Event Type: Master Classes | Bach's Lunch Series | International Music Series | Faculty Recital Series | Recitals
Master Classes & Workshops at MacPhail 2008-2009
MacPhail’s 2008/2009 Master Class Series is still being planned. Please check back soon for an incredible roster of master classes for 2008/2009.
Leon Fleisher: Piano Master Class
Saturday, September 13 3-5 p.m.
FREE ADMISSION
Co-presented with the Chamber Music Society of MN, The Schubert Club, and The School of Music University of MN
Ferguson Hall, Lloyd Ultan Recital Hall
School of Music, University of Minnesota
2106 Fourth Street South, Minneapolis
Renowned pianist, conductor and teacher Leon Fleisher, now in his sixth decade before the public, started piano lessons in his native San Francisco at age four, and gave his first recital at eight. A year later he began studying with the great German pianist Artur Schnabel, and by 16, in 1944, made his debut with the New York Philharmonic. He was the first American to win the prestigious Queen Elisabeth of Belgium competition, in 1952. Fleisher’s career was on a smooth upward trajectory for the next dozen years: he concertized all over the world with every major orchestra and conductor, gave recitals everywhere, and made numerous touchstone recordings with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra of the piano concertos of Beethoven, Brahms, as well as pieces by Grieg, Schumann, and Rachmaninov.
Fleisher was suddenly struck silent when two fingers of his right hand became immobile in 1965. Undergoing many treatments that gave only temporary relief, he was forced to “retire” when only 37 years old. This was the defining moment in his career until recently, when he began treatments that finally helped relieve the neurological affliction known as focal dystonia that had been plaguing him for more than half his life. For several years, Fleisher has been playing - infrequently - with both hands again, and has just made his first two-hand recording in 40 years, a sort of musical biography called Two Hands. Its repertoire ranges from J.S. Bach and Domenico Scarlatti via Chopin and Debussy to Franz Schubert’s monumental final Piano Sonata in B flat Major [Vanguard Classics].
In the nearly 40 years since Leon Fleisher’s keyboard career was so suddenly curtailed, he has followed two parallel careers - as conductor and teacher - while learning to play the extensive but limiting repertoire of compositions for piano left-hand. He began conducting in 1967, but never gave up the idea of playing with both hands again.
Mr. Fleisher’s reputation as a conductor was quickly established when he founded the Theatre Chamber Players at the Kennedy Center in 1967 and became Music Director of the Annapolis Symphony in 1970. He made his New York conducting debut at the 1970 Mostly Mozart Festival and in 1973 became Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony. He has appeared as guest conductor with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestras of Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Montreal and Detroit, among others. He also had a regular association with the New Japan Philharmonic as its Principal Guest Conductor, leading the orchestra in a series of concerts each season, as well as with the Chamber Music Orchestra of Europe and the Gustav Mahler Chamber Orchestra.
Teaching has been a crucially important element in Leon Fleisher’s life. As a revered pedagogue, he has held the Andrew W. Mellon Chair at the Peabody Conservatory of Music since 1959, and also serves on the faculties of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. From 1986-97 he was Artistic Director of the Tanglewood Music Center. His teaching activities at the Aspen, Lucerne, Ravinia and Verbier festivals, among others, have brought him in contact with students from all over the world. He has also given master classes at the Salzburg Mozarteum, the Paris Conservatory, the Ravel Academy at St. Jean de Luz, the Reina Sofia School in Madrid, the Mishkenot in Jerusalem and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Master Class applications
| Guest Artist |
Application deadline |
Audition date |
| Leon Fleisher, piano |
Wed., Sept. 3 (noon) |
Friday, Sept. 5, 6:30 p.m. |
ATTEND a master class or workshop at MacPhail
Anyone can attend a master class, regardless of their instrument or skill level. Admission is free to MacPhail families, and just $5 to the general public. Many of MacPhail’s master classes are co-sponsored by other organizations in the Twin Cities including (these are hyperlinks) The Chamber Music Society of Minnesota, the Minnesota Guitar Society, Music in the Park Series, The Schubert Club and Claire Givens Violins.
WHAT IS A MASTER CLASS? In a master class, advanced students perform for, and are coached by the master teacher. The student performers gain new insights from a true expert who is respected and well known in musical circles. Performing for a master teacher is considered an honor; attending a master class as an observer is a rare opportunity to see a master at work.
PERFORM in a master class
MacPhail master class performers are selected by live audition and must complete an audition application. Participation in master class auditions is open to all students in the community unless noted otherwise in the application form. Each master class audition is judged by at least two MacPhail faculty and one regional judge (from outside MacPhail faculty). Students who audition will receive the judges’ comments by mail. All applications must be filled out completely and received at MacPhail Center for Music by the application deadline (some deadlines are flexible, please call 612.767.5310).
