Library of Congress May 6, 2011
Carnegie Hall May 12, 2011
On May 6 and May 12, 2011, violinist Colin Jacobsen and pianist Bruce Levingston performed premieres at Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and Carnegie Hall in New York City.The New York Times reported that "Mr. Levingston has found a soul mate in Colin Jacobsen...they joined forces in the kind of recital for which each has become known: "driven by ideas and filled with music old, new and well worth hearing."
Bruce Levingston is an acclaimed pianist and artistic director of Premiere Commission, Inc. Many of the world's most important composers have written works for him his Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center world premiere performances of their works have won notable critical acclaim.
Mr. Jacobsen is an acclaimed violinist and made his debut with The New York Philharmonic at fourteen. He is a founding member of both the Brooklyn Rider string quartet and The Knights chamber orchestra.
Mssrs. Jacobsen and Levingston gave the world premiere of Sebastian Currier's "Digital Mist" for violin, piano and electronics. This extraordinary new work was co-commissioned by Premiere Commission and The Library of Congress. Sebastian Currier is a recipient of the prestigious Grawmeyer Award and is one of the most acclaimed composers of his generation. His works have been performed by major artists and ensembles around the world. Read more about Sebastian Currier.
Messrs. Jacobsen and Levingston also performed the world premiere of a new work by the Uzbekistan composer Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky. Yanov-Yanovsky has been composer-in-residence at Harvard University and has composed for leading ensembles around the world. He has been a particularly close collaborator with Yo Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble as well as Dawn Upshaw and the Kronos Quartet.
Mr. Levingston also performed the world premiere of a new work by the renowned British composer David Bruce. This exquisite work for piano solo, inspired by Schumann's Kreisleriana, brilliantly explores the textures and colors of the piano through a fresh, contemporary sensibility. In recent seasons, Mr. Bruce's work has been performed to critical acclaim at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center by many of today's leading artists and ensembles including Dawn Upshaw and Chamber Society of Lincoln Center.
The program also included works by Biber, Dvorak, Janacek and Piazzolla.
Press Coverage
Read the review from The New York Times of the concert at Carnegie Hall.
Read the review from The Washington Post of the concert at Library of Congress