Leonidas Kavakos, violin
Yuja Wang, piano

A masterclass in technique and artistry! Renowned Chinese-born pianist Yuja Wang, known for her electric stage presence and breathtaking facility at the keyboard, joins forces with Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos, admired for balancing clarity and expressive power in his lyrical playing. Superstar soloists rarely commit to long-term chamber music relationships, which makes the pairing of these two giants of the concert hall all the more thrilling, as they have refined their chemistry over several acclaimed tours and recordings.

Here they perform two of Bach’s groundbreaking, marvelously inventive violin sonatas, complemented by two works that owe a debt to Bach’s masterful approach to counterpoint: Shostakovich’s haunting sonata from 1968, and Ferruccio Busoni’s rarely heard second sonata, which borrows a theme from the Bach chorale Wie wohl ist mir.

“Wang made otherworldly tremolos and trills glitter like stars in the night sky. Kavakos’ tone has the character of striking high-grade silver sinew, ever beautiful, graceful and unbreakable, the ideal sound…. Wang and Kavakos have a chemistry” (Los Angeles Times).

The run time for this performance is approximately two hours including intermission, and not including any encores.

Patron Sponsor: Nadine Tang