Bella Davidovich, Piano

The Peggy Rockefeller Concerts The Rockefeller University Caspary Auditorium Wednesday, 14 January 1998 at 8:00 P.M. Bella Davidovich Program Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Sonata No. 12 in F major, K. 332 Allegro Adagio Allegro assai Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) Seven Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 76 Scene The Young Juliet Montagues and Capulets Mercutio Dance with Lilies The Parting of Romeo and Juliet Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op. 28 Allegro tempestuoso-Moderato-Allegro tempestuoso Intermission Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) Polonaise in C-sharp minor, Op. 26, No. 1 Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 Two Mazurkas F minor, Op. 63, No. 2 D major, Op. 33, No. 2 Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909) Granada, from Suite española, Op. 47 Córdoba, from Cantos de España, Op. 232 Castilla, from Suite española, Op. 47 Bella Davidovich, Pianist As winner of the 1949 Chopin Competition in Warsaw, Bella Davidovich earned the title "Deserving Artist of the Soviet Union" and emerged as one of the Soviet Union's preeminent artists, as well as one of the few women admitted to the inner circle of Russian cultural life. Since emigrating to the United States almost two decades ago, Madame Davidovich has established herself as one of her adopted country's premier keyboard artists, as well as one of few women to achieve such international prominence. Her October 1979 American debut at Carnegie Hall before a standing-room-only crowd heralded a new chapter in a career of major importance. Through her extraordinaty career, Madame Davidovich has performed with the world's leading orchestras throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, under the baton of such conductors as Rudolf Barshai, Herbert Blomstedt, Andrew Davis, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Lukas Foss, Mariss Jansons, Neeme Järvi, Kiril Kondrashin, Neville Marriner, Kurt Masur, Riccardo Muti, Mstislav Rostropovich, Kurt Sanderling, Maxim Shostokovich, Leonard Slatkin, Michael Tilson Thomas, Edo de Waart, and David Zinman, among many others. In December 1988, she became the first Soviet émigré musician to receive an official invitation from Goskoncert to perform in her native country and played to sold-out halls. Madame Davidovich's 1996-97 season was filled with performances in England, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Spain, and Greece. She also served as a judge at the prestigious Chopin International Piano competition. In March 1996, she returned to New York for a recital at Carnegie Hall. Born into a family of musicians in Baku, Bella Davidovich displayed rich musical talent by the age of three and began formal training at the age of six. She was 18 years old when she entered the Moscow Conservatory. During her remarkable career in Russia, Madame Davidovich appeared with every major Russian conductor and performed as soloist with the Leningrad Philharmonic for 28 consecutive seasons. Madame Davidovich came to the West in October of 1978 and became an American citizen in the fall of 1984. Columbia Artists Management Inc. Personal Direction: Laurence E. Tucker and Diane Saldick

Last updated: 12 January 1998 URL: http://www.rockefeller.edu/pubinfo/bella2.html Comments: prc@rockvax.rockefeller.edu Copyright 1998, The Rockefeller University