daniel Temkin's music has been heard worldwide at the Intimacy of Creativity Festival, Dresden Music Festival, Bath Festival, Banff Centre, and many others. As a percussionist, he has played with the Orchestra of St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, the Riverside Choral society, and the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), among others.