String Theory At The Hunter To Present “Bach To Rachmaninoff”

String Theory at the Hunter, in partnership with Lee University and the Hunter Museum of American Art, will present a performance on Tuesday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m. Featuring renowned cellist Paul Watkins and pianists Alessio Bax and Gloria Chien, the concert will explore an array of classical masterpieces, from Bach to Rachmaninoff, showcasing the diverse artistry of the performers.

"You won't hear this concert anywhere else because this program is the result of three great friends coming together to make music,” said Dr. Chien, founder and artistic director of String Theory. “The different combinations featured in the program are an homage to the friendships. This is also what makes String Theory unique."

The performance will feature Bach’s Cello Suite No.3, Schubert’s Andantino varié, Rachmaninoff’s Two Pieces for Piano Six Hands, and Beethoven’s Sonata for Cello and Piano No.5.

Review for the performers:

Acclaimed for his inspirational performances and eloquent musicianship, Mr. Watkins enjoys a distinguished career as a concerto soloist, chamber musician, and conductor. He performs regularly as a concerto soloist with major orchestras throughout the world, including eight concerto appearances at the BBC Proms. A dedicated chamber musician, Mr. Watkins has been a member of the Nash Ensemble and the Emerson String Quartet, and in 2014, he was appointed artistic director of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.

Mr. Watkins also maintains a busy career as a conductor, and since winning the 2002 Leeds Conducting Competition, has conducted all the major British orchestras and many others in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Japan.

Combining exceptional lyricism and insight with consummate technique, Mr. Bax is “among the most remarkable young pianists now before the public,” according to Gramophone. He catapulted to prominence with First Prize wins at both the 2000 Leeds International Piano Competition and the 1997 Hamamatsu International Piano Competition and is now a familiar face on five continents as a recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist. He has appeared with over 150 orchestras, including the New York, London, Royal, and St. Petersburg Philharmonic orchestras.

Mr. Bax has been awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant as well as the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award and the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists. He appears regularly in festivals such as Seattle, Bravo Vail, Salon-de-Provence, Le Pont in Japan, Great Lakes, Verbier, Ravinia, Music@Menlo, Aspen, and Tanglewood.

Dr. Chien has one of the most diverse musical lives as a noted performer, concert presenter, and educator. She was selected by the Boston Globe as one of its superior pianists of the year, “…who appears to excel in everything.” Dr. Chien made her orchestral debut at the age of 16 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In recent seasons, she has performed as a recitalist and chamber musician at Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, the Phillips Collection, the Kissinger Sommer festival, the Dresden Chamber Music Festival, and the National Concert Hall in Taiwan.

A former member of CMS Two, Dr. Chien performs frequently with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She also serves as the co-artistic director of Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, Oregon, as well as the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont, along with her husband, Soovin Kim. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and serves as an artist-in-residence at Lee University. She is a Steinway Artist.

“Pregame with Bob” will take place at 5:45 p.m., where Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Music Director Emeritus Bob Bernhardt will provide an in-depth discussion of the evening’s program, including insights on the featured composers and works, along with interviews with the artists.

String Theory was founded in 2009 by Dr. Chien to expose new audiences to chamber music, invigorate the local classical scene, and cultivate a future generation of music lovers.

Tickets for the Tuesday evening performance are $54 for non-members, $42 for Hunter members, and $10 for students and music teachers with ID.

To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit www.stringtheorymusic.org/, contact info@stringtheorymusic.org, or call 414-2525.