Quotations and Homages (21st century version, 66-70 minutes)

A recital featuring newly-written works inspired by a variety of earlier composers and pieces, from Mozart to Chopin to Brahms to Stravinsky to Messiaen to Carter to Ustvolskaya to The Velvet Underground. In a program both serious and lighthearted, older works are brought to new light through piano/s, toy pianos, electronics and multimedia by contemporary composers Daniel Felsenfeld, Tom Flaherty, Vera Ivanova, James Matheson, Missy Mazzoli, Nick Norton, Isaac Schankler, Peter Yates, and Adam Borecki.

Most works on this program are featured on Shpachenko’s new April 2018 Reference Recordings release
Quotations and Homages

(please scroll down for full program information and sneak peaks)

  • Delivered with an authority and unhesitating know-how that left no room for doubt, Shpachenko’s virtuoso program of new music for piano—both solo and electronically fleshed—revealed how convincingly present-day composers can match the prestidigital feats of Liszt and Chopin. Simultaneously, universal statements on life and art, expressed in a heartfelt lyricism still resounding almost audibly, emerged to elevate the afternoon event into something profound… Shpachenko’s thoughtfully ordered offering of uniformly winning pieces, centered on a theme of “quotations and homages,” was an homage to the audience—an inviting, overflowing musical cornucopia, impacting listeners all the more directly in its uninterrupted flow.

    Steven Niles, New Classic LA
  • A bountiful offering of extraordinary piano music combined with highly skilled performances… “6 Fugitive Memories” is a remarkable exposition of historical and influential musical voices, expertly realized by Ms. Shpachenko… The wide variety of density and colors make “Rainbow Tangle” a well balanced tribute to Messiaen’s landmark work… “Down to You is Up” makes effective use of the Velvet Underground material without being derivative, creating a sparkling, original work… “Epitaphs and Youngsters” is a well-balanced multimedia work that memorably captures the essence of its subjects in music, visual art and words… “Bolts of Loving Thunder” displays an impressive range of emotions and exuberance in keeping with a great tradition… “Igor to Please” is visceral and exciting, an amazing ensemble of electronics and piano that calls for virtuosic skill by the soloist.

    Paul Muller, Sequenza21
  • The latest example was pianist Nadia Shpachenko, nominated for a Grammy for her CD Woman at the New Piano: American Music of 2013. Coming in from Southern California, she brought a program of nine different pieces, “Quotations and Homages,” all of recent vintage, including six world premieres Sunday night. The works are responses to music of composers of the past. Despite the conceptual framework, the music covered a broad range of styles — almost entirely tonal. Shpachenko herself is a strong player, with a touch that gives weight and solidity even at low dynamics… It gets wild at times, and Shpachenko played with plenty of power… Shpachenko played expertly with and through the electronics, shaping the dynamics into a rich ambient sound… Eminently worthwhile concert from Shpachenko and her fellow composers.

    George Grella, New York Classical Review

Program

Tom Flaherty Rainbow Tangle for piano and electronics (2015) …6 minutes
(inspired by Messiaen)

Missy Mazzoli Bolts of Loving Thunder for solo piano (2013, rev. 2016) …8 minutes
(inspired by Brahms)

Vera Ivanova 6 Fugitive Memories for solo piano (2015) …13 minutes
(inspired by Ustvolskaya, Prokofiev, Feldman, Gubaidulina, Kurtág, Debussy and Satie)

Nick Norton Piano Piece for Mr. Carter’s 100th Birthday (2008) …9 seconds
(inspired by Carter)

Isaac Schankler Future Feelings (2018) …8 minutes
(inspired by Chopin)

Peter Yates Epitaphs and Youngsters for speaking pianist and multimedia (2015) …10 minutes
(inspired by Ives, Bach, de Falla, and Gershwin)

Daniel Felsenfeld Down to You is Up for solo piano (1998, rev. 2015) …11 minutes
(inspired by The Velvet Underground)

Tom Flaherty Igor to Please for solo piano and electronics (2016) …10 minutes*
(inspired by Stravinsky)

*Igor to Please can also be performed in a solo toy piano/electronics, piano duo/electronics or 6 pianists/electronics (on 2 pianos and 2 toy pianos) versions with Ray-Kallay Duo, HOCKET and Genevieve Feiwen Lee

Bonus/Encore:
Adam Borecki Accidental Mozart for piano and multimedia (2014) …4 minutes
(inspired by Mozart)

When possible, the program can also include:

James Matheson Bagatelle for 6 pianists on 3 pianos, 12 hands (2012) …4 minutes
(inspired by Beethoven)

Bagatelle is performed with Ray-Kallay Duo, HOCKET and Genevieve Feiwen Lee on 3 pianos, when available

Sneak Peak 1 – “Quotations and Homages” trailer

Sneak Peak 2 – “Debutie” by Vera Ivanova