UCSB Arts & Lectures presents violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, who served as last year’s artistic director for the Ojai Music Festival, making her California recital debut with pianist Polina Leschenko, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, at Music Academy of the West’s Hahn Hall.
Kopatchinskaja makes her recital debut with pianist Polina Leschenko.
The program of mostly French works by Poulenc, Ravel, Enenscu and Bartók follows the release of their album Deux, “a properly exciting, life affirming box of delights,” according to Gramophone.
“In another life, Patricia Kopatchinskaja might have been a rock star,” wrote The Financial Times following a recent recital at Wigmore Hall. “This is a violinist who loves taking risks … But the final reward is worth waiting for: a denouement of astonishing force.”
The Grammy Award-winner is considered the world’s most exhilarating violinist for her singular approach to baroque and classical repertoire, new commissions and reinterpretations of modern masterworks.
Music director of the 2018 Ojai Music Festival, she intrigues fellow artists, conductors, composers, collaborators and audiences alike.
The program includes Bartók: “Violin Sonata No. 2, Sz. 76,” Poulenc: “Sonate pour violon et piano,” Enescu: “Violin Sonata No. 3, op. 25,”
and Ravel: “Tzigane.” (Subject to change)
Kopatchinskaja’s versatility shows itself in her diverse repertoire, ranging from baroque and classical often played on gut strings, to new commissions and re-interpretations of modern masterworks.
Her 2017/18 season begins with the world première of her new project Dies Irae at the Lucerne Festival where she will be artiste étoile. Dies Irae is her second staged programme following the success of Bye Bye Beethoven with Mahler Chamber Orchestra in 2016.
The North American première took place at the Ojai Festival in June.
The Stravinsky Violin Concerto will be a focus in 2017/18. Performances include the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Alain Altinoglu in London and on tour around Europe; Teodor Currentzis and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich; and with Gustavo Gimeno and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Kopatchinskaja will appear with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra; Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI; and will be part of the Southbank Centre’s Ligeti weekend performing his “Violin Concerto” with Aurora Orchestra and the Horn Trio with Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Marie-Luise Neunecker.
Her latest recording release “Death and the Maiden” for Alpha is with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra with whom she is an artistic partner.
Leschenko was born in St. Petersburg into a family of musicians and began playing the piano under her father’s guidance at the age of six. Two years later she made her solo début with the Leningrad Symphony Orchestra in St. Petersburg.
She studied with Sergei Leschenko, Vitali Margulis, Pavel Gililov, Alexandre Rabinovitch-Barakovsky and Christopher Elton. At the age of 16 she received her Higher Diploma with the greatest distinction from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.
Leschenko works with orchestras around the world including the Hallé, London Mozart Players, Scottish Chamber, Bournemouth Symphony, Britten Sinfonia, Orquesta de Euskadi, Russian National and Australian Chamber orchestras.
An accomplished chamber musician, Leschenko also performs frequently at festivals, including Aldeburgh, Risor, West Cork, Stiift, Moritzburg, Progetto Martha Argerich in Lugano and Musiktage Mondsee.
Tickets are $35 for the general public; $9 for all students with valid ID.
For tickets or more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures, 805-893-3535 or buy online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.
— Caitlin O’Hara for UCSB Arts & Lectures.