The Bass Museum of Art is proud to present the second concert of Gil Morgenstern’s Reflections Series on Wednesday, February 24. Acclaimed for his innovative programming that contextualizes historical styles and arts movements for a 21st century audience, Morgenstern merges artistic mediums, encouraging audiences to engage numerous senses and reflect anew of universal themes.
The Stuff Dreams Are Made On, is inspired by Carl Jung’s famous “Red Book†in which he details his theory of the collective unconscious and will explore the integral role dreams play in culture. Musical works performed by Gil Morgenstern with pianist Donald Berman will include John Cage’s Dreams, Georges Enesco’s Impressions d’enfance (Impressions of Childhood), Jean Sibelius’ Nocturne and Franz Schubert’s Fantasy. Aubyn Philabaum will read text by Sylvia Plath. Using music, prose and poetry, the program will invite the audience on a nocturnal journey from dusk through dawn, creating a narrative of memory, nightmare and fantasy through the use of music and words.
Date: Wednesday, February 24
Time: 7:30 PM
Address: 2121 Park Ave. | Miami Beach
Phone: 305-673-7530 ext 1013 for tickets and more information or www.bassmuseum.org
Cost: $20 Bass Museum members, $25 non-members
At 7:30pm on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 violinist Gil Morgenstern’s Reflections Series will continue with a second concert at the Bass Museum of Art. The performance, entitled The Stuff Dreams Are Made On is inspired by Carl Jung’s famous “Red Book†in which he details his theory of the collective unconscious and will explore the integral role dreams play in culture. Musical works performed by Gil Morgenstern with pianist Donald Berman will include John Cage’s Dreams, Georges Enesco’s Impressions d’enfance (Impressions of Childhood), Jean Sibelius’ Nocturne and Franz Schubert’s Fantasy. Aubyn Philabaum will read text from Sylvia Plath’s Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams, The Wishing Box, The Ghost’s Leave- taking, Southern Sunrise, and The Unabridged Journals. Using music, prose and poetry, the program will invite the audience on a nocturnal journey from dusk through dawn, creating a narrative of memory, nightmare and fantasy through the use of music and words.
As Artistic Director of the Reflections Series, Gil Morgenstern utilizes innovative programming to contextualize historical styles and arts movements for a 21st century audience. The performances merge artistic mediums, encouraging audiences to engage numerous senses and reflect anew on universal themes. The Reflections Series mixes solo and chamber music with visual art, poetry, and prose from around the world.
The final concert on May 6 is called A Pilgrim’s Progress and will include music of Francis Poulenc and Bruce Saylor, and text from Dante’s “Inferno.”
More about Gil Morgenstern: Acclaimed for his artistry and technical brilliance, violinist Gil Morgenstern has performed in many of the world’s great concert halls. The New York Times has hailed his playing as “a perfect demonstration of supreme ability;” “a rare poet of the violin†reported The South China Morning Post; “Morgenstern played a program that tested every part of a violinist’s equipment and he did it all beautifully†wrote The Washington Post.
Mr. Morgenstern’s career has taken him to international venues including Wigmore Hall, London; Cultural Center Concert Hall, Hong Kong; the American Academy, Rome; Salone dei Cinquecento, Florence; El Teatro Sucre, Ouito; Arts Centre and State Theatre, Melbourne, Australia. He has also toured the U.S. extensively, performing in FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jessica Kiger, 646.536.7864, Jessica@christinajensenpr.com Photo by Chris Lee. Available in high resolution at www.christinajensenpr.com recital and as guest soloist with many leading orchestras. Of his interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major the Santa Barbara News Press raved, “Violinist Morgenstern – that’s the name to remember. While he dazzled everyone with his dexterity, he realized all the artistic nuances. His bowing was magnificent; his tone just plain gorgeous.â€
Mr. Morgenstern has also shared the stage with such eminent musicians as Philippe Entremont, Lynn Harrell, André-Michel Schub, Jeffrey Kahane, Sharon Isbin, and Heinz Holliger, and has collaborated with United States Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa and performance artist Laurie Anderson.
Mr. Morgenstern’s discography includes works by Beethoven, Fauré, Copland, Ravel, Kodaly, Sessions and the award-winning American composer George Tsontakis. His latest recording, 20th Century Duos for Violin and Cello, was the No. 1 classical CD for over a month on eMusic, the largest online store for independent music in the world, and was one of the top ten best selling classical music albums on Amazon.com. Of the CD The New York Times raved, “the music is terrific and the performances compelling on this surprisingly exciting and excellently engineered recording.†Mr. Morgenstern records for the MMC, Engine Company and Koch International Classics labels, and can regularly be heard on National Public Radio and classical music radio stations across the country.
In addition to performing, Mr. Morgenstern is the artistic director of the Reflections Series, which presents performances in New York, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florence and Capri, Italy. The 2009-2010 season is inspired by art exhibits at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York and features solo and chamber music, with visual art, poetry, and prose from around the world, in combinations that invite the audience to reflect anew on universal themes. Mr. Morgenstern is also the co-founder and co-artistic director of Nine Circles Chamber Theatre, a creative organization dedicated to exploring the collaborative nature of inter-disciplinary performance, and of the Broyhill Chamber Ensemble, a diverse chamber group specializing in Classical, Romantic and contemporary works of mixed instrumentation.
Mr. Morgenstern’s many prizes and honors include a command performance for President Ford at the White House, Gold Medals in The Washington International and National Society of Arts and Letters Competitions, and the Jaycees of America’s “Outstanding Young American” award.
In 1998, Mr. Morgenstern appeared as violin soloist in U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky’s translation of Dante’s Inferno which toured the country and was broadcast on PBS and NPR, for which it received a Peabody nomination. The violin plays a central and unique role in this production and is an integral part of the dramatic action.
Highlights of Mr. Morgenstern’s recent seasons include performances with the Julliard Dance Company at Lincoln Center, NCNY Dance Company at An Appalachian Summer Festival and with the Brooklyn Ballet; the premieres of staged versions of The Epic of Gilgamesh, Venus and Adonis with Claire Bloom and John Neville, and Samuel Beckett at 100 at New York City’s 92nd Street Y and at Harvard University. Morgenstern’s performance in the Nine Circles Chamber Theatre production of When Samson Met Delilah toured Holland to rave reviews and his recent appearance in Toronto was broadcast throughout Canada on CBC. In addition, his “Falling Bodies,†an original Nine Circles Chamber Theatre work of music and words based on the lives of the scientist-poet Galileo Galilei and poet-scientist Primo Levi, sold-out performances in New York and is now touring internationally.
Mr. Morgenstern lives in New York City. For more information, visit www.gilmorgenstern.com.
More about Aubyn Philabaum: Aubyn Philabaum was recently named one of “Twelve Freshest Faces of 2009 in New York Theater†by justshowstogoyou.com. She has worked both regionally and in NY with The Yale Rep, ACT, Cry Havoc, Singularity, The Kraine, Brooklyn Arts, Mills Entertainment and BASE Entertainment. She has also appeared in numerous commercials, educational videos and short films throughout NYC and the Southwest. Company Member, InViolet Rep. BFA in acting, Boston University and LAMDA; MFA in acting, Yale School of Drama.
More about Donald Berman: Pianist Donald Berman is a champion of new works by living composers, overlooked music by twentieth century masters, and recitals that link classical and modern repertoires. His recent CDs The Unknown Ives volumes 1 & 2, and The Uncovered Ruggles on New World Records have been internationally acclaimed. He is the Artistic Director for the American Academy in Rome Concert series in New York and subsequent four-volume CD on Bridge Records. He has presented recitals, lectures, and masterclasses recently in Israel, Italy, and throughout the United States. He has performed to critical acclaim in New York City at Miller Theater, Zankel Hall, Merkin Hall, and Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall. Other recent work has ranged from Mozart concertos with the Columbus Symphony to American music retrospectives, to recitals linking Haydn and Schubert with new music, called “thrillingly clear” (The New York Times). He is a prizewinner of the 1991 Schubert International Competition and a member of the Dinosaur Annex New Music Ensemble since 1987. Berman has been presented by League/ISCM, Masters of Tomorrow in Germany, French Cultural Services (Fauré Sesquicentennial), and many others. He has premiered concertos, solo and ensemble works with many organizations including Collage, Real Art Ways, Pro Musica Symphony, and on his series Firstworks and Pioneers and Premieres.
Berman co-directs the New Music Ensemble at Tufts University. He studied with Leonard Shure, John Kirkpatrick, George Barth, and Mildred Victor.
