Piano on Park Live presents:
Audrey Abela - piano
Watch the concert:
For donations to the performing musicians:
Program:
Debussy - Suite Bergamasque
Prélude
Menuet
Clair de lune
Passepied
Chopin - Selected Works
Waltz in C sharp Minor, Op. 64 No. 2
Etude in F Minor, Op. 25 No. 2
Etude in E Minor, Op. 25 No. 5
Ravel - Le Tombeau de Couperin
Prélude
Forlane
Rigaudon
Menuet
Toccata
About En Suite:
"Over a decade ago, I moved from Paris to New York. Today, it seems as though my French identity has been overtaken by American culture: I married an American man, my daughter was born in New York, I would rather converse in English than in French, and back home I often feel like a foreigner. Over the years, however, I came to realize that my sense of aesthetics was surprisingly “French” and I started developing a newfound sense of belonging. My affinity for French music and French pianists of the golden age, such as Alfred Cortot, Marguerite Long, Lazare-Lévy, Raoul Pugno, Georges Mathias, Yves Nat and the like, grew stronger. So much so, that I wrote a 300-page dissertation on the subject...
This album’s program aims to encapsulate French art in all its elegance and refinement. Every work presented is characterized by transparent, clear, articulated and pearly textures – symbols of French pianistic art. While the Ravel and Debussy suites are infused with the grey nostalgia and exotic colors of the 20th century, the Couperin and Rameau selections are full of 18th-century wit and vivacity. Brought together, these works create a quintessential French bouquet that I hope will transport you in space and time.
Marguerite Long, whose playing is the epitome of French pianism, explained: “French piano playing is lucid, precise, and slender. Even though it may often prioritize grace over strength, it always keeps a rightful sense of balance and proportion, and it does not give in to any other playing style in terms of power, profundity, and inner emotion.” I wholeheartedly agree with this description and I believe that there is, in essence, a direct connection between a national style of playing and the music written by that nation’s composers. In other words, a strong correlation exists between French pianism and the music of Rameau, Couperin, Saint-Saëns, Alkan, Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Poulenc, Chabrier, etc. They influence one another in order to create a French art. My hope is to emulate and honor, to the best of my abilities, the great French masters. With this album, I pay tribute to all the teachers who have helped me on this endless quest for fine artistry."
-Audrey Abela
Praised for her sensitive and individual interpretations, French pianist Audrey Abela has performed extensively in the United States, South America and Europe in major venues such as Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall, The Kennedy Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Symphony Space, Steinway Hall, Chicago Cultural Center, Salle Gaveau, Salle Cortot, Salle Pleyel and the Royal Dublin Society. This season, she was selected to appear as one of the emerging artists for The Eurasia Festival.
She holds a Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Manhattan School of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from CUNY Graduate Center, where she was offered a five-year tuition fellowship. She had the privilege to work with and be influenced by artists such as Menahem Pressler, Paul Badura-Skoda, Robert McDonald, John O’Connor, André Laplante, Thomas Sauer, Ursula Oppens, and David Dubal, among others.
She was a prizewinner in the 2013 Metropolitan international Piano Competition - New York. She also took part in many piano festivals including Piano Texas, Pianofest in the Hamptons, International Keyboard Institute and Festival, Banff Piano Masterclasses, and Gijon International Piano Festival. Over the years, she has been the recipient of several awards and grants, including the Artur Balsam Endowed Scholarship. Passionate about teaching and transmitting her love of music to the youth, she is the founder and director of Opus One Music, a music school based in New York City.