JONATHAN WENTWORTH ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Artist Consultant
- Artistic Consultant
Christopher Taylor's repertoire also includes the towering Liszt transcriptions of Beethoven's nine symphonies which he offers in concert programming on tour. "What is remarkable is not that it makes the piano sound like an orchestra but that the reduction really sounds like piano music - on a grand scale, but pianistic nevertheless" writes the Boston Musical Intelligencer, which continues: "The way this version of a symphony that everyone knows and loves could best succeed is with dancelike lightness and momentum, and Taylor managed that feature completely, with unfailing and often effortless energy."
Following his thoughtful programming compass, Christopher Taylor is involved in several other fascinating projects - from the Bach Goldberg Variations performed on a unique dual-manual Steinway, to the complete Messiaen "Vingt Regards sur L'Enfant Jesus" from memory, currently in DVD release. Engagements in recent seasons include performances for such distinguished venues and series as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Detroit Chamber Music Society, Spivey Hall, the Krannert Center at the University of Illinois, the Ravinia Festival, Chautauqua Festival, Caramoor Festival, Duke University, Columbia University, La Jolla Music Society, Stanford University, Music Academy of the West, Voices of Change in Dallas, the University of Chicago, the University of California at Davis and the University of California at Berkeley. In addition he is frequently tapped for concerto repertoire from Liszt and Beethoven to Gershwin and Ullman.
At home in the U.S. he has appeared with such orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Symphonies of Colorado, Detroit, St. Louis, Atlanta, Houston, Indianapolis, the Boston Pops. Mr. Taylor has toured North America with the Polish Chamber Philharmonic. And with Orpheus, he has toured the premiere performances of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' "Sea Orpheus", including an appearance at Carnegie Hall about which the New York Times wrote "Christopher Taylor gave a brilliant, energetic account".
During the "Hope From Despair" project Taylor gave two performances of the Viktor Ullman Piano Concerto and the Concertino by Wladyslaw Szpilman with the Colorado Symphony. About the Ullman, The Denver Post wrote: "Taylor, a versatile, ready-for-anything soloist, delivered a brilliant, intense performance, adroitly handling the pounding, sometimes repetitive passagework of the opening movement. He then showed a totally different side, bringing a suave elegance to Wladyslaw Szpilman's surprisingly upbeat Concertino for Piano and Orchestra, a kind of Polish "Rhapsody in Blue."
While Taylor has a well-earned reputation for his exquisite performances of Bach and his exciting performances of romantic piano concertos, he has captured the attention of the music world with his recent tour de force programming of Olivier Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus. "Before a rapt audience at the Miller Theater on Saturday night, Mr. Taylor, a lanky 31-year-old pianist who graduated summa cum laude in mathematics from Harvard, gave an astonishing performance of Messiaen's complete "Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus," more than two hours of some of the most complex and difficult music ever written for the piano. And he played the 176-page score from memory."
Christopher Taylor was honored with an Avery Fisher Career Grant, he is the winner of the Kapell Competition, the Gilmore Young Artist Award, and the Van Cliburn Competition Bronze Medal. He is Paul Collins Professor of Piano Performance at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His many recordings include works of Bolcom, Messiaen and Liszt.
Cliburn winning pianist Christopher Taylor celebrates the Beethoven 250th anniversary in 2020 with performances of the Franz Liszt transcriptions of the Beethoven 9 Symphonies. Individual symphonies are available in mixed recital repertoire. All-Beethoven Symphony concerts are also available. Taylor will perform the entire set in five concerts at the Gardner Museum in Boston in 2020. Praise for Liszt - and Taylor - "What is remarkable is not that it makes the piano sound like an orchestra but that the reduction really sounds like piano music - on a grand scale, but pianistic nevertheless" writes the Boston Musical Intelligencer, which continues: "The way this version of a symphony that everyone knows and loves could best succeed is with dancelike lightness and momentum, and Taylor managed that feature completely, with unfailing and often effortless energy." More about Christopher Taylor…
Music Director of four American orchestras and a sought-after guest conductor, Michael Butterman is acclaimed for his creative artistry and innovative programming. Foundational to his dynamic career is a deep commitment to audience development and community engagement. He is the Music Director of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, which he has led to national prominence, resulting in an invitation to open the Kennedy Center's inaugural SHIFT Festival of American Orchestras in 2017, as well as the Shreveport Symphony, which has experienced an unprecedented era of artistic growth under his leadership. Beginning with the 2022-2023 season, Mr. Butterman assumes the role of Music Director of the Williamsburg Symphony and Lancaster Symphony orchestras, as well.
Eunice Kim has proven herself a gifted interpreter with a combination of exacting technique and thoughtful musicality. As a guest artist for Curtis on Tour, she has performed in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Germany with violist Roberto Díaz, and appeared at both the Library of Congress and the United Nations for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
An avid chamber musician, Eunice Kim has appeared at Music at Angel Fire, Music@Menlo, Ravinia's Steans Institute of Music, Marlboro Music School and Festival, and as a guest artist at the Tippet Rise Art Center among other prominent festivals in the U.S. and abroad. Among her collaborations are performances with distinguished artists Miriam Fried, Nobuko Imai, Peter Wiley, Gary Hoffman, Ralph Kirshbaum, Peter Stumpf, Cynthia Raim, and eighth blackbird. Eunice Kim has toured widely with award-winning double bassist/composer Xavier Foley, including coast to coast performances of his double concerto ‘For Justice and Peace' about which the Columbus Dispatch wrote "Together, the two musicians become much more than a duet. They developed the fullness of an entire ensemble…." Full Review.
Her creative work includes time with Ensemble39, a contemporary quintet of strings and winds devoted to commissioning new music and pushing the boundaries of the concert experience.
In addition to her Astral award, she has received prizes from the California International Violin Competition, the Pacific Music Society, and the Korea Times String competitions. Eunice Kim has degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she was awarded the Milka Violin Artist Prize.
Eunice Kim has partnered with Astral and The Philadelphia Orchestra's Department of Education to perform in outreach series and has served as a teaching artist for Astral's William Penn Residency at schools in the Philadelphia area. She has performed and taught at numerous international music festivals, most recently at the Teatro Del Lago Festival in Chile and the Valdres Music Academy in Norway.
Her musical talent was recognized early, and she began violin studies at the age of six with Wei He in the preparatory division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She made her solo debut at the age of seven with the Korean Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra in Seoul. A student of Ida Kavafian, she graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she was the recipient of the Rose Paul Fellowship. At Curtis, she served as concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, and as a mentor in the Curtis Community Engagement program.
Eunice Kim and double bassist Xavier Foley continue their collaboration in 2021 with performances of Foley's new double concerto For Justice & Peace, with Pro Musica in Columbus (David Danzmayr conducting) and the Stamford Symphony (Michael Stern conducting). The fall of 2021 continues with Eunice's debut with the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra performing the Beethoven Violin Concerto, and returning to the Placitas Artists Series with pianist Xiaohui Yang for a program of Beethoven, Poulenc and Schumann.
Eunice Kim performed the Mozart Duo Concertante, and Jeremy Kittel's "Pando" (with conductor Teddy Abrams) and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. She was also the hosts at the SPCO's Club2030 post-concert event, and treated the crowd to some Mark O'Connor favorites. Eunice writes "it was a big hit, and I will be performing some more Mark O'Connor in Rapid City as well." More…
Eunice Kim returned to the Marlboro Festival: Her 2018 performances included the Mozart Piano Trio in B-flat major with pianist János Palojtay and cellist Peter Stumpf, as well as Elliot Carter's A Mirror on Which to Dwell featuring soprano Lucy Fitz Gibbon. The Rutland Herald noted: "Violinist Eunice Kim delivered the lyricism exquisitely in the slow movement, Larghetto, of Mozart's Piano Trio"
Job Titles:
- Conductor
- Director of the Boise Baroque Orchestra
Acclaimed conductor, Robert Franz, recognized as "an outstanding musician with profound intelligence," has held to three principles throughout his career: a commitment to the highest artistic standards, to creating alliances and building bridges in each community he serves, and a dedication to being a strong force in music education. As Music Director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director of the Boise Baroque Orchestra, and Music Director of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra he has achieved success through his focus on each of these principles.
His appeal as a first-rate conductor and enthusiastic award-winning educator is acclaimed by critics, composers, and audiences of all ages. Composer Bright Sheng praised Franz for his "extremely musical and passionate approach towards music making." Franz is in increasing demand as a guest conductor, having collaborated with the Cleveland Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, and Italy's Orchestra da Camera Fiorentinas. 2023 marked his debut with the Saskatoon Symphony and 3 world premieres, including works by Vincent Ho and Nicole Lizée. His versatility has led to performances with a wide array of artists, including James Galway, Joshua Bell, Rachel Barton Pine, Chris Botti, Idina Menzel and Chris Hadfield as well as his work with composers such as John Harbison, Jennifer Higdon and Jordan Pal. An eloquent speaker, Franz recently presented a TEDx Talk entitled Active Listening and Our Perception of Time.
Music Director the Windsor Symphony Orchestra since 2013, Franz was recognized by The Windsor Endowment for the Arts with its Arts Leadership Award. Under his leadership the WSO released its first commercial recording in 15 years, "Christmas, eh." Recent collaborations include the Windsor International Film Festival, Art Windsor Essex, Windsor Public Library, Canadian Historical Aviation Association, and the University of Windsor.
Franz' serves as Artistic Director of the Boise Baroque Orchestra where he successfully launched an outdoor summer concert series at the Chateau des Fleurs in Eagle, Idaho. Curated digital concert series, partnerships with Opera Idaho and the Boise Philharmonic Master Chorale as well as with various educational institutions have been a hallmark of his time at BBO.
Franz just concluded his fourteen-year tenure as Associate Conductor of the Houston Symphony where he was honored with the Raphael Fliegel Award for Visionary Leadership, celebrating his immense success in advancing the organization's education and community engagement activities. While in Houston Franz lead the North American premiere of Author Dan Brown's musical children's book, Wild Symphony.
"I was very positively impressed with Mr. Franz's commitment to communicating and educating audiences of all ages, and with his love of contemporary music… His fine conducting and the enthusiasm he conveys are certain to make a substantial difference in the musical life of any community in which he works."
Yael Weiss is a captivating presence on the concert scene. Singled out for her visionary interpretations of surpassing depth, immediacy and communicative power, she is active as concerto soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and recording artist. An award winning artist, she has appeared with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Festival Orchestra, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Israel Camerata, and the Brazil National Symphony, among others. Her discography encompasses piano works by over a dozen composers, her solo releases include "Robert Schumann: Piano Works" and "88 Keys to Joy", both on the Koch International Classics label. About her Schumann recording, Audiophile Magazine's Gary Lemco wrote: "Sensitive, scholarly renditions of alternative Schumann repertory, each a labor of love." In 2021, Toccata Classics released her premiere recording of Aviv, Concerto for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, which she commissioned from composer Joel Feigin.
Ms. Weiss is also devoted to chamber music, and tours worldwide with her piano trio, the Weiss-Kaplan-Stumpf Trio - with violinist Mark Kaplan and cellist Peter Stumpf. Trio recordings on the Bridge Records Label include works of Brahms, Smetana, Auerbach, Chen Yi, Newman and Schonfeld, with Clancy Newman, cellist. Slated for release on Bridge Records is the Weiss-Kaplan-Stumpf Trio's new recording of the complete cycle of Beethoven piano trios.
Yael Weiss is a regular favorite at international music festivals including the Marlboro, Ravinia, City of London, Banff, Parry Sound, Caramoor, and the Seattle Chamber Music Festival. From 1999 to 2003 she served as Artistic Director of the Hersher Foundation Chamber Music Series in Connecticut. Yael Weiss is known to radio and television audiences worldwide, having been a frequent guest on National Public Radio, the BBC in London, and New York's WQXR and WNYC. She has appeared numerous times on Israeli television, and presented a recital filmed live for NHK television in Japan.
Ms. Weiss has been honored with distinguished prizes from the 2002 Naumburg International Piano Competition and the Kosciusko Foundation Chopin Piano Competition, and has been a recipient of the Presser Award as well as grants from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. She has presented master-classes for universities throughout the United States and Europe, and has served on the faculty of the Indiana University School of Music. She studied with Richard Goode and Edward Aldwell at the Mannes College of Music and with Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory. Yael Weiss makes her home in New York City.
The Daily Courier "Weiss is a consummate musician with an impeccable technique and an effortless approach." "She exhibits a fine musical craftsmanship, shaping the overall work with ease and clarity"