Yakov Kasman will perform Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich trios as part of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster and Friends series and as part of “Russian Moods,” its Russia-themed Winter Dreams Festival.
Kasman is professor of piano and artist-in-residence in the University of Alabama at Birmingham College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music.
On Tuesday, Jan. 26, Kasman will perform trios with ASO Concertmaster Daniel Szasz, violin, and ASO Music Director and Principal Conductor Carlos Izcaray, cello. Also on the program is “Andante cantabile” for cello and piano and “Valse sentimentale” for violin and piano by Tchaikovsky. The concert will take place at Brock Hall at Samford University.
This is the first major appearance of the ASO new music director as a cellist in Birmingham, Kasman says.
“The Shostakovich Second Piano Trio is probably the most important and most powerful chamber work of the 20th century,” Kasman said.
Just three days before that engagement, on Saturday, Jan. 23, Kasman will be a soloist with the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, performing Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on the Theme of Paganini” in Tupelo.
Kasman will give a preconcert talk, “Politics, Culture and Composition,” at 7 p.m. each night Feb. 5-6, prior to ASO performances of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2.
On Friday, Feb. 12, Kasman will again join Szasz along with ASO Principal Cellist Warren Samples as part of the Huntsville Chamber Music Guild series, performing trios by Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky.