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By Jacob Stockinger
This coming Saturday night, Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m., the acclaimed Russian-born pianist Ilya Yakushev (below) will make his fourth recital appearance at the Salon Piano Series.
The concert will be held at Farley’s House of Pianos, 6522 Seybold Road, on Madison’s far west side near West Towne Mall.
Yakushev — who studied in his native St. Petersburg and at the Mannes School of Music in New York City — has also performed several times with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
He never fails to impress with both his virtuosic technique and his insightful interpretations, whether he is playing Russian repertoire by Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev or jazzy American classics like Gershwin.
“Yakushev is one of the very best young pianists before the public today,” said the American Record Guide about Yakushev who has also won major international competitions.
For more information about Yakushev, including critics’ reviews, a biography, concert dates and a discography, go to his website: http://www.ilyayakushev.com
The Madison program includes:
Beethoven – Sonata “Pathetique,” Op. 13
Liszt – “Six Consolations” (You can hear the famous Consolation No. 3, often learned by students and played as an encore by concert artists, in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Gershwin – music from the opera “Porgy and Bess” in an arrangement for solo piano
An artist’s reception will follow the concert.
Tickets are $45 in advance ($10 for students) or $50 at the door. Service fees may apply. Student tickets can only be purchased online and are not available the day of the event.
You can purchase tickets on line at: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/706809
For more information, go to: https://salonpianoseries.org/concerts.html
This concert is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Salon Piano Series is a nonprofit founded to continue the tradition of intimate salon concerts featuring exceptional artists. For more information about the series, including upcoming concerts and how to support it, call (608) 271-2626 or go to: https://salonpianoseries.org.
Maybe the Farley family and the Wisconsin Arts Board should look at some alternatives as provided in not so far away Chicago (a much more expensive city than Madison).
Instead of $50 dollar ticket prices at the door, PianoForte Chicago (a large dealer much like the Farleys) has multiple small group concerts with top ticket prices of $20 (free often). https://pianofortechicago.com/events/
So too in Madison, the UW School of Music has offered a Schubertiade every year for the past few years with a home-like atmosphere, and FREE tickets for faculty and students and inexpensive tickets for others. One is coming up soon. Throughout the year, they offer great concerts (including piano recitals) mostly free for students and faculty and at very inexpensive prices for the public.
Let’s do away the Farley hypocrisy that they are doing something for the community: they are lining their own pockets. This kind of acion is killing classical music and undermining any attempts at real outreach.
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Comment by fflambeau — January 7, 2020 @ 4:09 am
It seems to me the ultimate in hypocrisy (Trumpian in fact) to charge $50 prices for tickets at the door to a pianist recital and still claim that you are in favor of outreach, and that classical music has a problem with reaching out to the young and underprivileged. And the $50 ticket price is supported by several taxpayer supported funds to boot.
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Comment by fflambeau — January 7, 2020 @ 3:53 am
I think he has cancelled, Jake. Something about not being able to find a piano soft enough for him…
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Comment by Jess Anderson — January 6, 2020 @ 6:19 am
Hi Jess,
Thank you for the heads up.
I checked with the Farleys and the concert is ON.
Cheers!
Jake
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Comment by welltemperedear — January 6, 2020 @ 8:08 am
Very high prices, no discount for seniors, and illusory student tickets.
Are the Farley’s doing this for the community or themselves?
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Comment by fflambeau — January 6, 2020 @ 1:09 am