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Peter Eötvös Composer in Residence and U.S. Premiere of Sonata per sei at Ojai Music Festival

May. 29, 2007

Peter Eötvös takes up the position of Composer in Residence at the 2007 Ojai Music Festival in California. The festival, which runs from June 7 to 10, features the U.S. premiere of Eötvös’ Sonata per sei, a reduction of his piano concerto CAP-KO. Eötvös elaborates on the unique orchestration of the piece:

“CAP-KO, my first piano concerto, was written for special solo instruments. I use two grand pianos which are both played by the soloist: a normal acoustic grand piano which is used as part of the orchestra as an “echo chamber“, and a digital MIDI piano used as a solo instrument which, thanks to its electronic equipment, enables the soloist to add extra notes. The resulting parallel intervals – a reference to Bartók – lead to an unusual kind of tonal virtuosity and tonal complexity. CAP-KO is conceptually related to Bartók's music in another way too, referencing the relationship between the solo instruments and percussion.”

Sonata per sei reduces CAP-KO’s orchestration to two pianos, one electric piano and three percussionists. The premiere takes place on Friday, June 8 with Eötvös conducting. The festival also includes the Eötvös works Cricketmusic, Kosmos and the American Premiere of Chinese Opera, performed by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Eötvös will also wield the baton in a performance of Stravinsky’s Les Noces.

This year’s festival symposium will feature a showing of the 2006 documentary film on the music and influences of Peter Eötvös entitled “the seventh door.” The film focuses on his collaborations with Stockhausen and Boulez and is followed by a conversation between Eötvös and Ara Guzelimian, Dean Designate of the Juilliard School and artistic director of the festival from 1992 to 1997.

Under the music direction of Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who was with Mr. Eötvös a member of the Parisian Ensemble Intercontemporain, this year’s festival builds upon Mr. Aimard’s advocacy for the music of Ligeti, Eötvös, Stravinksy, Bartók and Carter as well as the interaction between piano and percussion. Included in this year’s four-day program are Ligeti’s Three Pieces for Two Pianos, Poème Symphonique, and his Piano Concerto. Mr. Aimard describes the festival as “a mixture of la douce folie and structure: a sense of freedom and fun in performances by supremely skilled musicians, in engaging and compelling repertoire and in intellectually stimulating combinations.”

 

Peter Eötvös
Sonata per sei (2006)
2 Pianos, 3 Percussionists and Sampler Keyboard
Duration: 20'

 

For more information on the music of Peter Eötvös, please visit www.schott-music.com.

To learn more on the 61st Ojai Music Festival, go to www.ojaifestival.org.

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