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A List
9/11/06
SLU, CRANE CELEBRATE SHOSTAKOVICH THIS FALL
CANTON - St. Lawrence University in Canton and SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music
join the worldwide celebration of composer Dmitri Shostakovich with a series of
events titled "A Shostakovich Festival: A Centennial Celebration of Soviet Russia's
Greatest Composer." All events in the festival are open to the public, free of charge.
The festival begins on Wednesday, September 27, with a faculty recital in Crane's
Hosmer Hall at 7:30 p.m. "Piano and Chamber Music of Dmitri Shostakovich" will be
performed by pianist Eugenia Tsarov with baritone Boris Loushin; pianist François
Germain; and the Potsdam Piano Quartet (John Lindsey, violin; Ioan Harea, violin;
Shelly Tramposh, viola; and Mathias Wexler, cello). With the exception of Germain,
all are SUNY Potsdam faculty members.
On Monday, October 2, 24 students in Crane's piano department will present a recital,
"Twenty-four Preludes by Dmitri Shostakovich," at 7:30 p.m. in Hosmer Hall.
Events at St. Lawrence, on Wednesday and Thursday, October 4 and 5, will center
around the annual residency of the Alexander String Quartet on campus. Celebrating
its 25th anniversary this year, the Alexander has just completed an acclaimed recording
project of the complete music for string quartet by Shostakovich. The first of a
two-volume set was released earlier this year, including the first seven String
Quartets, the Piano Quintet and arrangements by first violinist Zakarius Grafilo
of selections from Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 for piano. The second
volume is due for release in early 2007.
On Wednesday, October 4, the Alexander will give an informal performance and
talk at noon in Gunnison Memorial Chapel. Shostakovich's last work, the Viola
Sonata, Op. 147 will be played by violist Paul Yarbrough, with Barbara
Phillips-Farley at the piano, along with excerpts from the composer's quartets.
Also on October 4, at 8 p.m. in the Gilbert Recital Hall, Griffiths Arts Center,
members of the Alexander Quartet will be joined by St. Lawrence music department
faculty, Tsarov and Loushin in a public forum entitled "Meaning in Music: The
Shostakovich Dilemma." The discussion will center on interpreting meaning in
instrumental, or so-called abstract music, but use the particular problems of
Shostakovich's music - emotionally charged and enigmatic pieces composed while
operating in a totalitarian state.
The Alexander String Quartet will perform in concert on Thursday, October 5,
at 7:30 p.m. in Gulick Theatre, featuring three Shostakovich quartets, as well
as some of the prelude and fugue arrangements.
Born September 25, 1906, Shostakovich is universally regarded as the Soviet
Union's greatest composer. His large output of symphonic, vocal, piano,
chamber and film music distinguishes him as one of the most important figures
in 20th-century music.
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More information: The Arts at St. Lawrence
SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music
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