Chamber Music in Annisquam

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To kick off a second year as its Artist-in-Residence, violinist Scott Moore presents the first of two spring recitals at the Annisquam Village Church, Sunday April 2 at 3 p.m.  Joining forces with pianist Tianhong Yang, Moore presents “Mirror in Mirror,” a program exploring the range of sonorities for violin and piano—from fiery and virtuosic, to deeply tender and profound.

“I wanted to build on the success of last year’s solo Bach cycle,” says Moore, “while offering a different experience.  ‘Mirror in Mirror’ refers to the abundance of patterns in the music I’ve selected for April 2.  From the golden spiral and fractal iteration to explosive energy reminiscent of an atomic chain reaction, to the bittersweet power of nostalgia, these patterns and their relationships can move us in extremely emotional and visceral ways.”

“Mirror in Mirror” is also the translation of Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel I'm Spiegel, a piece known for deep emotional resonance below the surface of an extremely simple construction.  This in contrast to flashy virtuoso staples like Fritz Kreisler’s Praeludium and Allegro and Henryck Wieniawski’s devilish Scherzo-Tarantella.  Along with César Franck’s Sonata for violin and piano—a fin-de-siècle masterpiece of airy impressionism and unabashed passion—this is music Moore says he learned as a teenager and has hardly played since.  “I’m excited to revisit these pieces after two decades—or else, one eventful year,” as in the case of Bach’s Sonata No.2 in A minor for solo violin, which rounds out the program.

Since putting bow to string in Annisquam last spring, Moore has premiered a full-length ballet score as composer with the Louisville (KY) Ballet, become Concertmaster of the Cape Ann Symphony, and welcomed his second child.  “I am incredibly thrilled and honored to be Artist-in-Residence at the AVC again for 2023 and can’t wait to get into all kinds of new musical mischief.”  Look for more offerings later in the year, drawing on Moore’s background in bluegrass, folk, rock, and composition.

A reception follows the concert.  All are welcome; a donation of $25 per person is suggested.

Pianist Tianhong Yang has made solo appearances in several prestigious festivals and venues across Europe, Asia, and the USA, including the Art of Piano Festival, Imuse Festival, and Hanoi International Piano Festival.  As a diverse musician of the 21st Century, Yang actively promotes contemporary music in her performing career.  Along with cellist Johnny Mok, Yang founded Aroma Duo, which aims to bring awareness and new perspective to audiences.  Aroma Duo has been featured in chamber music venues including the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra and Weston Library concert series.  Yang currently serves as adjunct faculty in piano at Plymouth State University.

The Annisquam Village Church possesses an ideal acoustic for chamber music, attracting world-class musicians and offering extraordinary instruments for performance, including the recently acquired Lamb/Juncker Steinway.  The historic 1830s interdenominational church is at 820 Washington Street, on the corner of Leonard at the head of Lobster Cove.

musical instruments, ayako uehara, josé eduardo martins, annisquam village church, tianhong yang, scott moore, portsmouth symphony orchestra, diverse musician, johnny mok, louisville, asia, cellist, wieniawski, leonard, composer, pianist, fritz kreisler