For the first chapter of Alisa Weilerstein s groundbreaking project for solo cello, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall, J. S. Bachs First Cello Suite is woven together with new works, responsive lighting, and scenic architecture, inviting audiences into an immersive, multisensory experience. An ardent proponent of contemporary music, she has also premiered and championed important new works by composers including Pascal Dusapin, Osvaldo Golijov and Matthias Pintscher. Theres the potential for a really deep kind of collaboration with them, which is kind of unique. Do it for no other reason than that you love it and cant imagine doing anything else. Carlos Kleibers live recording of Brahms 2nd Symphony reminds me of what utter joy and inspiration sounds (and looks!) WebAlisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. To everyones credit, I think, everyone is wrestling with this issue, Weilerstein said in a recent interview from Toronto. Entertainment & Arts. hide caption. These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your consent. Cello Suite No. Born in New York to a violinist father and pianist mother, she grew up and eventually formed the Weilerstein Trio with her parents. Known for her consummate artistry, emotional investment and rare interpretive depth, she was recognized with a MacArthur genius grant Fellowship in 2011. Theres this idea that we have a literal script in front of us. In general, Weilerstein's approach is deliberate and detailed, more reminiscent of Mstislav Rostropovich than of the members of her own family with whom she plays chamber music. She was awarded the MacArthur genius grant in 2011. The work was co-commissioned with the Detroit Symphony; the Cleveland Orchestra, where Weilerstein performed it last fall; and the National Symphony, where she reprised it in May. The trio currently resides at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Her brother is the violinist and conductor Joshua Weilerstein (born in 1987). She is married to Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare. [5] Weilerstein has received a number of honors. Lucio Lecce/courtesy of the artist There is no end point. The newly renovated Dock Street Theater in Charleston, S.C., plays host to Gypsy-inspired sounds. Right now all I really want to do is give.. This is what its about for me., A Cellist Breaks Music Into Fragments, Then Connects Them, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/arts/music/alisa-weilerstein-fragments-cellist.html. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at nine years old, Weilerstein is a staunch advocate for the T1D community. Violinist Livia Sohn, pianist Inon Barnatan, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and violist Barry Shiffman (not pictured) dig into the the Gypsy-influenced Piano Quartet, Op. AllMusic relies heavily on JavaScript. I do that with great repertoires a lot. WebExplore Alisa Weilerstein's discography including top tracks, albums, and reviews. Also, you cant be afraid of performing. Weilerstein was born in Rochester, New York. Without real love and doggedness and tenacity, its still nearly impossible. I do think, though, that we clearly have a problem, that we are not connecting with enough people, and that we are relying too much on our old models of presenting, especially when it comes to new music.. FC: Was it hard playing at home for your dad - this world-famous violinist - when you were just learning how to play the cello? It didnt last. Earlier in their careers, Moya and Payare both played in the Simn Bolvar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, a country that has such an addiction to caffeine that it has a precise linguistic taxonomy for coffee and its functions. Weilerstein at the Fragments premiere in Toronto. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein There will be limited program notes in advance, little to guide listeners except their ears and eyes through a collagelike narrative arc assembled from musical fragments. Hablas espaol? hide caption. In general, Weilerstein's approach is deliberate and detailed, more reminiscent of Mstislav Rostropovich than of the members of her own family with whom she plays chamber music. Weilerstein did set some rules. Alisa Weilerstein is an American classical cellist who began performing professionally at the age of 13. At this point in your career, how do you define success? To keep growing with them. Alisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. 2023 Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. Nobody would say otherwise, but I try not to pay too much attention to that. It certainly made things easier to not have that fear, to not have to unload that fear or deal with it. There are myriad reasons, of course, Weilerstein said, exploring the apparent divergence in the fields, but there is one very fundamental thing, which is, you walk into an exhibition, you see the painting or you see the work of art before anything, and it can hit you right where it needs to hit and then you can find out all the context around it. She also is active in chamber music and performs with her parents, violinist Donald Weilerstein (the founding first violinist of the Cleveland Quartet) and pianist Vivian Anyone can read what you share. It gives you a totally new tool. For her though, Fragments is an attempt to make the concert hall more of a place of adventure again, and less of a dead end. Caroline Shaw, whose Microfictions for Weilerstein is the second volume in a run of collected miniatures that she has also written for the Mir Quartet and the New York Philharmonic, said that her piece is not an explicit response to Bach, but that his influence was surely present in it. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. This is the philosophy behind the project, fundamentally: connecting the pieces, connecting the voices of our time together, connecting the familiar and the new, connecting this music with the audience without the barrier of so much contextualization, categorization, bias, all of these things., And connecting, she added, our contemporary world with the concert format. Is it always about reaching for some higher goal? Everyone brings their perspective and insight into what the composer actually meant. WebAlisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. November 6, 2012 Hear an excerpt of MacArthur "genius" cellist Alisa Weilerstein's excellent pairing of the Elgar Cello Concerto recorded with Daniel Barenboim, whose late wife Jacqueline Du Pre's name was synonymous with this piece and the cello concerto by Elliott Carter, who died yesterday at 103. She knew exactly what to do and what not to do with a young person. Law Office of Gretchen J. Kenney. Its not about expressing the performers personality, but that inevitably happens. There may be people, Weilerstein admits, who are put off by even a modest staging, or by her tinkering with performance traditions. AW: No, because I was three months old. What does the idea of creative freedom mean when youre a classical musician? .st0{fill:#000;}. I tend to say yes too often, but Im trying to get better at that. Alisa Weilerstein is an American cellist who started playing the cello at a young age. How do you nourish your creative life when youre not working? Law Firm Website Design by Law Promo, What Clients Say About Working With Gretchen Kenney. Because its hard enough, even when you love it. Its familiar, theres such a child-like purity to it, says Weilerstein. I never liked that word. This website uses cookies to improve your experience when you browse the website. She is married to Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare, with whom she has a young child. As the UKs Telegraph put it, Weilerstein is truly a phenomenon.. hide caption. Alisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. Theres a lot of things that classical music does uniquely well, and its important to preserve those things, Weilerstein said. Housing & Homelessness. Alisa Weilersteins new project, Fragments, comes to Zankel Hall on April 1. May 22, 2022 6 AM PT Balancing an infant with a whirlwind career as one of classical musics most in-demand cellists comes easily for Alisa Weilerstein. Weilerstein is a throwback to an earlier age of classical performers: not content merely to serve as a vessel for the composers wishes, she inhabits a piece fully and turns it to her own ends, marvels the New York Times. May 27, 2011 A consummate artist even before she was out of her teens, 29-year-old Alisa Weilerstein has already been granted extraordinary opportunities, from As Artistic Partner of the Trondheim Soloists, she regularly tours and records with the Norwegian orchestra. Monday to Friday: noon to 5 p.m. You received the MacArthur Grant. Music is about communication. Im still going to always try to improve as an artist and to be a more insightful interpreter. WebAlisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. William Struhs A multisensory production for solo cello, the six-chapter series sees her weave together the 36 movements of Bachs solo cello suites with 27 new commissions. 1 888 842-9951. Theyre chamber music players, which means that theyre listening to each other individually. WebAbout Alisa Weilerstein. She lives with her husband, Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare, and their young child. For example, Im about to play the Elgar concerto with the National Symphony in Russia. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein has announced on her Facebook page that she and her husband, the conductor Rafael Payare, are expecting their first child together. Those were the kind of stories you heard. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 1600 Saint-Urbain Street, | Disclaimer | Sitemap People might not realize that the further you go in this business, the more travel is absolutely a part of the job description. Weilerstein avoids the dance rhythms for the most part, but sometimes, when they serve her purposes, they show up, and the surfaces are strikingly variegated. As a child prodigy, Ma performed for presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy when he was only seven years old. But he had this remarkable - actually both my parents did, but especially my father because I worked more intensely with him between the time I was 9 and 15. I got management early on. In that sense, theres no substitute for time away. Alisa Weilerstein has won the MacArthur Foundation "genius grant." That's an honor and a litmus test which Barenboim has only granted one other artist: Yo-Yo Ma. Do you even remember the first time you were here? WebAlisa Weilerstein. The perspective gives you something. Alisa Weilerstein: From Bach To The Backstreets Of Buenos Aires. The Elgar was the signature piece of Barenboim's late wife, cellist Jacqueline du Pre. But for this upcoming performance, itll be my first time that I play it without a conductor, so it should be interesting. (1988) and When Alisa Met Elliott (2012). This is always the subject of debatewhat is the role of the performer? Fresh, moving, timeless, and some of the most beautiful writing I can think of. Alisa Weilerstein (Cello) Born: April 18, 1982 - Rochester, New York, USA The American cellist, Alisa Weilerstein, was born into a musical family: she is the I also heard of other people of my generation being called a prodigy as if they were simply a precocious kid. September 11, 2008 Cellist Alisa Weilerstein was born into a musical family with a love for chamber music. My parents were very conscious to give me as close to a normal childhood as possible, so I had friends, played outside, went to normal school. Not only did she make her Carnegie Hall debut at age 15 and perform for President Obama in 2009, last year she was also chosen by conductor Daniel Barenboim to perform the Elgar Cello Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic. Im going to give you a similar answer to what I would say about the label of prodigy. Of course, these labels are flattering. Her Sarabandes are extraordinary, very slow (a lot of the high time total is racked up here) without being emotionally overwrought: they are deeply meditative. When youre playing with someone new, do differences in interpretation ever cause problems? She plays the suites in the sequence 1, 3, 6, 2, 4, 5, making the virtuosic and difficult Suite No. For details on how we use cookies, see our. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein, explaining her decision to retract an earlier promise not to play the pieces until she was older, says that the suites "present the player with infinite possibilities." Saturday and Sunday: from 2 hours before the concert starts until 30 minutes after the concert starts I came to Aspen, I think, for 16 summers of my first 18 years of life, so I spent a lot of my formative years here, so it really feels like another home to me. Law Office of Gretchen J. Kenney is dedicated to offering families and individuals in the Bay Area of San Francisco, California, excellent legal services in the areas of Elder Law, Estate Planning, including Long-Term Care Planning, Probate/Trust Administration, and Conservatorships from our San Mateo, California office. Cecilia BartoliI love virtually everything she does. Her discography also includes chart-topping albums and the winner of BBC Musics Recording of the Year award, while other career milestones include a performance at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama. I also always enjoyed playing for non-cellists in addition to cellists, because I always found they gave me great perspective and I grew up practicing with my father who was a great violinist, of course, and I was quite used to that. Now, the youngest Weilerstein's profile as a soloist is being kicked into high gear. Group Sales Request View Seating Chart (PDF) Alex Irvin / Courtesy Aspen Music Festival and School. She has been married to Rafael Payare since 2013. Most classical musicians regard his work as sacred in terms of really abiding by exactly what he wrote, in terms of dynamic markings and tempi and that sort of thing. Free to write what he wanted, Moya drew on the personal ties that he has to Weilerstein through the conductor Rafael Payare, her husband. For Shaw, that was part of the attraction of Fragments, beyond the obvious appeal of writing for a soloist whose visible commitment expresses such a clear love of music. 25 by Brahms on June 11 at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charlestown, S.C. I was interested in other things. She made her debut at age 13 with the Cleveland Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme. Alisa Weilerstein (cello) Recorded: 2012-10-14 Recording Venue: Teldex Studio, Berlin 1. FC: You spent a lot of time at Aspen as a very young girl. Weilerstein recently premiered Joan Towers new cello concerto, A New Day, at the Colorado Music Festival. Since Alisa Weilerstein was just 6, the three have performed together around the globe as the Weilerstein Trio. Ive been looking forward to working with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra because they dont play like a typical orchestra with a conductor at the head, in which case you just follow the conductors beat. They have one child. Food. (1988) and When Alisa Met Elliott (2012). May 27, 2011 A consummate artist even before she was out of her teens, 29-year-old Alisa Weilerstein has already been granted extraordinary opportunities, from playing for President Obama to taking on an iconic musical assignment. Her repertory is wide but has been marked by a focus on contemporary music. Her father, Donald, was the longtime first violinist with the fine Cleveland Quartet, and her mother, Vivian Hornik Weilerstein, is an equally well-regarded pianist. We all had a lot of time to think about what it means to really connect with an audience, what it means to connect with each other, and an appreciation for being in one communal space.. California. The other goal that I have is to try to help create a twenty-first century repertoire for the cello, much in the way that Rostropovich did in the twentieth century. Her discography also includes chart-topping albums and the winner ofBBC Musics Recording of the Year award. She mentioned that her first cello was a cereal box with a chopstick for a bow! It gives you a totally new tool. One book I would recommend to anyone whos interested in music would be Alex Rosss The Rest Is Noise. So that was a very important thing. She asked that the new pieces be about 10 minutes long, and that they come in two or three fragments that she could intersperse with other scores without violating the meaning of the music. Alisa Weilerstein is streaming one movement of the Bach cello suites a day, just as she has released a polished studio recording of them. Dont do it for anybody else. The staging does offer some hints about the music, as if to hold the listeners hand. Its a constant challenge, too. Adagio (Con gran espressione) 12:35 3. She started playing the cello at age four. What do you think of as being the most important creative resources for doing what you do? Thats an important skill, unless you are someone who only plays alone always, you have to be able to communicate. Conversation Alisa Weilerstein on what it means to be a classical musician Music , Beginnings, Collaboration, Process From a conversation with T. Cole Rachel April 19, Human beings are far more complex. I read a lot of books. Jamie Jung Alisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. For me, the greatest honor of the MacArthur Grant was that its something given not only to musicians, but also to scientists and writers. Climate & Environment. Weilerstein wanted for the first thing that listeners hear to be the Prelude from the first Suite. In Alisa Weilersteins groundbreaking, multi-year performance series FRAGMENTS, new music by some of the most compelling composers of our time meets AW: Well he was just my dad to me, I mean, he wasn't this world famous violinist. I certainly didnt want that and no one around me wanted that for me. I live with his music all the time, I love it deeply, Shaw said, adding that the second book of The Well-Tempered Clavier has been her soundtrack for the past year. WebMini Bio (1) Alisa Weilerstein is known for If I Stay (2014), P.O.V. hide caption. I count myself incredibly lucky in that respector maybe I was just very stupid, I dont knowthat I wasnt afraid to be in front of people. Theres also something beautiful and important about presenting different composers side by side, and behind a curtain, so that youre not focusing on their name, or whether or not theyre Bach.. The work is better as a result. I realized that what he was telling me was very valuable. We were just working together, and I wanted to be a better musician and a better cellist. In fact, I played for Zara Nelsova when I was much younger, but I wasn't officially a student, I was around maybe 6 or 7 when I had my first lessons with her. Image. Known for her consummate artistry, emotional investment and rare interpretive depth, she was recognized with a Business. An authority on Bachs music for unaccompanied cello, Weilerstein recently released a best-selling recording of his solo suites on the Pentatone label, streamed them in her innovative #36DaysOfBach project, and deconstructed his beloved G-major prelude in a Vox.com video, viewed almost 1.5 million times. She was awarded the MacArthur genius grant in 2011. You can also deactivate these cookies. March 24, 2023 When the cellist Alisa Weilerstein found herself cooped up with her family at the start of the pandemic, her first instinct, like that of so many classical Something I return to every so often is Kunderas The Book of Laughter and Forgetting. Fragments is an attempt to fix a problem, Weilerstein said of relying too much on our old models of presenting, especially when it comes to new music.. For example, the Schumann concerto Ive played many times. En Espaol. How did you feel about that at the time? Veterans Pension Benefits (Aid & Attendance). It felt a little bit all right, it felt a lot risky to give her a piece about coffee like that, Moya said. You have to be in good shape to play the instrument well. But if both of us are open to different orientations or interpretations, that can yield a really interesting interpretation and performance. September 17, 2010 The young cellist plays Bach with elegance, and takes us through the backstreets of Buenos Aires with a gripping performance of Omaramor, Osvaldo Golijov's tribute to tango singer Carlos Gardel. So to return to it was actually really wonderful, because I found all sorts of new things in it. Its nice, and of course, its a great honor. fill: #000; He was Dad (laughs). Her passionate performance of Chopin's Cello Sonata at WGBH is the sign of a young musician well on her way to a major career. After premiering the first two chapters in Toronto in early 2023, with subsequent performances at New Yorks Carnegie Hall and beyond, she looks forward to touring all six chapters in seasons to come. Brava, brava, brava! Alisa Weilerstein performs at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. How many of us do that, where we look at the bio, were making assumptions about gender, race, nationality, compositional precedent, who where their teachers, and when were they born?, The aim, she added, is to strip as much of that presumptive meaning as possible away, so that listeners can follow Weilersteins attempts to create new meaning in her musical quilts, and dare to embark on this journey of not knowing, and allow it to be OK.. Jamie Jung to a secular Jewish family. She doesnt give the impression that making music involves will at all. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein. Certain aspects of it may be familiar. Do it for no other reason than that you love it and cant imagine doing anything else. Mito Habe-Evans/NPR Its tricky, especially if its a composer like Beethoven, who was specific about what he wanted. I know many people who say, I got inspired by such-and-such conductor when my school took me on a field trip to hear a concert, or such-and-such musician came to my school, and then I knew I loved classical music. The goal is not necessarily that theyll all become musicians, but just that this music will be part of their lives. You try to treat the score as something thats living and breathing, and therefore, malleable. Its about communicating ideas which are inexpressible in words. For aspiring classical musicians, what kind of advice can you offer other than practice, practice, practice?
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