Interharmony Concert Series
Echoes of Passion and Power
November 1, 2024 @ 8:00PM

InterHarmony Concert Series: Echoes of Passion and Power: Misha Quint, cello | Silvan Negruțiu piano | Namik Sultanov piano | Hyeongji Choi piano | Austin Gentry piano
Michelle Ji piano | Jessi Lin piano

• Tags: Misha Quint, cello, Silvan Negruțiu, piano, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Brahms

The InterHarmony® International Music Festival proudly presents "Echoes of Power and Passion," an evocative presentation of music that reflects both heroic intensity and tender lyricism. Sharing the stage will be emerging artists Jessi Lin, Michelle Ji, and Austin Gentry; alongside InterHarmony® artists Namik Sultanov, Silvan Negruțiu, and InterHarmony founder Misha Quint on cello. This will be an exhilarating program filled both with classics and rarely heard works from a diverse set of powerful compositional voices. The performance will take place on November 1, 2024, at 8:00 PM at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall. Tickets are available online at www.carnegiehall.org or by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800. More information can be found at www.interharmony.com.

About the Program

The evening will begin with Jessi Lin at the piano with Franz Liszt’s Transcendental Etude No. 10 in f minor, "Appassionata," a technically demanding work renowned for its dramatic intensity. Liszt’s fiery composition will set the stage for a night of expressiveness and virtuosity.

Maurice Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso from Mirrors follows, with its playful and rhythmically intricate evocation of Spanish musical styles, showcasing pianistic percussive brilliance.

Michelle Ji will then take the stage, performing Johannes Brahms' Rhapsody in b minor, Op. 79, No. 1, a work of sweeping passion and rich harmonic texture that contrasts stormy outbursts with moments of serene reflection.

Joan Tower’s modern and vibrant Sixth Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman will continue the program, paying tribute to extraordinary women and the triumphant voice of womanhood, blending brass-like energy with innovative piano textures. Performed by pianist Silvan Negruțiu, he will continue championing two stunning works by Romanian composers: George Enescu’s Sarabande, Op. 10 and Constantin Silvestri’s Bacchanale, Op. 6.

Alexander Scriabin’s Fantasia in b minor, Op. 28 will close the first half of the evening, a work which also marked both the end and beginning of two eras in the composer’s life with its dreamy, almost mystical quality, performed by Hyeongji Choi.

After intermission, the second half of the evening will begin with Austin Gentry’s performance of Scriabin’s Sonata No. 4 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 30, considered to be the first work of his middle period; a poetic and ethereal piece that explores both longing and ecstasy.

The next segment showcases a collection of miniatures performed by Namik Sultanov. Starting the set is a Ballade by Azerbaijani composer and student of Dmitri Shostakovich Jovdat Hajiyev, He will continue with Rachmaninoff’s poignant Elegie, Prelude in g-sharp minor, Op. 32 No. 12, and Prelude in c minor, Op. 23 No. 7. These works offer an intimate glimpse into Rachmaninoff’s inner world, where passion and melancholy coexist.

To close the program, Misha Quint and Silvan Negruțiu will exhibit works showcasing both the power and passion of our collective musical heritage with George Frideric Handel’s Sonata for Violin and Basso Continuo in D Major (III. Larghetto), Enrique Granados’ colorful Intermezzo from Goyescas and Spanish Dance No. 6, Manuel de Falla’s electrifying Ritual Fire Dance, Rachmaninoff’s hauntingly poignant Vocalise, and Tchaikovsky’s emotionally and virtuosically charged Pezzo Capriccioso, Op. 62.

We invite you to InterHarmony’s "Echoes of Power and Passion," an enthralling evening of music spanning both the heroism and passion of our collective human experience—featuring a dynamic mix of rising talents and accomplished performers, and a program rich with both familiar and unfamiliar artistic voices. Join us at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall on November 1, 2024, for this powerful presentation of passion and musical expression.

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PERFORMER BIOGRAPHIES

Russian-born cellist MISHA QUINT captivates his audiences with his lyricism, passion and dazzling technique. Described by Bordighera TV as a “a musician of virtuosic genius ability and by Harris Goldsmith as a "brilliantly accomplished virtuoso - an embodiment of interpretive and executive music-making at its rarefied best", his repertoire ranges from Bach to premieres of the most outstanding composers of today, including Alfred Schnittke, Sophie Goubadalina, Robert Sirota, Shulamit Ran, Steven Gerber, Nathan Davis, Ezra Laderman, and Stepan Lucky. Quint is Founder and Music Director of the InterHarmony® International Music Festival that take place in Acqui Terme, Piedmont, Italy, InterHarmony® Concert Series at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and InterHarmony International School of Music. Quint’s recording of Tchaikovsky’s Valse Sentimentale is featured in the 2022 Italian Netflix production of Fedeltà. Recent and upcoming engagements include appearances at Carnegie Hall and Verona, Italy with l’Appassionata and at Carnegie Hall with Antonio Di Cristofano.
A graduate of the Leningrad Special School for the Gifted and the Leningrad State Conservatory, Misha Quint made his orchestral debut at the age of 13 after winning first prize at the Boccherini Competition in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad). He gained international recognition after capturing top prizes in the 1975 International Competition in Prague and the Russian National Competition. Quint immigrated to the US and made his critically acclaimed New York recital debut at the 92nd Street Y and his orchestral debut in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in 1992. He has given numerous solo recitals and master classes in the leading halls of England, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Russia, Latvia, Georgia, Belorussia, Romania, Italy, and the US. “[Quint] provides a fresh voice…The Russian school of string playing has taken on a different light with Quint” said Daniel Webster of the Philadelphia Inquirer and “a master of probing sentiment, shaded phrasing, and flawless technique” from MetroWest.
Misha Quint has appeared with such celebrated orchestras as the New York Chamber Symphony, Metropolitan Symphony, the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, Leningrad State Orchestra, Orchestra of Classical and Contemporary Music, National Irish Symphony, the OrquestraSinfônica do Teatro Nacional do Brasilia and with the Symphony Orchestras of Latvia and Georgia among others. He has worked with an equally illustrious group of conductors including Maxim Shostakovich, Christian Vásquez, Paul Lustig Dunkel, Colman Pearce, Sidney Harth, Ravil Martinov, Yakov Bergman, and Ira Levin. Quint is an active chamber musician and has performed with such artists as Nikolai Znaider, Vadim Repin, Shlomo Mintz, Bela Davidovich, Bruno Canino, Julian Rachlin, Jean-Bernard Pommier, Sherban Lupu, Boris Kushnir, and Mikhail Kopelman.
As a special guest artist, Misha Quint was broadcast in live television performances in Westchester, NY; "The Jewish Entertainment Hour"; German Television, Italian Television, RTN/WMNB; and live radio broadcast recitals on WQXR's "The Listening Room", WGBH (Boston), WMNB (NJ), WNYC (NY). Quint captured first prize of the CRS National competition in 2009, was a featured performer at The Festival of the Musical Citadel in Brasov, Romania in August 2013 and 2014, and is the Founder of the InterHarmony Concert Series at Carnegie Hall in New York and the former InterHarmony Concert Series at the Modern Museum of Art in Fort Worth, Texas. Quint’s discography includes Live Cello Recitals and Valse Sentimentale on the Volshebnik Productions Label, and the 2014 release of Tempo Trapezio and 2016 release of Matryoshka Blues on the Blue Griffin Label. Quint captured the gold medal inthe March 2016 Global Music Awards for his recording, Matryoshka Blues, on the Blue Griffin label in three categories: instrumentalist, album, and new release, and was featured in the top five spring albums in Global Music Awards.
Misha Quint is strongly committed to teaching and is on the faculty of InterHarmony International School of Music. He has been on the faculty of the International Institute of Music in Marktoberdorf, Germany, and was Music Director and Founder of the Soesterberg International Music Festival in Holland from 1998 – 2007, the Intensive Cello Studies Abroad in Blonay, Chalet de lacroix at the Hindemith Foundation in 1997, Interharmony Music Festival in Geneva, Switzerland in 2000, The Berkshires, Massachusetts from 2007 – 2008, San Francisco, California in 2009, Hinterzarten, Schwarzwald, Germany from 2008 – 2011, in Tuscany, Italy from 2012 – 2016, presently in Acqui Terme, Italy since 2017, and from 2005-2019 in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Bavaria, Germany. Quint studied with Emmanuel Fishman, Natalia Gutman, Boris Pergamenshikov, and Daniel Shafran. www.mishaquintcello.com www.interharmony.com www.interharmonymusicschool.com

Hailed as “a startling and authentic pianist displaying rich imagination and brilliant vigor, whose precision and splendor of keyboard sound certainly inspire a transcendental reality” (The Musical News Journal), SILVAN NEGRUȚIU has performed on major international stages, from the Kennedy Centerin Washington D.C. to Ireland's National Concert Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, the Xi’an Concert Hall in China, the Showa Recital Hall in Tokyo, and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.Acelebrated musician who “knowshow to build structures from sound, dislocating the air,eliminating emptiness, evil, andinoperable space” (Clipa Magazine), hehas released two highly-acclaimed albums on Centaur Recordsand has appeared as soloist with prestigious orchestras, including the Romanian Radio Chamber Orchestra, Alicante Philharmonic, George Enescu Philharmonic, and Dublin Symphony Orchestra. In high demand as a performer, clinician, adjudicator, and speaker, he appears frequently as a conference presenter and an artist-teacher at international music festivals across Europe, America, and Asia. As an artist, a teacher, and a scholar, he embraces the exploration of rare piano literature, innovative music pedagogy, and the advancement of arts entrepreneurship in higher education. He is an active promoter of new music and Romanian composers, with a primary focus on George Enescu and Constantin Silvestri. Silvan Negruțiu serves as the Kitt Endowed Professor in Piano and Director of Piano Studies in the Kitt School of Music at Northern Arizona University. Prior to this appointment, he taught at Millikin University, Shenandoah Conservatory, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Well-known as a distinguished pianist Namik Sultanov is a pedagogue with exceptional lyrical gifts and a distinctive performance style. Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, he showed extraordinary musical talent from a very early age. Playing violin and flute, he was a serious student of composition in his youth, composing more than 150 pieces that were featured at music school concerts. Although at that time a string student, he won first prize in the music school’s piano competition. At 12, deeply impressed by VanCliburn’s stunning performance at the First Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, he began to self-study Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto. Practicing day and night, he soon played all three movements for Ahad Israfilzade, chief conductor of the Azerbaijan Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Israfilzade immediately asked him to play with the Philharmonic, and the triumphant concert was a big sensation in the musical life of this capital city. After this success, the Azerbaijan government sponsored Namik at Russia’s most prestigious conservatory, Moscow’s Central Special Music School. He studied under Professor Lev Naumov, a follower of the legendary Heinrich Neuhaus. Continuing his education under Professor Naumov’s supervisionat the Moscow State Conservatory,he received his doctorate in performance in 1973. After graduation, he was invited to join the faculty of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, soon appointed an associate professor with the added title “Honor Artist of the Azerbaijan Republic”. Participating in numerous national festivals throughout Eastern Europe, Dr.Sultanov represented his country at the Third International Music Festival in Moscow in 1985, the Fourth International Piano Festival in Istanbul in 1998, the 1990 International Music Festival in Mexico City and International Music Festival in Germany in 2008. Hehas performed invariousconcertvenues including Great Hall of the Moscow Conseravatory, in San Francisco Bay Area, in New York City ( Carnegie Hall),Vancouver, Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul,Izmir, Ankara, Mexico City, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Minsk, Alma-Ata, Tallinn, and Baku. In 1991, Dr.Sultanov was invited to join the piano faculty of Turkey’s Bilkent University, where he chaired the Piano Department and was Vice Dean of the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts. During his teaching years in Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the United States, he nurtured many students who have become winners and laureates in regional, national, and international piano competitions. In 1999, the Turkish Ministry of Culture formally recognized his distinguished teaching. Dr. Sultanov has been invited to serve on juries for national and international competitions and is sought for master classes in Europe, Canada, Mexico and USA . He recorded several CDs. Currently, he is a faculty member in San Jose State University, California, USA .

South Korean pianist, entrepreneur, and educator Hyeongji Choi is known for her artistic passion and dynamic performances. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Piano Performance while holding a Faculty Associate position under the instruction of Dr. Baruch Meir at Arizona State University (ASU), where she also earned her Master’s degree in 2021. At ASU, Ms. Choi held a Teaching Assistant position and received numerous merit-based scholarships, including the School of Music Special Talent Award and theJames Ruccolo Piano Scholarship. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Musicology from Seoul National University under the tutelage of Aviram Reichert.Ms. Choi’s talents have been recognized in multiple competitions. She was the 1st prize winner for two consecutive years in the 2021 and 2022 Arizona State Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Competitions, as well as the winner of the MTNA Southwest Region “Young Artist Performance” Competition in 2022. She was also awarded 2nd prize in the 2023 Radda Rise International Piano Competition.As a dedicated teacher, Ms. Choi received the GPSA Teaching Excellence Award. She takes great pride in providing interactive and stimulating piano lessons, helping her students discover their musical potential. She also recognizes the importance of making classical music accessible to diverse audiences and has used her entrepreneurial skills to create more engaging classical concerts for non-musicians. In addition to her Doctorate, Ms. Choi is completing a certificate in Entrepreneurship at ASU and is the founder of the "Artist Entrepreneurship Club" at ASU.

Austin Gentry, a fourth-year piano performance major in the Kitt School of Music at Northern Arizona University, where he studies with Dr. Silvan Negruțiu. He started playing piano at the age of 5 and has since earned multiple competition awards and college scholarships. As a NAU student, Austin has also advanced his studies in masterclasses with Ann Schein, John O’Conor, Joyce Yang, Jeffrey Biegel, Alexander Kobrin, Ilya Blinov, Jeffrey Swann, and Antonio Di Cristofano. In 2022, he attended the Adamant Music School in Vermont to study with Irish pianist John O’Conor and placed third in the Arizona MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition. A multi-faceted musician, Austin’s professional interests include performance and composition. He has written works for piano solo, piano duet, and chamber ensembles. His compositions reflect his complex background and experiences in a wide array of musical idioms, having served as a marching band percussionist and jazz band pianist in the Arizona All-State Jazz Band for two consecutive years. During the 2023-24 season, Austin presented recitals of Chopin’s 12 Études, Op. 25 and performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Orchestra Northern Arizona. He attended Flagstaff Piano Festival in Arizona and the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Acqui Terme, Italy, where he performed in multiple solo and chamber concerts. Together with a fellow NAU pianist, he performed a concert at the Kitt School of Music featuring the two-piano version of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” which resulted in a limited-edition CD production of the live performance.

Pianist Michelle Ji has captivated audiences with her piano performances, delivering a diverse repertoire of music to a variety of audiences throughout the United States and Europe. Her passion for music and commitment to excellence shine through in every performance, leaving a lasting impression on all who have heard her play. Her talents have earned her achievements in competitions such as SYMF, where she won third prize in the open Bach category. Her prowess in romantic music garnered her second prize in the American Protégé Romantic Music Competition, where she was offered the opportunity to perform in Carnegie Hall. A lover of chamber music, Michelle finds immense joy in collaborative performances. Among her many cherished musical experiences was performing the Brahms Piano Quartet in G Minor at the InterHarmony International Music Festival this past summer, where her artistry and camaraderie with fellow musicians shone brightly. A California native, Michelle has previously attended and since has graduated from the California School of the Arts San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV), where she honed her craft in the piano conservatory for six years. Throughout her time at CSArts-GV, she has performed in many large ensembles, such as being one of the pianists in the school’s formidable rendition of Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of the Animals” concerto performance. Michelle currently studies classical piano at the Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Professor William Wolfram.

A 13-year-old 7th grader from Santa Clara, CA, Jessi Lin began studying the piano at the age of 7. Jessi was a prize winner of the 2024 Golden State Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition and will be performing the Grieg Piano Concerto with the GSYO this season. She was the 1st prize winner of the 2023 United States Open Music Competition (USOMC) as well as the outstanding gold medalist distinction. She also received second prize in the 2024 USOMC concerto competition and third prize in the 2024 Pacific Music Society & Foundation Competition. Jessi participated in the Junior Bach Festival in California this March and InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy this summer where she performed in the young artist showcase. Jessi currently studies with Alice Chenyang Xu and additionally studies with Sunny Sunha Yoon. She also additionally studies music theory with Hee Young Yang. Apart from her musical pursuits, Jessi finds joy in reading classic novels, crafting her own fiction books, and illustrating cartoons.

Program

Liszt: Transcendental Etude No. 10 in f minor, S. 139, ’Appassionata’
Ravel: Mirrors No.4 in D Major, Alborada del gracioso

Jessi Lin, piano

Brahms: Rhapsody in b minor, Op.79, No.1

Michelle Ji, piano

Joan Tower: Sixth Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Enescu: Sarabande, Op. 10
Silvestri: Baccanale, Op. 6

Silvan Negruțiu, piano

Scriabin: Fantasia in b minor, Op. 28

Hyeongji Choi, piano

Scriabin: Sonata No. 4 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 30

Austin Gentry, piano

INTERMISSION

Dj.Haciyev: Ballad
Rachmaninoff: Elegie
Rachmaninoff: Prelude in g-sharp minor, Op. 32 No. 12
Rachmaninoff: Prelude in c minor, Op. 23 No. 7

Namik Sultanov, piano

Handel: Sonata for Violin and Basso Continuo in D Major, III.Larghetto
Granados: Intermezzo from the Opera Goyescas
Granados: Spanish Dance No.6
Da Falla: Ritual Fire Dance from El Amor Brujo
Tchaikovsky: Pezzo caprizzioso, Op. 62

Misha Quint, cello
Silvan Negruțiu, piano

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