Dear Symphony Music Lovers and Lifelong Learners,
Our second concert of the season, Testament, will be happening October 29-30, and the Symphony is back with a new online class to help you fully appreciate the music!
We’re delighted to introduce you to our newest professor: Dr. Anatole Leikin, Professor Emeritus of Music at UC Santa Cruz. With his wealth of knowledge, and using the piano to demonstrate themes and motifs, Professor Leikin will explore the background of the pieces we will hear at Testament and provide a detailed listening guide to enhance our concert experience.
Professor Leikin will lead a Zoom class on Wednesday evening October 19, 2022 at 7 pm. He will dive into these pieces with his wealth of musical knowledge and perspective. And all in the comfort of your home!
Dr. Leikin is a music historian and pianist. He teaches at UC Santa Cruz in his semi-retirement, specializing in Classical and Romantic performance practice, music history, and theory, as well as piano performance. He enjoys a stellar reputation as a professor with his UCSC students!
The Testament concert program to be discussed will include:
Valentin Silvestrov’s Prayer for Ukraine, the orchestral version. Having heard the choral version last May, we’ll now learn how this music arose from the Russian annexation of Crimea and has become a frequently performed piece around the world today.
Béla Bartók’s Viola Concerto, featuring the Klein String Competition winner, Yuchen Lu. This piece has a fascinating history, and Bartók left it unfinished when he died. We will recognize the important themes and learn about the structure of the three movements. Perhaps we’ll hear about who helped get the work finished and ready for performance with an orchestra?
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 Pathétique, a masterwork. Labeled by Tchaikovsky as a “Passionate” Symphony whose theme or “program” was to remain a “mystery,” we’re sure that Professor Leikin with enlighten us as to what the themes and development are within this structure.
Allow up to 90 minutes for this class, which will go into greater depth than time permits at our pre-concert talks. We will record this class for those who can’t attend so you can view the recording ahead of the concert. The recording will be available before the concert dates on October 29-30.
After you've paid for the class, we'll send you an email on Tuesday, October 18 with instructions with the Zoom link for the class and some important details.
Join your Symphony friends for this excellent class! Please share this email with any friends who may not be on our mailing list. We look forward to seeing you!