The Heifetz 25-Year Advent Calendar
Day 18: 2018 - PianoPalooza!
July 10, 2018: Staunton, VA
PianoPalooza! They work tirelessly behind the scenes to support our students and string faculty, at a breathtaking level of professionalism and artistry. So much so that we decided that one day each summer they deserve a concert all to their own – and it was an instant and well-deserved hit!
Yes, while the Heifetz Institute is a place for advanced string players to meet, play, learn, and excel, none of that happens without the pianists that anchor the performances. So, in true form, our 25-year celebration of the Heifetz Institute is going to take a day to celebrate our fabulous faculty pianists! First up in a rarely heard work by Leonard Bernstein – Music for Two Pianos. The legendary pianist/conductor/composer penned the piece when he was just 19 years old as a Harvard undergrad in 1937. It’s interpreted beautifully in our home stage at Francis Auditorium by Beilin Han and Dina Vainshtein.
The Heifetz PianoPaloozas are both an opportunity to feature top-flight performances of keyboard masters like Chopin, Brahms, and Debussy….as well as a chance to have a little fun! And it takes an especially outsized piece to serve the role of the finale. Perhaps there is nothing in the piano repertoire that fits the bill more than Albert Lavignac’s Galop-Marche for One Piano, Eight Hands. As the name implies, this barn burner makes use of the every bit of real estate on the keyboard as Lynne Mackey , Esther Lim, Beilin Han, and Zhenni Li-Cohen demonstrate!
The 2018 Heifetz Institute Piano Crew: (L-R), Lynne Mackey, Allison Freeman, Miki Aoki, Dina Vainshtein, Zhenni Li-Cohen, Stefan Petrov, Beilin Han, Sheng-Yuan Kuan, Jessica Osborne, and Carlos Avila. See the entire 2022 Heifetz Institute Collaborative Piano Faculty here.
Stay Connected!
Did you attend the Heifetz Institute? If so, you’re part of an exclusive group of musicians who have explored their full creative potential through the advanced private lessons, unrivaled concert appearances, and the unique Performance & Communication Training method. We believe that the one-of-a-kind Heifetz training prepares our students to become not only more effective communicators and performers, but also more confident and dynamic in all facets of life. Now we want to reconnect and hear more about how you’ve put your Heifetz experience to use – both on and off stage!
Fast Away The Old Year Passes! The Heifetz Institute has been in the business of helping brilliant young talents blossom for 25 years now, the last two of which have required us to work even harder, smarter, and better to pursue our trailblazing mission. As you consider your year-end giving, please consider supporting our mission to enable the world’s most promising young musical talents to realize their artistic and communicative potential.