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World Premiere of Andrew Norman’s Split with Jeffrey Kahane and the New York Philharmonic

Nov. 23, 2015

World Premiere of Andrew Norman’s <em>Split</em> with Jeffrey Kahane and the New York Philharmonic

Andrew Norman rounds out a busy year with the world premiere of his new piano concerto Split on December 10 with the New York Philharmonic. The work was written especially for virtuoso pianist Jeffrey Kahane, who will perform the premiere at David Geffen Hall under the baton of James Gaffigan.

The new concerto marks his sophomore effort of works for piano and orchestra, following the successful premiere of Suspend in May of 2014 with Gustavo Dudamel leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic and pianist Emanuel Ax. Split is a 25-minute tour-de-force in one movement. In approaching the piece, Norman was inspired by “the wit, vitality, and expressive character” of Kahane’s playing. It also takes on a mischievous theme between the soloist and orchestra:

I started with the idea of casting Jeffrey as a mercurial trickster, wreaking havoc in and among the various sections of the orchestra, but as the piece progressed he became less the prankster and more the pranked, an unwitting protagonist trapped in a Rube Goldbergian labyrinth of causes and effects who tries, with ever greater desperation, to find his way out of the madness and on to some peaceful plane.

Split was composed alongside another large-scale concerto, Switch, for percussion and orchestra, which was hailed as “hyperkinetic” and “an instant hit” (The Salt Lake Tribune) following its premiere last month with Colin Currie and the Utah Symphony Orchestra. Switch receives its UK premiere on December 11 with Currie joining the BBC Symphony Orchestra at Barbican Hall, conducted by Sakari Oramo.

For details on the performances, visit nyphil.org and bbc.co.uk.

Visit schott-music.com for more information on Andrew Norman.

Andrew Norman
Split (2015)
for piano and orchestra
2.pic.3.3(3.bcl).2.cbsn-4.3.2.btbn.1-timp.3perc-hp-str
25’

Suspend (2014)
a fantasy for piano and orchestra
2.2.2.2-4.2.0.0-3perchp-str(12.10.8.8.6 )
20’

Switch (2014-2015)
for solo percussion and orchestra
3(3.pic).3(3.ca).3(3.ebcl).3-4.3.2.btbn.1-3perc-Solo percussion-pno.hp-str
25’

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