Newport Classical to present Pianist Anton Mejias in October Chamber Series Concert
Newport Classical continues its fourth full-season Chamber Series, featuring twelve concerts held on select Fridays at 7:30 pm at the organization's home venue, Newport Classical Recital Hall (42 Dearborn St.), with a performance by Finnish-Cuban pianist Anton Mejias on Friday, October 18, 2024 at 7:30pm. Mejias will give the US premiere of Twelve Preludes: The Art of Memory by composer Philip Lasser, alongside Book II of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. Lasser's new work is co-commissioned by the Dresdner Musikfestspiele and Newport Classical.
Born in 2001, Anton Mejias was fascinated by the music of Bach from a very young age. He made his recital debut at the age of eight, and by ten, he had already learned the entire Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I. In August 2023, he made his US debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. He has won top prizes from the Viotti International Piano Competition and the Nordic Piano Competition, and performs around the world. Legendary pianist Gary Graffman has described him as, "one of the great Bach players of our time."
In Newport, Anton Mejias will perform a new work written for him by renowned composer Philip Lasser, created in response to Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II. Lasser, a distinguished member of The Juilliard School faculty, is known for creating a unique sound world that blends the colorful harmonies of French Impressionist sonorities with the dynamic rhythms and characteristics of American music. Lasser writes of his work The Art of Memory, a set of twelve preludes, "Descending chromatically from E to F, these Preludes are in homage to J.S. Bach and designed to be played either alone or in conjunction with the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II. They are a study in memory. As they evolve, each Prelude collects more and more from the past until, at last, we reach the twelfth, which is entirely made up of memory."
Newport Classical's Chamber Series takes place at Newport Classical Recital Hall in downtown Newport, known for its striking architecture and excellent acoustics. The Chamber Series, newly expanded to twelve concerts held between September and June, reaffirms Newport Classical's commitment to year-round classical music programming. Audiences are invited to enjoy performances by world-class classical musicians in a relaxed setting, with a complimentary glass of wine from Greenvale Vineyards and homemade treats by Newport Classical volunteers.
As part of Newport Classical's desire to create connections between classical music, the artists who perform it, and the Newport community, all musicians performing on the Chamber Series also go into the Newport-area public schools to perform for and speak with students, through Newport Classical's Music Education and Engagement Initiative.
Up next on the Newport Classical Chamber Series, the fiery Ariel Quartet performs a concert of catharsis featuring music by composers Mendelssohn, Lera Auerbach, and Britten on September 27. On October 6, Newport Classical welcomes the globe-trotting musical duo Bridge & Wolak for a free, family-friendly Community Concert. On October 8 and 9, GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist Emanuel Ax will make his Newport Classical debut in two special concerts featuring a solo recital program of Beethoven and Schumann, entitled Fantasies. The Chamber Series will continue on November 1 with a performance by baritone Markel Reed, known for his appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, featuring the music of Brahms, Margaret Bonds, Terence Blanchard, and more. Cellist Seth Parker Woods, celebrated by The Guardian as "a cellist of power and grace," explores three centuries of music with Bach's contemplative Sarabandes as a point of departure and return in his solo cello concert on November 15.
The Newport Classical Chamber Series kicks off 2025 with a performance by the Telegraph Quartet, described as "powerfully adept, with a combination of brilliance and subtlety" by the San Francisco Chronicle, in music rarely experienced by its creators, the composers Rebecca Clarke, Beethoven, and Smetana, on January 24. Boyd Meets Girl comes to Newport for a performance on Valentine's Day, February 14 – the impressive husband-and-wife guitar and cello duo has toured the world sharing their eclectic mix of music from Debussy and Bach to Radiohead and Beyoncé. On February 28, the acclaimed Trio Karénine, which has established itself in recent years as a key group on the French and international stage, pairs Schubert's second piano trio with Dvořák's rarely programmed second piano trio, filled with color, warmth, lively dance, and Slavic folk elements. Oboist James Austin Smith, hailed by The New York Times as "virtuosic," and for his "dazzling" and "brilliant" performances, joins forces with acclaimed pianist Gloria Chien in music by William Grant Still, Clara Schumann, Camille Saint-Saëns, and more, on March 21. On April 25, Bulgarian-American violinist Bella Hristova, who has won international acclaim for her "expressive nuance and rich tone" (The New York Times) presents the music of Bach and Messiaen, alongside works by Grieg and Indian-American composer Reena Esmail, with pianist Anna Polonsky. Pianist Orion Weiss, known for his "powerful technique and exceptional insight" (The Washington Post) returns to Newport for a solo recital of Bach's beloved Goldberg Variations on May 16. On June 13, the GRAMMY-nominated Norwegian Trio Mediaeval, who captivate audiences with their crystalline voices, closes the 2024-2025 Newport Classical Chamber Series with an enchanting evening of Norwegian and Swedish traditional songs, hymns, fiddle tunes, and ballads.
Newport Classical will also present two-holiday programs in December, which will be announced later this fall. The 2025 Newport Classical Music Festival will take place from July 4-22, 2025.
Single tickets for Chamber Series concerts start at $45 and packages are available starting at $200 for five concerts. AARP members and their guests receive discounts on fall Chamber Series tickets and packages, graciously provided by AARP of Rhode Island through their supporting sponsorship of the fall concerts, and thanks to a generous grant from the Gruben Charitable Foundation, a limited number of free student tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
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