Brevard – Tanya Gabrielian is known for her griping performances and hailed by the London Times as a “pianist of powerful physical and imaginative muscle.” James C. Fellenbaum, the Artistic Director of the Brevard Philharmonic and the Philharmonic Board, have managed to engage Gabrielian for a memorable concert on Sunday, November 5th at 3:00 PM at the Porter Center in Brevard. The praise she has received by the press over the years after her performances is astounding. This, concert, A Royal Philharmonic, will have a regal program lineup. It begins with Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks, continues with Strauss Jr.’s elegant Kaiser-Waltzer, and concludes with Beethoven’s crowning piano concerto achievement, his well known Emperor Concerto which of course, features Gabrielian.
The concert opens with George Frederic Handel’s celebratory Music for the Royal Fireworks. The piece was written in 1749 for an outdoor concert to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle the year before. In preparation for the festivities, a tiff developed between Handel and the officer responsible for the Royal Fireworks. King George wanted “no fiddles,” according to the officer, so Handel had no choice but to obey. Later, Handel re-scored the composition for full orchestra.
The Kaiser-Waltzer, or The Emperor Waltz, by Johann Strauss Jr., will be next on the bill. Originally composed to mark a toast made by Emperor Franz Josef of Austria when he visited Kaiser Wilhelm ll in Germany, Strauss cleverly gave the piece its name so that it could be performed for either monarch. Often found on lists of the ten top waltzes of all time, the piece is made up of several lovely, upbeat, even triumphant sections with a strong brass finish.
Tanya Gabrielian joins the Philharmonic for the royal finale of the afternoon, Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor.” Beethoven composed the piece in Vienna in 1809 and dedicated it to his patron, friend, and pupil, Archduke Rudolf. The title has no association with any emperor, as the composer likely would have disliked such a connection as he particularly disliked Napoleon’s conquests. Beethoven is said to have been in the middle of his “heroic” period with this piece, characterized by works composed on a grand scale. This is the perfect virtuosic vehicle for Tanya Gabrielian.
Gabrielian has been praised for her performances around the world, which includes Carnegie Hall in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, as well as Korea, China, and Paris. She has won many awards, Her personal story is quite unusual. As a child she never felt a calling to be a musician. Growing up in California, she graduated early from high school as valedictorian and accepted a spot at Harvard University to study biomedical engineering. On a whim, she took a gap year and went to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where she felt out of place. She found solace by studying kung fu and trained intensively in a northern Chinese style of martial arts. However at the age of 18 while sparing, she slipped and fell forward. Instead of protecting her head with her hands she consciously pulled her arms back, so she wouldn’t have any injuries to prevent her from playing the piano. She fell on her head and twisted her spine. She spent many months hospitalized, and turned to music as a distraction, which elevated her from her own discomfort. After this experience, Tanya chose to dedicate herself to music. Overwhelmed by the power of music to provide encouragement and hope, she committed her life to bring the same joy to others.
The Upcoming Season
A dazzling array of top notch performers are lined up following this performance. The Christmastime in Brevard on December 17th will feature the voices of the Transylvania Choral Society. Under the direction of Dr. David Gresham of Brevard College, TCS is highly regarded and has recently participated in innovative performances that have reached a local and nationwide scale. Holiday classics, such as Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and Christmas Waltz, as well as a sing-along, are planned for the December performance at the Porter Center. Following that on March 17th the Splendid Strings concert will be a smaller chamber orchestra at the Brevard Davidson River Presbyterian Church. On April 6th a dynamic Pops concert will be back in the Porter Center, and the season will wrap up on May 19th with cellist Amit Peled playing an all-Dvorak program.
Individual tickets for all concerts are $43 for adults and $13 for students, as well as subscription packages. “All-in” ticket pricing means you will not be charged separately for facility, convenience, or shipping fees. Visit brevardphilharmonic.org for further information, to buy tickets, and to purchase season ticket packages at attractive discounts.