Violinist Kristin Lee
Announces Future Programming
“[Kristin Lee’s] technique is flawless, and she has a sense of melodic shaping that reflects an artistic maturity... The way she worked into an entrance or picked up a theme from the orchestra was miraculous...” – St. Louis Post‑Dispatch
“Violinist Kristin Lee...was operating on such a high level that the music carried the day.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
For more information, contact Gina Meola:
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Violinist Kristin Lee is pleased to announce new concert programming for future seasons, offered for 2021-22 and beyond.
She also remains strongly committed to making music during these challenging times, and can offer high-quality virtual livestreamed or pre-recorded performances with live Q&A sessions. In addition, Kristin Lee is available to perform live concerts for socially distanced audiences in the Northeast throughout the 2020-2021 season.
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Americana
A native of Seoul, Korea, Kristin emigrated to the U.S. at the age of seven. During her childhood, playing the violin was a refuge from bullying and racism for Kristin — she moved to the U.S. not speaking any English, and feels the violin became her voice. As a foreign-born citizen of America, Kristin was compelled to select this repertoire to express her pride of the country she now calls her own, and offers these works that have a distinct and recognizable sound of American music and its rich history.
Kristin is joined by acclaimed multi-faceted pianist, Jeremy Jordan. The audience is also invited to participate in engaging conversations with Kristin and Jeremy throughout the performance.
Kristin and Jeremy have recorded a corresponding album featuring several of these works that will be released in 2021.
Jeremy Jordan: Fish Me a Dream
Jonathan Ragonese: Non-Poem 4
H.T. Burleigh: Southland Sketches
Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2
Thelonious Monk: Monk's Mood
Molly Joyce: Lean Back and Release for violin and electronics
George Gershwin: But Not For Me (arr. by Jeremy Jordan)
JJ Johnson: Lament (arr. by Jeremy Jordan)
Scott Joplin: The Entertainer (arr. by Jeremy Jordan)
Kevin Puts: Air for violin and piano
John Novacek: Four Rags
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Watch Kristin Lee & Jeremy Jordan perform "4th Street Drag" from John Novacek’s Four Rags
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France: 1885-1943
This program celebrates French classical music from the Romantic era through the Impressionist and Neo-Classical eras. Debussy’s violin sonata was the last piece he composed before his death in 1918. Though composed while Debussy was enduring emotional turmoil due to his terminal illness and the impending world war, the work evokes a lighthearted, charming mood. Franck’s sonata was composed for master violinist Eugène Ysaÿe, who performed the work frequently over the next 40 years, and enjoyed telling audiences that he always played it “con amore” because it was given to him as a wedding present. Inspired by the Spanish Civil War & WWII, Poulenc’s sonata incorporates quotes from music which was banned by the Nazi reign, protesting the German Occupation of France. The work’s sudden ending symbolizes the violent death of Spanish poet Federico García Lorca, to whose memory the work is dedicated. Saint-Saëns’ sonata pays homage to Beethoven’s ideal of sonata composition while showcasing his distinct “French sound.” In its inception, several violinists complained about the work’s highly virtuosic demands, which caused Saint-Saëns to eventually revise the work just enough to satisfy the performers while still showcasing extremely technical brilliance. Ravel was so strongly inspired by contemporary American composer and pianist, George Gershwin, that he wrote his Violin Sonata No. 2 in the style of “blues.”
Debussy: Violin Sonata
Franck: Violin Sonata
Poulenc: Violin Sonata
Lili Boulanger: Nocturne for violin and piano
Saint-Saëns: Violin Sonata No. 1 (21 minutes) -OR- Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2
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Inspirations
Kristin Lee offers a musical exploration of the inspirations of five masterful composers. César Franck’s compositions often exhibit influence from his contemporaries Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner, and his Violin Sonata is no exception. Franck was inspired to write the piece by violinist and composer Eugène Ysaÿe’s upcoming wedding, and the piece served as a wedding present to Ysaÿe and his wife. Late in his life, Ysaÿe composed his second violin sonata for his dear friend, violinist Jacques Thibaud. The sonata is reflective of the powerful affect that Bach’s compositions had on Ysaÿe, as he emulates Bach’s counterpoint styles and even incorporates direct quotes from Bach’s music. Vivian Fung’s Birdsong was composed for Kristin Lee, and as the title suggests, the work is inspired by birdcalls. Those influences can be heard through light, quick, and virtuosic passages in both the violin and piano. Clara Schumann’s Three Romances are some of the last works she ever wrote, as she turned her attention towards performing and editing her husband Robert Schumann’s music after his death. In Three Romances, Clara lovingly references the theme from Robert’s first violin sonata. Composer and violinist Pablo de Sarasate crafted several famous operas into concert fantasies for violin and orchestra or piano. His fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen encapsulates the opera’s brilliance through elaborate and virtuosic arrangements while maintaining the palpable passion of the work.
Eugène Ysaÿe: Sonata No. 2 for solo violin, Op. 27 No. 2
César Franck: Violin Sonata
Vivian Fung: Birdsong for violin and piano
Clara Schumann: Three Romances for violin and piano
Pablo de Sarasate: Carmen Fantasy for violin and piano, Op. 25
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Watch Kristin Lee perform Vivian Fung’s Birdsong
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Collaboration
Chamber Music from Spain
Violinist Kristin Lee and a small ensemble of renowned musicians lead listeners on a journey with an evening of sensual and virtuosic music of Spain. Traditional Spanish music is very well known for its vibrant and unique sound that often accompanies dances, but is not frequently heard in the classical realm. Originally inspired by the Greek Christians back in the 6th century, Spanish classical music has taken many turns, resulting in a great popularity in the late 19th and early 20th century. Celebrated Spanish composers Manuel de Falla, Pablo de Sarasate, Enrique Granados, Joaquín Turina, and Fernando Jaumandreu Obradors honored the typical harmonies and rhythmic integrity of traditional Spanish music and incorporated them into their compositions.
Manuel de Falla: Siete canciones populares españolas for soprano and guitar
Enrique Granados: Piano Trio, Op. 50 H. 140
Pablo de Sarasate: Concert Fantasy on Themes from Carmen, Op. 25 for violin and piano
Fernando Jaumandreu Obradors: Canciones clásicas españolas for soprano and guitar
Pablo de Sarasate: Romanza Andaluza, Op. 22 for violin and piano
Joaquín Turina: Piano Trio No. 2 in B minor, Op. 76
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