Oct. 9, 2023
Concerts showcase pianists Kholodenko, Yang
CONWAY, Ark. (Arkansas PBS) — As part of its Arkansas Live initiative, Arkansas PBS will livestream Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art’s "Van Cliburn Concert: Vadym Kholodenko” Sunday, Oct. 15, at 3 p.m. and “Van Cliburn Concert: Joyce Yang” Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. at myarpbs.org/arkansasliveplaylist.
Joining the Arkansas Live lineup Oct. 15 for an elegant afternoon of live music will be acclaimed Ukrainian pianist and past Van Cliburn Competition-winner Vadym Kholodenko. Featuring Kholodenko's signature refinement and style, this installment of the 2023 concert series brings some of the most iconic works of the classical world to Bentonville for an afternoon of virtuoso performance.
Kholodenko has captured audiences across the globe with his depth of sound, exceptional refinement of expression and consummate virtuosity. This multiple-award-winning pianist (Van Cliburn Competition, Schubert Competition in Dortmund, Sendai Competition in Japan) is in demand both for his recitals and concerto appearances, and he was the 2021/22 Artist in Residence with the SWR Symphonieorchester performing Fauré, Brahms, Rachmaninov and Beethoven across the season.
Then, on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m., Joyce Yang, a Grammy-nominated musician and 2005 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition silver medalist, will perform in the Great Hall. Featuring Yang’s acclaimed virtuosity and artistry, the evening will present iconic works of the classical canon alongside pieces specifically selected to honor the 150th anniversary of composer Sergei Rachmaninoff’s birth.
Yang, captivating audiences with her virtuosity, lyricism and interpretive sensibility, first came to international attention in 2005 when she won the silver medal at the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The youngest contestant at 19 years old, she took home two additional awards: Best Performance of Chamber Music (with the Takács Quartet) and Best Performance of a New Work. In 2006, Yang made her celebrated New York Philharmonic debut alongside Lorin Maazel at Avery Fisher Hallas along with the orchestra’s tour of Asia, making a triumphant return to her hometown of Seoul, South Korea. Yang’s subsequent appearances with the New York Philharmonic have included opening night of the 2008 Leonard Bernstein Festival – an appearance made at the request of Maazel in his final season as music director.
Yang appears in the film “In the Heart of Music,” a documentary about the 2005 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. She is a Steinway artist.
Sponsored by The Van Cliburn Concert Series Endowment Fund supported by Kelly and Marti Sudduth, Reed and Mary Ann Greenwood, Ellis and Kay Melton, Chip and Susan Chambers, Alice L. Walton. Additional sponsorship provided by Ellen and Malcolm Hayward. Special thanks to Tommy Smith and Steinway & Sons.
Arkansas Live is an initiative from Arkansas PBS that brings compelling special events directly to Arkansans via vivid, multi-camera livestreaming. Viewers gain front row access to some of the most in-demand events across the state, including livestreams from Crystal Bridges, Arkansas Department of Heritage, Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, and more.
About Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Since opening in 2011, the museum has welcomed more than 10.8 million visitors across its spaces, with no cost for admission. Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 as a nonprofit charitable organization by arts patron and philanthropist, Alice Walton. The collection spans five centuries of American masterworks from early American to current day and is enhanced by temporary exhibitions. The museum is nestled on 120 acres of Ozark landscape and was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. A rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house was preserved and relocated to the museum grounds in 2015. Crystal Bridges offers public programs including lectures, performances, classes and teacher development opportunities. Some 300,000 school children have participated in the Willard and Pat Walker School Visit program, which provides educational experiences for school groups at no cost to the schools. Additional museum amenities include a restaurant, gift store, library, and five miles of art and walking trails. In February 2020, the museum opened the Momentary in Downtown Bentonville (507 SE E Street), conceived as a platform for the art, food and music of our time. Additional information is available at CrystalBridges.org. The museum is located at 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712.
About Arkansas PBS
Arkansas PBS, Arkansas’s only statewide public media network, empowers learners of all ages by educating, informing, entertaining and inspiring communities. Arkansas PBS serves as a daily and essential resource for Arkansans by creating, sharing, celebrating and driving conversation around Arkansas stories and classic, trusted PBS programs through multiple digital platforms, including livestreaming at myarpbs.org/live, on-demand services and YouTube TV, and the distinct channels Arkansas PBS, Arkansas PBS Create, Arkansas PBS KIDS, Arkansas PBS WORLD and Arkansas PBS AIRS on SAP. Members with Arkansas PBS Passport have extended on-demand access to a rich library of public television programming. Arkansas PBS depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at myarkansaspbs.org. Arkansas PBS is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), KETZ (El Dorado), KETS (Russellville), KETS (Forrest City), KETS (Gaither) and KETS (Yancy).
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