MacPhail Spotlight Series Explores Personal Side of Beethoven for 250th Anniversary - April 4
Monday, March 9, 2020 at 3:23PMVia a March 9 Press Release:
MacPhail Spotlight Series: Anatomy of Genius uses personal letters and contemporary accounts to piece together the life of the genius composer – April 4
Regarded by many as the greatest composer of all time, like many creative geniuses, Beethoven struggled with the highs and lows of a creative life. MacPhail Spotlight Series: Anatomy of Genius shines a light on the lesser-known sides to the famous figure.
“Everyone knows something about Beethoven,” explains Mischa Santora, artistic director, MacPhail Spotlight Series. “But it was the struggles he endured throughout his life that made him a symbol for perseverance and victory which was reflected in his music. We’ve put together a program of three pieces that explore musical intricacies and stylistic evolution over the course of his life, performed by MacPhail teaching artists and members of the local music scene. The music will be interspersed with Beethoven’s letters to provide a fuller picture of the artist and genius.”
The program will feature “Septet in E-flat major, op.20” performed by Nina Olsen, clarinet; Allison Akins, horn; Marc Levine, violin; Chi-Chi Bestmann, viola; Rebecca Merblum, cello; Fred Bretschger (guest artist), bass, followed by “Piano Trio No. 1, op. 70 (Ghost)” with Marc Levine, violin; Julia Elkina, piano; Rebecca Merblum, cello, and conclude with “Piano Sonata No 30, op. 109” performed by Richard Tostenson.
MacPhail Spotlight Series: Anatomy of Genius will be held Saturday, April 4 at MacPhail Center for Music’s Antonello Hall (501 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis) at 7:30 p.m. A pre-concert lecture will be held one hour before at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for seniors (ages 55 and older) and youth (ages 6 through 18), and may be purchased by calling 612-767-5250 or by stopping by Student Services at MacPhail locations in Minneapolis, Chanhassen, Apple Valley or White Bear Lake.
The MacPhail Spotlight Series showcases the exceptional talents of MacPhail teaching artists and special guests, providing an intimate listening experience in MacPhail’s state-of-the-art Antonello Hall and locations throughout the Twin Cities and beyond. Under the artistic direction of Mischa Santora, this premier performance event is brought to life with collaborations from some of the Twin Cities’ finest artists.
MacPhail Center for Music is committed to transforming lives and strengthening communities through music learning experiences that inspire. Each year, MacPhail opens its doors to more than 16,000 students offering programming for all ages, backgrounds and abilities, at locations in Minneapolis, White Bear Lake, Chanhassen, Apple Valley and Austin, as well as 104 community partnerships across the Twin Cities and online at MacPhail Online. MacPhail has a 113-year history of excellence, promoting life-long learning and building long-term relationships between students and teachers. For more information, visit www.macphail.org.
