Much Music at Emory in '01-'02

By Deb Hammacher

Music at Emory will present an array of international artists during the upcoming 2001–02 season, with concerts from some of classical music’s brightest stars and an eclectic offering of world music masters from India, Egypt and Japan, not to mention dozens of free concerts from student and professional performers.

Among this year’s highlights will be a jazz tribute to Miles Davis by Herbie Hancock, a series featuring the complete cycle of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas, and a percussionist who uses kitchen objects as musical instruments.

Once again, the Flora Glenn Candler Series will bring some of the most sought-after classical artists to Atlanta, including soprano Renée Fleming and pianist Arcadi Volodos.

• Takács String Quartet (Sept. 29) will be joined by former U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky in a program called “All the World for Love” that combines the music of Barber (Adagio), Britten and Janácek with the poetry of Yeats, Frost, Dickinson and others.

• Volodos (Oct. 17) has been hailed as one of the world’s leading pianists, an artist who couples extraordinary technique with imagination and passion.

• The 24-member Netherlands Chamber Choir (Nov. 17), whose members are all soloists in their own right, will present works by Bach, Pärt, Rachmaninov and others that showcase the diverse repertoire for a cappella choir.

• In a world where conductors are stars, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Jan. 24) stands out for performing without a conductor. The ensemble is far from a novelty, however. Named 1998 Ensemble of the Year by Musical America magazine, Orpheus ranks among the most respected groups in the world. The group’s Emory debut will feature Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G Major, Dvorák’s “String Serenade” and Wolf’s “Italian Serenade.”

•Fleming (Feb. 11) is the latest in a long line of great singers to visit Emory. The American soprano currently is one of the world’s reigning divas both on stage and on disc. She has been acclaimed by critics as the leading soprano of her generation.

• The Academy of Ancient Music (March 5), with founder and conductor Christopher Hogwood at the helm, will present an all-Mozart program. Robert Levin will play the fortepiano, the forerunner of the modern piano, in a program that includes the Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major and improvisations in the style of Mozart based on themes from the audience.

Another highlight of the 2001–02 season is the presentation of the entire cycle of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas in eight recitals by noted pianists from around the world. “Ludwig van Beethoven: The Complete Sonatas for Piano” will feature eight pianists, each performing four sonatas, between Oct. 5 and April 19. Tickets are $15 each or $90 for the entire cycle.

The Universal Waves and NextFest series will bring a diverse offering of artists, such as Indian Carnatic vocalist Prema Bhat (Sept. 15), Arabian instrumentalist Hamza El Din (Sept. 22), Japanese bamboo flutist Yoshiro Kurahashi (Oct. 27), mezzo soprano Virginia Dupuy (Jan. 19), Indian flutist N. Ramini (March 3) and percussionist Peggy Benkeser’s one-woman show “Kitchen Chaos: One Drummer’s Evolution From Pots and Pans to Percussion” (Feb. 16).

Finally, jazz greats Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove and Michael Brecker will present “Directions in Music: 75th Birthday Celebration of Miles and Davis and John Coltrane” on Oct. 28 in a tribute to the late jazz legends.

Tickets to individual concerts go on sale today at 11 a.m. Full subscriptions and “pick four” packages are on sale now for the Flora Glenn Candler Series of marquee classical artists.

For more information, call the Arts at Emory box office at 404-727-5050 or send e-mail to boxoffice@emory.edu.

.