September 287, 2018 – Intrepid pianist Anne-Marie McDermott will perform Oct. 21 in Grass Valley as part of InConcert Sierra’s Third Sunday Series for 2081-19.
“Anne-Marie will blow peoples minds!” said InConcert Sierra Artistic Director Ken Hardin.
Known for her elegance and vibrancy at the keyboard, McDermott has been dubbed by critics as one of the best American pianists of her generation. Her program will blend her passion for Bach while showcasing her technical skill and musicianship on Prokofiev’s “Piano Sonata No. 6 in A Major.” She will perform Bach’s “English Suite No. 2 in A Minor,” and the Bach-Busoni “Chaconne.”
“It’s a brilliant program coupling the Bach original keyboard piece English Suite with the Busoni transcription of the Bach Chaconne (originally for solo violin). It’s a perfect arch leading us to the Prokofiev in the second half of the concert,” said Hardin.
McDermott has a noted “lifelong passion” in the musical pursuit of Bach’s music.
“I feel a soul-touching vitality and spirit in this music. It is pure and tender, passionate and stark, ecstatic and remorseful. Bach’s music inspires,” she wrote on her CD titled, “Bach.”
McDermott is a consummate artist who balances a versatile career as a soloist and collaborator. She performs more than 100 concerts a year in a combination of solo recitals, concerti and chamber music. She has performed with leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Seattle Symphony, National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Moscow Virtuosi, and Hong Kong Philharmonic, among others.
In addition to her many achievements, McDermott has been named the Artistic Director of the famed Vail Valley Music Festival in Colorado, which hosts the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Dallas Symphony in addition to presenting more than 40 chamber music concerts throughout the summer. She has also been an artist member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 1995.
The Philadelphia Inquirer called her “…one of the great American pianists of her generation.”
The New York Times said of McDermott, “A pianist who balances qualities of excitement and spontaneity with clarity and elegance.”
There will be a pre-concert forum at 1:15 p.m. in advance of her 2 p.m. performance Oct. 21 in Grass Valley. General admission tickets are $38 and are available by phone at 530-273-3990, online at www.inconcertsierra.org (ticketing fees will apply), and in person at BriarPatch Co-op or at the door on the day of the concert. There are a limited number of free youth passes available with the purchase of a general admission ticket. Youth passes must be arranged in advance, please call 530-273-3990 to reserve.
The concert will be presented at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 12889 Osborn Hill Road in Grass Valley. For more information, please visit www.inconcertsierra.org or call 530-273-3990.