Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 7 PM (EST)
Palais Ehrbar- Large Ehrbar Hall
Mühlgasse 28, 1040 Vienna
As a former student of Alban Berg and Anton Webern, the composer Philip Herschkowitz was one of the most sought-after private teachers of young musicians in the former Soviet Union after the war until the 1980s. Because of his Jewish origins, Herschkowitz, who was born in Romania, was expelled from Vienna by the Nazi regime. In Moscow, too, he continued to suffer from anti-Semitic threats and his works were frowned upon as “formalistic”. The focus of the concert is the musical work of Dmitri Smirnov and Elena Firsova, both of whom belonged to the narrow circle of private students and whose compositions were on the regime’s notorious “black list” from 1979 onwards. The exceptional pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja could again be won as interpreter of this program, who will perform this evening together with singer Maacha Deubner, flutist Ulrike Anton, harpist Anna Verkholantseva, violist Marta Potulska and pianist and composer Alissa Firsova.
© Peter Kogoj
In an interview with Irene Suchy, the pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja and the composer Alissa Firsova will talk about their apprenticeship years with Philip Herschkowitz and the compositions on the evening’s program. The concert takes place in memory of the composer and Herschkowitz student, Dmitri Smirnov, who died of Covid-19 in 2020.
Works by: Elena Firsova, Dmitri Smirnov, Arnold Schönberg and Philip Herschkowitz
Performers:
Elisabeth Leonskaja (piano)
Ulrike Anton (flute)
Maacha Deubner, (soprano)
Alissa Firsova (piano)
Anna Verkholantseva (harp)
Marta Potulska (viola)
Moderation: Irene Suchy
When: May 16, 2023, 7 PM (EST)
Where: Palais Ehrbar- Large Ehrbar Hall
Mühlgasse 28, 1040 Vienna
