Summer 2025, an overview
By
David YangLike the big, messy, and complicated country it springs from, American music has a big, messy, and complicated history.
As we prepare for this summer, I’ll be chatting with the artists so you can get to know the people behind the music. This week, we begin with Canadian pianist Ilya Poletaev, First Prize at the International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig, Grand Prize of the Concorso Sala Gallo in Italy, and top prizes at the George Enescu Competition in Bucharest and S.E.H.K.S. harpsichord competition.
Some musicians avoid listening to recordings for fear of their own interpretation being unduly influenced. Ilya, on the other hand, seeks them out. A scholar of historic performances, he is a musician’s musician, fascinated with the history of interpretation and how past players performed the pieces he is working on.
Anything with a keyboard is fair game for this protean master, whether it be piano, harpsichord, fortepiano, or chamber organ. He even has a side gig improvising for silent films.
This summer, we’ll be performing piano quintets by Schumann (happy!) and Schnittke (maybe not so happy…) in addition to violin and piano sonatas by Brahms (the D Minor and A major) with Solenne and Stephanie, and the Liszt Ballade in B Minor for solo piano. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss his philosophy of music.
David Yang, Artistic Director
By
David YangLike the big, messy, and complicated country it springs from, American music has a big, messy, and complicated history.
By
David YangA degree in music, even from a school like Juilliard, leaves the recent graduate staring into the abyss.
By
David YangWhat a way to start the year: the largest audience we’ve ever had for a spring concert - not including the bat that strafed the audience.
NCMF relies on the assistance of corporations, foundations, and most importantly, you.
Make a GiftVolunteerCorporate Sponsors
