Posted Monday, January 9, 2012, 2:33 PM
"Keyboard Conversations" with Jeffrey Siegel will take place at 7:30 PM tonight at the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater.
The program for tonight is "From Heart to Art: The Romantic Music of Franz Liszt."
While the Kimmel Center website appears to be keeping the musical content of tonight’s program under wraps, the website does describe the program as follows: "A sizzling program you won't want to miss! Siegel explores the Romantic era's quintessential 'rock star' Franz Liszt in a program featuring the composer's most beloved works."
Tickets to tonight's performance can be purchased via this link.
Siegel is described by the "Keyboard Conversations" website as follows:
The distinguished American pianist JEFFREY SIEGEL has been soloist with the world's great orchestras. Abroad, these include the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, Philharmonic and Philharmonia, Moscow State Symphony, Bayerischer Rundfunk, The Hague Residentie Orkest, Oslo Philharmonic, Stockholm Philharmonic, Orchestra of La Scala and NHK Symphony of Japan. In the United States, engagements include the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Siegel has collaborated with many of the pre-eminent conductors of our time: Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Neeme Järvi, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Leonard Slatkin, Michael Tilson Thomas and David Zinman, as well as legendary maestros of the past, including Eugene Ormandy, Sir George Solti, William Steinberg, Klaus Tennstedt and Yevgeny Svetlanov.
In addition to his solo appearances, Jeffrey Siegel presents Keyboard Conversations®, a unique, concert-plus-commentary format in which he speaks to the audience about the music before performing each work in its entirety. Newcomers to classical concerts have greeted these programs enthusiastically, as they present an informal, accessible and highly entertaining introduction to the vast repertoire of the piano and to classical music in general. Mr. Siegel has also developed a following among seasoned music-lovers, who are constantly enlightened by his erudition and delighted by his wit. Ongoing series flourish in numerous American cities, among them New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Phoenix, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Dallas, Washington, D. C. and Denver. Some of these venues have been presenting Keyboard Conversations® for more than thirty years - resounding testimony to Jeffrey Siegel's superb artistry, innovative format and loyal fans. Following the successful reception of Keyboard Conversations in the United Kingdom, they continue in April and May 2012 at London’s dynamic, newest arts complex, Kings Place.
Keyboard Conversations® ~ Piano Treasures, a one-hour, TV special produced by Time Life for PBS, was broadcast this past season during pledge drives nationwide. Oprah Radio’s “Dr. Oz Show” recently featured Mr. Siegel as guest of host and heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz and popular author and co-host Dr. Michael Roizen. WFMT Chicago has produced the CD Music for the Young – and the Young at Heart, now available on Amazon. Random House Audio Publishing Group has released an audiobook series of four CDs of Keyboard Conversations: Mozart and Friends, The Power and Passion of Beethoven, The Romanticism of the Russian Soul andThe Romance of the Piano. They are available at www.randomhouse.com/audio/, at www.amazon.com, for download at iTunes and at booksellers across the country. Twin Cities Public Television, in conjunction with The Schubert Club, has produced Mozart & Chopin, and WEDU Tampa has released American Pianistic Treasures, both available on DVD exclusively at Mr. Siegel's concerts. Jeffrey Siegel's recording of Gershwin's complete works for piano and orchestra, with Leonard Slatkin and the Saint Louis Symphony, continues to be a best seller and is available on Amazon, as well.
Born into a musical family, Jeffrey Siegel studied with Rudolf Ganz in his native Chicago, with the legendary Rosina Lhévinne at The Juilliard School and, as a Fulbright Scholar, with Ilona Kabos in London. Mr. Siegel and his wife live in New York City and are the parents of two grown children.
As for the "Keyboard Conservations" series, it is described by its website as follows:
Keyboard Conversations ® ...
...are concerts with lively commentary, an innovative format that differs from my traditional recitals and appearances as piano soloist with symphony orchestras, when I do not speak a word.
... are a concert-plus. A Keyboard Conversation is primarily a concert; each work on the program is performed in its entirety. As the significant plus, I speak briefly and informally to the audience before performing each composition, illustrating with a few pertinent musical examples from the keyboard. My hope is that the remarks I share will make the music more accessible, the listening experience more focused and meaningful.
... conclude with a brisk question and answer session, when audiences delight in the opportunity to participate. All questions are welcome!
... have broad, popular appeal. They consistently attract avid music lovers, who wish to increase their understanding and enjoyment of familiar works, and also reach out to newcomers to classical music, who are engaged by the entertaining, upbeat format.
... span more than 100 different titles. Repertoire can range from well-known chestnuts, such as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata or Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, to rarer gems, such as Leonard Bernstein's unpublished Meditation on a Wedding. Before performing a work, I invite listeners to consider such questions as, for example:
- How was the music of Robert Schumann affected by his love life?
- In Beethoven's immortal Für Elise, who was "Elise," and why did
Beethoven write this "love poem" for her?- How was Brahms able to compose a monumental work based on only one very short melody?
- Why didn't Chopin publish his popular Fantasie Impromptu?
After considering a few such intriguing questions and marveling at the ingenious ways inspired composers have created their masterpieces, members of the audience hear the music with a fresh perspective at the performance that follows. They feel they are now listening on the "inside track," experiencing a work as something more rewarding than a mere ear wash of sound.
Today, we read a great deal about the declining interest in classical music. I believe, however, that the transcendent dimension music adds to our lives is more necessary now than ever. As human beings, we need to be moved, affected and inspired - and if we lend an open ear and willing heart, great music can inspire us uniquely. The ever-expanding audiences for Keyboard Conversations throughout the United States reaffirm my conviction that this stimulating concert format makes friends for classical music and enriches listeners profoundly.
Keyboard Conversations are for anyone who loves music - or wants to love it even more. Attend a Keyboard Conversation - enrich your life with great music!
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