From Romanticism to Mestizo Modernism: Mexican Piano Music
American Women Composers
Max Lifchitz (University of Albany, SUNY), piano
Clarion Music Center, San Francisco, California, November 5, 2004
The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 16, 2007
In the first presentation on November 5, 2004, pianist Max Lifchitz performed and discussed music by Mexican composers for an audience of local community members (Chinatown, San Francisco).
In the second presentation on November 16, 2007, Mr. Lifchitz performed and discussed music by American women composers for a university class.
The goal of this project was to introduce audiences to lesser known composers and musical styles not normally encountered in traditional recitals. The events followed the format of lecture-recitals. Mr. Lifchitz introduced the topic for each program and spoke about each piece prior to its performance. At the end of the programs, audience members asked questions and commented on relevant aspects of the performances. Mr. Lifchitz enjoyed interacting with diverse audiences from different parts of the country, and found the experience beneficial to his own artistic development. The two performances gave audiences the opportunity to listen to and discuss music that is often not included in the traditional piano repertoire. Audience reaction was positive, and many expressed interest in learning more about the composers.
