PHILIP GLASS: THE COMPLETE PIANO ETUDES

Presented by Aarhus 2017 and Pomegranate Arts, New York
Part of Legends supported by Købmand Herman Sallings Foundation, Knud Højgaards Foundation and Pressalit

In the 1990s, Glass composed 16 of the etudes, each of which has its own approach to the instrument. After a decade-long break, the last four etudes were written as a commission on the occasion of Glass' 75th birthday in 2012, where they all premiered. The complete collection of The Etudes is performed as one programme by Philip Glass and four guest pianists.

Biographies
PHILIP GLASS Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Philip Glass is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the Juilliard School. In the early 1960s, Glass spent two years of intensive study in Paris with Nadia Boulanger and while there, earned money by transcribing Ravi Shankar’s Indian music into Western notation. By 1974, Glass had a number of innovative projects, creating a large collection of new music for The Philip Glass Ensemble, and for the Mabou Mines Theater Company. This period culminated in Music in Twelve Parts, and the landmark opera, Einstein on the Beach for which he collaborated with Robert Wilson. Since Einstein, Glass has expanded his repertoire to include music for opera, dance, theater, chamber ensemble, orchestra, and film. His scores have received Academy Award nominations (Kundun, The Hours, Notes on a Scandal) and a Golden Globe (The Truman Show). In the past few years several new works were unveiled, including an opera on the death of Walt Disney, The Perfect American (co-commissioned by Teatro Real, Madrid and the English National Opera), a song cycle entitled, Ifé, written for Angelique Kidjo, a new touring production of Einstein and the publication of Glass’s memoir, ‘Words Without Music’, by Liveright Books. In May 2015, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, performed the world premiere of a double piano concerto Glass wrote for Katia and Marielle Labèque. In November of 2015, the Washington National Opera premiered a revised version of Glass’s opera, Appomattox, created in collaboration with librettist Christopher Hampton. 

In 2017, Glass celebrates his 80th birthday. The celebration began on January 31st with the world premiere of his 11th Symphony and continues with several highlights throughout the year: a new concerto written for Simone Dinnerstein, US premieres of his operas The Perfect American and The Trial, and tribute festivals around the world. The Jack Quartet will premiere String Quartet No. 8 in March 2018 during Glass’s tenure as the Carnegie Hall 2017-2018 Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair. 

ANTON BATAGOV is a Russian composer and pianist. He is one of the most influential Russian musicians of our time. As a performer, Batagov introduced the music of John Cage, Morton Feldman, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass to Russian audiences. His debut CD, a 160-minute recording of Olivier Messiaen's “Vingt regards sur l'Enfant Jesus” (1990), became a major sensation. Three years later Richard Kostelanetz characterized his 1993 recording of Bach’s "The Art of the Fugue" as "the most stunning interpretation of Bach since Glenn Gould." In 1997 Batagov stopped performing live, and since then, he had been focusing on composition and studio recordings for 12 years. As a composer, Batagov has his own unique voice. The post-minimalist language of his compositions is rooted in the harmonic and rhythmic patterns of Russian church bells and folk songs seamlessly mixed with the spirit of Buddhist philosophy and the dynamic pulse of early Soviet avant-garde. His discography includes over 40 CD releases. Batagov is the author of several movie soundtracks, and a huge number of tunes for the major Russian TV channels. In 2009, after twelve years of seclusion, he returned to live performances. Since then, he has been performing a series of unique solo piano recital programs. The critics call his recitals "a revelation", "a work of enlightened person". Anton Batagov has been performing works of Philip Glass for over 25 years. He has the complete Etudes in his repertoire as well as earlier solo piano works. In addition to that, he plays piano arrangements of other compositions such as The Hours and scenes from Einstein on the Beach and Koyaanisqatsi. The album of his piano arrangements of music by Philip Glass – Prophecies – is available on Orange Mountain Music. The live recording of the complete Etudes is coming out this fall.

AARON DIEHL Pianist, composer, and bandleader Aaron Diehl is a dynamic, virtuosic, and versatile artist. He is one of the most sought after musicians of his generation, as evidenced by his critically acclaimed performances, collaborations, and compositions across multiple disciplines. A Steinway artist, Mr. Diehl is a 2007 graduate of The Juilliard School, the American Pianists Association’s 2011 Cole Porter Fellow, and a Monterey Jazz Festival Commission Artist. He performed George Gershwin's Concerto in F with the New York Philharmonic in September 2016. His work on ‪Cécile McLorin Salvant‬’s For One To Love garnered him a Grammy Award and his 2015 album, Space, Time, Continuum (on the Mack Avenue Records label), emphasizes artistic interactions between generations. Aside from leading his own ensembles, Aaron Diehl has amassed an impressive list of musical accomplishments, including serving as the music director for Cécile McLorin Salvant, collaborating with ‪Philip Glass‬ on his complete piano etudes, and scoring Jeremy McQueen’s ballet The Black Iris Project. ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬He is the music director of a large ensemble project that celebrates the music of Jelly Roll Morton and George Gershwin. ‬‬‬‬ 

MAKI NAMEKAWA is a leading figure among today's young artists, bringing audiences' attention to both contemporary and classical music. In 2012 with Philip Glass, they premiered Glass’ complete 20 piano etudes at the Perth Music Festival. Since then she has toured throughout Europe, the U.S. and Japan with Philip Glass performing these etudes. In 2014 Maki Namekawa released the first complete recording of the etudes on Glass' label Orange Mountain Music, reaching number 1 in the iTunes Classic charts and recently receiving high praise by BBC Magazine. As a soloist, Maki Namekawa performs regularly at international venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Cite de la Musique in Paris, Barbican Center in London, Musikverein in Vienna, Suntory Hall and Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. 

TANJA ZAPOLSKI The Danish Tanja Zapolski is one of the country’s top young musicians, astounding audiences with solo recitals, piano concertos, chamber music with some of the world’s best musicians, and new forms of cross-genre expression. 

JIM WOODARD has been coordinating the touring logistics for Mr. Glass and his ensemble since 1999. Prior to working with the PGE Jim has served as a Company Manager for American regional theatres such as La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, CA, the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA and the Alaska Repertory Theatre in Anchorage, AK. For most of the 90's Jim owned and operated a theatre in Branson, MO before coming to work for Mr. Glass’ producer, Pomegranate Arts. Starting in 2011, Jim is very proud to serve as General Manager of Mr. Glass' new Arts Festival in Big Sur, CA, The Days And Nights Festival. 

POMEGRANATE ARTS For the past twenty years, Pomegranate Arts has worked in close collaboration with a small group of contemporary artists and arts institutions to bring bold and ambitious artistic ideas to fruition. Founder and Director Linda Brumbach, along with managing director Alisa E. Regas produced the Olivier Award-winning revival of Einstein on the Beach, the multi-award winning production of Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music and the Drama Desk Award winning production of Charlie Victor Romeo. Since it’s inception, Pomegranate Arts has produced over 30 major new performing arts productions and tours for Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Lucinda Childs, Dan Zanes, London’s Improbable, Sankai Juku, Batsheva, and Bassem Youssef and collaborated on new productions with the Kronos Quartet, Leonard Cohen, Robert Wilson, and Frank Gehry. We hope to continue to build our community of institutions and individuals that are inspired by the artists in our lives that help bring beauty and truth into the world, ask important questions, and take bold risks. 

Philip Glass: The Complete Piano Etudes

The Etudes (1994-2013)
Performed by:

Philip Glass
Etude # 1
Etude # 2

Aaron Diehl
Etude # 3
Etude # 4

Tanja Zapolski
Etude # 5
Etude # 6

Maki Namekawa
Etude # 7
Etude # 8

Anton Batagov
Etude # 9
Etude # 10

- Intermission -

Tanja Zapolski
Etude # 11
Etude # 12

Aaron Diehl
Etude # 13
Etude # 14

Anton Batagov
Etude # 15

Philip Glass
Etude # 16
Etude # 17

Anton Batagov
Etude # 18

Maki Namekawa
Etude # 19
Etude # 20

About Legends
Under the headline Legends, we invite you for five days in the company of the legendary Philip Glass and Lucinda Childs, who will visit the Concert Hall in Aarhus. Together with our Artist in Residence Anohni, who performs a unique concert, the weekend will be legendary.

See also:
Philip Glass: Works for Piano
Lucinda Childs Dance Company: DANCE
Philip Glass og Lucinda Childs: Film and Talk 
Anohni: In Concert

DATE
19. November

VENUE
Musikhuset Aarhus

AUDIENCE
Everyone