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Hats Off to Our Classical Meets Jazz CD Project Supporters!
Andrei Ivanovitch, Gerhard Hummer
and Eyran Katsenelenbogen
and Eyran Katsenelenbogen
Click here for Russian (Microsoft Word Document).
Eyran and Andrei's two-pianos onstage dialogue weaves together classical and jazz styles in a revolutionary reworking of Mussorgsky's timeless masterpiece. Pictures at an Exhibition is performed as one organic and unified piece, with all thirteen movements presented in their original order. Each movement is approached differently as the two distinguished international pianists demonstrate how composition and improvisation can work together.
About the History of Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition
Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition was conceived by philanthropist and concert producer Gerhard Hummer of Sossmar, Germany. Mr. Hummer met Andrei Ivanovitch during Ivanovitch's tour in Germany in 2004. The following year he met Eyran Katsenelenbogen in Rome following Eyran's concert at the Teatro di Marcello. Gerhard first invited both pianists separately to perform at his Culture Salon in Soosmar. In 2006, he organized a tour for both pianists in Germany during which they played the Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition program for the first time. The following year the program was played at the Auditorium Maximum at Hildesheim. The concert sold out two months in advance. In 2008, Eyran was invited by the St. Petersburg Concert agency to perform the program with Andrei in St. Petersburg, as part of the Piano Express Festival featuring pianists from various European countries and the US. Again, the concert was a tremendous success. The New England Conservatory is hosting the American premiere of Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition on May 24, 2009.
A Personal Note from the Artists
In creating the program for Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition,
we honor Gerhard Hummer's belief that music can unify people from different cultures.
Throughout the continued process of performing Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at
an Exhibition our friendship has grown. We owe this friendship to Gerhard, whose
friendship we cherish. We find that this program has also deeply affected our
individual musical styles. While Andrei is excited about improvising, Eyran has
developed a love for Russian classical music. We joke that if we keep playing together,
one day Eyran will want to play The Nutcracker and Andrei will want to dance to it.
Eyran Katsenelenbogen: Short Biography
Eyran Katsenelenbogen is releasing in 2009 his tenth album, titled 88 Fingers, with a concert tour that includes venues in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. Eyran's previous recordings have been enthusiastically reviewed by major jazz publications such as Jazziz, Jazz Times, Jazz Journal International and All About Jazz, which stated in its review of Eyran's last release, Solotude: "Art Tatum's spirit inhabits this phenomenal musician."
A classically trained pianist with a unique jazz style, Eyran has performed in concerts and on radio and television throughout the world. His recent concerts include Saint Joseph Theater, Scarborough, UK; Bechstein Centrum in Hamburg; Teatro di Marcello in Rome; and Scullers Jazz Club and Steinert Hall in Boston. In addition to solo touring, Eyran is also continuing his Pictures At An Exhibition: Classical Meets Jazz collaboration with Russian classical pianist Andrei Ivanovitch.
Related to Felix Mendelssohn, Eyran was born in Israel and was first taught by Aida Barenboim, mother and teacher of famed pianist/conductor Daniel Barenboim. Eyran went on to continue his music education at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he trained with Ran Blake, Paul Bley, Fred Hersch, Danilo Perez, George Russell and Gunther Schuller.
Since 1996, Eyran has held a faculty position at the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) Preparatory School and School of Continuing Education in Boston.
Eyran has been committed throughout his life to the medium of improvisational piano. "He is a passionate man who feels deeply, and he has the talent to express those feelings through his playing. You can not help but be moved by his performance." -- Frank Rubolino, Cadence.
For additional information: www.eyran.com
Andrei Ivanovitch: Short Biography
Andrei Ivanovitch, the great-grandson of the legendary Romanian composer Ion Ivanovitchi who wrote more than 100 waltzes, including The Waves of the Danube, was born in Bucharest in 1968. He studied music at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, then at the Russian Music Academy in Moscow, and eventually, at the Higher School of Music in Karlsruhe, Germany. Currently, Andrei is a senior faculty member in the Department of Advanced Piano at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in Saint Petersburg.
Between 1992 and 1994 Andrei won top awards at six international music competitions, including the Grand Prix and Gold Medal at the prestigious 1994 International Competition of Pianists in Cincinnati, Ohio. Following his debut at Lincoln Center in 1996, one of the New York Concert Review critics wrote: "It was a performance that reminded me in many ways of the young Ashkenazi and, indeed, even the nonpareil Dinu Lipatti. No greater compliment can be paid..."
In 2001, Andrei Ivanovitch was featured in a Canadian film about Glen Gould's trip to Russia in 1957, playing his interpretations of Bach's music as Gould's Russian follower. The film was released in Europe and North America in conjunction with Glen Gould's 70th. anniversary.
Andrei was invited to perform as a featured soloist with such well-known orchestras as the Russian National St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Tbilisi Symphony and the Baden-Baden Philharmonic. He has also played with well-known European chamber ensembles such as the Taneev Quartet. In addition, he frequently judges international competitions.
Andrei regularly performs internationally, including recent performances in China and Japan. His many recordings have received high acclaims from major international music publications.
For additional information: http://ivanovitch.spb.ru/eng
This project was made possible with funding from New England Conservatory.
About the History of Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition
Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition was conceived by philanthropist and concert producer Gerhard Hummer of Sossmar, Germany. Mr. Hummer met Andrei Ivanovitch during Ivanovitch's tour in Germany in 2004. The following year he met Eyran Katsenelenbogen in Rome following Eyran's concert at the Teatro di Marcello. Gerhard first invited both pianists separately to perform at his Culture Salon in Soosmar. In 2006, he organized a tour for both pianists in Germany during which they played the Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition program for the first time. The following year the program was played at the Auditorium Maximum at Hildesheim. The concert sold out two months in advance. In 2008, Eyran was invited by the St. Petersburg Concert agency to perform the program with Andrei in St. Petersburg, as part of the Piano Express Festival featuring pianists from various European countries and the US. Again, the concert was a tremendous success. The New England Conservatory is hosting the American premiere of Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition on May 24, 2009.
A Personal Note from the Artists
In creating the program for Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at an Exhibition,
we honor Gerhard Hummer's belief that music can unify people from different cultures.
Throughout the continued process of performing Classical Meets Jazz: Pictures at
an Exhibition our friendship has grown. We owe this friendship to Gerhard, whose
friendship we cherish. We find that this program has also deeply affected our
individual musical styles. While Andrei is excited about improvising, Eyran has
developed a love for Russian classical music. We joke that if we keep playing together,
one day Eyran will want to play The Nutcracker and Andrei will want to dance to it.
Eyran Katsenelenbogen: Short Biography
Eyran Katsenelenbogen is releasing in 2009 his tenth album, titled 88 Fingers, with a concert tour that includes venues in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. Eyran's previous recordings have been enthusiastically reviewed by major jazz publications such as Jazziz, Jazz Times, Jazz Journal International and All About Jazz, which stated in its review of Eyran's last release, Solotude: "Art Tatum's spirit inhabits this phenomenal musician."
A classically trained pianist with a unique jazz style, Eyran has performed in concerts and on radio and television throughout the world. His recent concerts include Saint Joseph Theater, Scarborough, UK; Bechstein Centrum in Hamburg; Teatro di Marcello in Rome; and Scullers Jazz Club and Steinert Hall in Boston. In addition to solo touring, Eyran is also continuing his Pictures At An Exhibition: Classical Meets Jazz collaboration with Russian classical pianist Andrei Ivanovitch.
Related to Felix Mendelssohn, Eyran was born in Israel and was first taught by Aida Barenboim, mother and teacher of famed pianist/conductor Daniel Barenboim. Eyran went on to continue his music education at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he trained with Ran Blake, Paul Bley, Fred Hersch, Danilo Perez, George Russell and Gunther Schuller.
Since 1996, Eyran has held a faculty position at the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) Preparatory School and School of Continuing Education in Boston.
Eyran has been committed throughout his life to the medium of improvisational piano. "He is a passionate man who feels deeply, and he has the talent to express those feelings through his playing. You can not help but be moved by his performance." -- Frank Rubolino, Cadence.
For additional information: www.eyran.com
Andrei Ivanovitch: Short Biography
Andrei Ivanovitch, the great-grandson of the legendary Romanian composer Ion Ivanovitchi who wrote more than 100 waltzes, including The Waves of the Danube, was born in Bucharest in 1968. He studied music at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, then at the Russian Music Academy in Moscow, and eventually, at the Higher School of Music in Karlsruhe, Germany. Currently, Andrei is a senior faculty member in the Department of Advanced Piano at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in Saint Petersburg.
Between 1992 and 1994 Andrei won top awards at six international music competitions, including the Grand Prix and Gold Medal at the prestigious 1994 International Competition of Pianists in Cincinnati, Ohio. Following his debut at Lincoln Center in 1996, one of the New York Concert Review critics wrote: "It was a performance that reminded me in many ways of the young Ashkenazi and, indeed, even the nonpareil Dinu Lipatti. No greater compliment can be paid..."
In 2001, Andrei Ivanovitch was featured in a Canadian film about Glen Gould's trip to Russia in 1957, playing his interpretations of Bach's music as Gould's Russian follower. The film was released in Europe and North America in conjunction with Glen Gould's 70th. anniversary.
Andrei was invited to perform as a featured soloist with such well-known orchestras as the Russian National St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Tbilisi Symphony and the Baden-Baden Philharmonic. He has also played with well-known European chamber ensembles such as the Taneev Quartet. In addition, he frequently judges international competitions.
Andrei regularly performs internationally, including recent performances in China and Japan. His many recordings have received high acclaims from major international music publications.
For additional information: http://ivanovitch.spb.ru/eng
This project was made possible with funding from New England Conservatory.
