Episode 6: A Little Romance

A Little Romance is in the air in this episode as Cupid’s arrow shoots its way onto the stages of the Heifetz Institute. We’ll hear a Vivaldi concerto made famous in a Laurence Olivier romcom; songs, sonatas and string quartets in the key of love; and a wedding gift from another Olivier – Messaien, in this case, played by a real-life husband and wife.

This Episode’s Playlist

Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934): Salut D’Amour, Op. 12
Julia Angelov, violin | Zhenni Li-Cohen, piano
Kreeger Museum of Art, Washington, DC
Heifetz Institute Recording | 12.19.2019

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741): Guitar Concerto in D Major, RV 93
Robby Brown, guitar | Yehun Danny Jin, violin; Kiarra Saito-Beckman, violin | Matt Cohen, viola | Zhihao Wu, cello
Linehan Concert Hall, UMBC, Baltimore, MD
Heifetz Institute Recording | 12. 16.2018

Wolgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791): Duo in B-flat Major for Violin & Viola, K. 424
III. Andante grazioso con variazioni
Rachell Ellen Wong, violin | Andrew Gonazalez, viola
Blackfriars Playhouse, American Shakespeare Center, Staunton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 05.21.2020

Alexander Borodin (1833 – 1887): String Quartet No. 2 – III. Notturno
Liana Branscome, violin; Strauss Shi, violin | Steven Baloue, viola | Ben Fried, cello
South Market Stage, Grace Christian School, Staunton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 03.11.2022

Paul Coletti (B. 1959): From My Heart
Matt Cohen, viola | Zhenni Li-Cohen, piano
Kreeger Museum of Art, Washington, DC
Heifetz Institute Recording | 12.16.2019

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992): Thème et variations
Kristopher Tong, violin | Miki Sawada, piano
First Presbyterian Church, Staunton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.16.2021

 

Go Deeper

• Discover the Elizabethan theatre in the heart of downtown Staunton, Virginia (and hear its fine acoustics for Mozartian music-making in this episode)…the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse!
• When not playing with Heifetz students (and, occasionally, her husband Kristopher Tong, as you’ll hear on this episode), pianist Miki Sawada is on an epic and inspiring state-by-state piano odyssey with her Gather Hear tour. 
• See the trailer and the backstory to the 1979 movie A Little Romance starring Diane Lane (in her first film role) and Sir Laurence Olivier (in one of his final films).  The George Roy HIll-directed rom com won an Oscar for film composer George Delarue, that maybe should have gone to Antonio Vivaldi.