This recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453, is from a concert in Redding, California on February 10, 2018.
As the featured soloist for the concert with the Shasta Symphony Orchestra and conductor Dwayne Corbin, I spent a wonderful few days rehearsing this music and exploring all of the joys and nuances it contains.
Dwayne invited me to introduce the piece to the audience, as a kind of "verbal program note". I took the opportunity to bring a behind-the-scenes look at our approach, which I enjoyed very much.
The below performance of Beethoven's Sonata in A-flat major, Op. 110, took place at Monument in San Francisco, a vibrant live-work community that hosts art and music of all kinds in their converted warehouse space in the SOMA neighborhood.
Monument has been the site of many memorable concerts, often that have the feel of an "underground classical music scene" complete with seating on comfy pillows, chairs and couches that surround the performers, a casual atmosphere, and an audience that features more young millennials than you might expect at an evening of classical music.
This was part of the Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival's annual "Midwinter Classics" series which explored all of the late quartets and piano music of Beethoven in the 2016 - 2020 seasons.
The below performance of Beethoven's Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1 was from a performance in Salem, Oregon, on the Camerata Musica series.
My colleague Charles Akert and I absolutely love this piece. It has so many characters that you might not expect from Beethoven. True, the "Allegro vivace" of the first movement is Beethoven doing his usual fist-shaking dramatics, but the opening Andante is pensive and sweet, and the finale is one of the most joyous moments Beethoven has ever given us.
Playing with Charly is always a good time. Enjoy! Note: there are two videos of this work below: - the first movement (Andante+Allegro Vivace), and the second movement (Adagio+Allegro Vivace) -