Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Makiko Yamashita

Review: Anthony and Joseph Paratore Piano Duo

2010-01-16T05:07:58Z

The Sacramento Community Theatre was a full house providing a warm and enthusiastic welcome to Anthony and Joseph Paratore last night. There were many reasons I loved the concert and I am sure the audience could add many more.

The concert was the third program of the Sacramento Community Concerts 2009-2010 season. The two brothers played four music pieces of wide varieties all composed for two pianos, the first half featured Russian composers and the second American.

Both Anthony and Joseph were equally skillful and accomplished pianists with outstanding musicality. Yet, they showed contrasting personalities on stage and it made the concert even more interesting.

Joseph with long and curly hair often played in an expressive and explosive style. Anthony was more reserved with a refined and controlled presence, gave a serious yet thoughtful and gentle performance. It was like having Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss conducting on the same stage. When they spoke giving the audience an introduction, they both were soft-spoken and equally charming.

The program was diverse and clever. Ranging from romantic classical to Jazz and Gershwin, the concert showcased a wide range of Paratore Duo’s repertoire and their mastery as pianists. At the same time, this variety gave all types of audience an opportunity to enjoy the concert and kept audience excited.

The opening piece, Suite No.1 Fantasy, by Rachmaninov was followed by the ever-popular Nutcracker Suite. Something more sophisticated and complex comes after something more endearing. Repeating the pattern in the second half, Points on Jazz by Dave Brubeck, a highly cerebral jazz-art music piece was followed by the energetic and popular Rhapsody in Blue.

Introducing the piece, Anthony said, “There are two arrangements of Nutcracker Suite, one for orchestra, and one for two pianos. We decided to play the piano arrangement today, “ inviting laughter from the audience.

During the first movement of Nutcracker Suite I felt something was missing; where were the dancers, stage lights, Christmas decorations, elaborate costumes, long lines and expensive tickets! The Nutcracker is usually the only ballet performed in December and often is the saving grace to the budgets of ballet companies. Its association with the winter holidays is such a spectacle that I forgot that there is amazing music trapped in the Macy’s window display that the ballet has become.

Tonight’s Nutcracker, however, was a completely refreshing experience. I was able to focus on music without the holiday context. Listening to the beautiful melodies, I was swept away into Tchaikovsky’s fantasy world. He is a master of melody. Who else can compose such beautiful melodic lines? At the same time, this rather simple music does not have significant counterpoint or orchestration. For this reason, I think the piece has more integrity when it is played as a piano duo rather than orchestra.

There was something magical about the duo’s performance. Their parts are precisely coordinated and synchronized despite uneven rhythms and demanding technicality. During the Rachmaninov’s Fantasy, the duo’s musicality was rich with frequent rubato. The effortlessness in their ensemble playing belied the virtuosity required to play this piece.

Anthony and Joseph seemed to know exactly how the other brother is going to play and how to harmonize each other. It makes me wonder if this is something special about being brothers playing together for many years and evoked questions on how they rehearse to achieve this level of precision.

The American second half started with Points on Jazz by Dave Brubeck, also a great jazz pianist himself. This highly sophisticated work combines jazz and classical styles with heavy influences of Bach. Some melancholy and moody ones like Blues to up-beat pieces like Scherzo and A la Turk. It was truly enjoyable with so many different variations and characters in each movement.
The finale was Rhapsody in Blue, unmistakably Gershwin. This is an extremely approachable piece everyone recognizes yet something felt much richer to see and hear it performed live. It is just delightful with high tempo, high pitch, and light-hearted themes. Everyone seemed to enjoy being part of this magical performance.

After the standing ovation, the brothers played two encore pieces, Fire Dance by Manuel de Falla and Finale from Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens. This time, they sat together and played four hands on a piano. This further entertained the audience as they played these technically demanding pieces with extreme acrobatic arm crossings without missing a note. They seem to fully enjoy entertaining the audience.

Two brothers were born in Boston of Italian decent. They have played with many major orchestras and conductors worldwide. It was exciting to hear such dynamic world class pianists play their repertoire in Sacramento.

For Sacramento Community Concert’s future events, please go to www.saccca.org.
For more information about Paratore Duo, please see their homepage.

Review: Camellia Symphony Orchestra Season Opening

2009-11-23T09:51:36Z

On Saturday November 21, 2009, Camellia Symphony Orchestra opened its 2009/2010 season with the program titled “Prodigies from St. Petersburg” featuring three Russian composers, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Sergey Prokofiev conducted by Music Director Allan Pollack.

This was my first time listening to Camellia Symphony Orchestra. Being a community orchestra, the sound, harmony and overall quality of the musicianship were impressive.

The night’s first piece was Overture on Three Russian Themes by Rimsky-Korsakov based on three Russian folk songs. The entrance of the first movement with the string section took us to a scene of pastoral and joyful Russian villages right away.

Starting with somewhat Beethoven like harmony, the score moves to more Russian and folk song like melodies. The work is not often recorded and I am more familiar with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture that uses the same theme. The sound of the orchestra nicely projected to the space of the Memorial Auditorium.

Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No.1 introduced more complicated forms and tones. Shostakovich dedicated this concerto of four movements to cellist Mstislav Rostropovich who memorized the work in four days.

The first movement opens with the Cello’s quick staccato chased by the string section. This sense of urgency keeps us alert almost like a driving scene from Hitchcock’s film North by Northwest. Then following is the slower second movement, Moderato. The beginning is melancholic. Then it develops into more sweeping and grandiose theme.

Tonight’s soloist, Burke Schuchmann who is a former principal cellist with the Sacramento Symphony was dynamic and versatile in his performance especially during Cadenza. With the beginning theme coming back during the cadenza in accelerating tempo, the cello was swiped into the orchestra and moved to the dramatic and fast fourth movement Allegro con moto.

Mr. Schuchmann chose Le Cygne (The Swan) by Camille Saint-Saëns for an encore, the night’s only piece composed by non-Russian. He mentioned that it was dedicated to his father’s 93th birthday. This elegant and exquisite melody took us to a lake where a white swan floats and moves through the surface.

The final piece was Symphony No. 5 by Sergey Prokofiev consisting of four movements.

The slow opening leads to the glorious climax. The following second movement is a fast scherzo, playful and darkly humorous. It reminds me of Prokofiev’s ballet music like Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella. Imagine ballet dancers with pointe shoes sweeping through the stage with quick steps. The lyrical and slow third movement is followed by breathtaking fourth movement Allegro Giocoso. Series of cheerful, energetic, and exhilarating tones turns into madness toward the end.

Camellia Symphony Orchestra played these demanding pieces beautifully. Particularly the brass section was strong. The wonderful performance is a result of many hours of practice and rehearsals.

The orchestra provides wonderful musical experiences to Sacramento community and is highly valuable. While the auditorium is a large space, there were a lot of empty seats. Perhaps, schools can plan a class trip to experience and appreciate music at a live performance. They only have three concerts a season and the performance is excellent. I hope more people in Sacramento community will take advantage of this opportunity and enjoy the future performances.

Program: Prodigies from St. Petersburg

Overture on Three Russian Themes, Op28, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 107, Dmitri Shostakovich

Allegretto
Moderato
Cadenza
Allegro con moto

Symphony No. 5 in B-flat, Op. 100, Sergey Prokofiev

Andante
Allegro marcato
Adagio
Allegro giocoso

An evening of wine flights meets Twitter: Vino Tweet Up

2009-07-27T17:21:40Z

Twitter has become a common and powerful tool, if not essential, to reach and communicate with customers for many businesses. I, as founder of Radee Wine, Inc., a start-up wine importer and marketer, also use Twitter to talk about our wines and to learn about customers and other players in the industry.

While Twitter gives tremendous access to information about business and people, there is nothing like meeting those behind the profile photos in person. This Tuesday, owners of three wine companies, James David Cellars, MAS Wine Company, and Radee Wine will gather and showcase the wines at Sacramento’s first Vino Tweet Up at L Wine Lounge in Midtown Sacramento. What makes this event interesting is that the three companies, all based in the Sacramento area, are unique and distinctive and the wines are top notch.

James David Cellars' passion is to produce wines that complement and drive conversation. Their wine is about relationships – relationship to family, friends and community.

What comes next is a cutting edge packaging technology: wine in a keg. MAS Wine Company offers its award-winning wine in a patented, German-engineered Mini Tank. A nitrogen gas chamber in the tank eliminates the air, preventing oxidization. This environmentally friendly reusable tank keeps wine fresh for 60 days and can be refilled.

Finally, in tasting Radee Wine, you would experience something completely different. Fine dessert wine made from exotic tropical fruit in Thailand. As Darrell Corti put it in Corti Brothers’ July newsletter, "these are real 'vins de glacière,' freezer wines, since the fresh fruit juices that make them are merely partially frozen, removing a percentage of fruit water."

The owners are also different in nationalities. David Cole, proprietor of James David, is Californian. Julian Slee, co‐founder and CFO of MAS Wine Company, is Australian. I am from Japan.

With different backgrounds and each unique product, we have something in common: passion to produce top-quality flavorful wines.

The Vino Tweetup will include appetizers from L Wine Lounge with a $15 ticket. L Wine Lounge offers rustic and creative food from local fresh produce. Its executive chef, Ame Harrington won first place at Raley’s Grape Escape Chef Challenge in June.

This event will offer an opportunity to learn more about three new wine companies, and their wines, in addition to enjoying the flights of six different varietals and food.

The event is not limited to Twitter users. Even if you have not heard of Twitter, or if you are a skeptic of Twitter, you are still invited to join our evening. As Ricardo Robles, co‐organizer of Vino Tweetup, says, "…the event will be professionally entertaining and full with business to business and business to consumer connections."

The event detail:
Date: Tuesday, July 28th
Time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Ticket Price: $15
Tickets are purchased online at http://vinotweetup.eventbrite.com

One Step Forward: Running with homeless people recovering from addiction

2009-04-07T18:59:56Z

Distance running is a metaphor for life. Imagine running a full marathon. Your physical strength, built by training, gives you the energy to push through the course. You feel energized until about mile 13. You start feeling pain, but it is within your expectations. Then you hit the wall at mile 20. You feel like there is no more fuel left in your body and your legs feel like steel. You start hearing a voice, saying, “You can’t go any further. You did enough. Quit and rest!” For the last six miles, you fight with this evil voice.

But you also hear another voice, “No, no, don’t quit. You can do it. You have come this far and the goal is near.” This part of you miraculously pushes you to the finish line with a rewarding sensation. It is such a positive feeling of the sense of achievement and self-confidence.

This journey has given me strength and persistence, not only in running but also in many other aspects of my personal and professional life. I want to share this experience with struggling people and support them in achieving their goals.

Do you enjoy running? Have you run races before? Have you run for charitable causes? Have you ever thought that the distance running itself, and not just the money raised, can actually help many people?

For me, fundraising races seem to represent one-way communication; run and raise money, and the charitable cause will receive that money. But I also want to know about these struggling people and learn about the organizations and how they address and help people.

I thought, “If we love running for good reasons, why not run together with those people we are trying to help, if they are healthy enough?” One race last year, Run to Feed the Hungry, triggered me to put the idea into action. There is no reason that only people of a certain economic or social status can enjoy distance running. If there are people who find running worthwhile to try, it may change their life, as it has for so many other people around the world.

This is how One Step Forward was born. Founded by the author of this article, One Step Forward introduces the power and joy of distance running to disadvantaged people through organizing group runs.

On March 17, we inaugurated our first group run-and-walk with 20 residents of Clean & Sober in North Sacramento thanks to the tremendous support from its management and staff.

Founded in 1994 by Manny Diaz, Clean & Sober is a program that provides help to homeless and disadvantaged people who are determined to overcome their addiction to alcohol and drugs.

“Many residents suddenly gain weight when they stop using drugs and alcohol, and don’t feel good about it. They want to lose weight and be healthy,” said Dana Christy, Executive Director of Clean & Sober.

For this reason, a group running-and-walking program seems to be a good fit for their residents.

Prior to the orientation in the preceding week, I was nervous, not knowing what the residents would think about the idea of a group run. My concern disappeared the moment I stepped into their residential compound. There were already about 10 people waiting outside, smiling and exchanging greetings with me. “So you are the nature woman?”

I felt their curiosity and excitement about starting something new. The response from the participants has been encouraging. “I know that people were proud of themselves and are very excited to continue it in the future,” said Julie Sharp, a dedicated staff member of Clean & Sober.

They seem to enjoy the outdoors and the company of friends, along with running and walking as a physical activity. Some have shared with me their rich and colorful life stories with honesty and openness during our walks and runs. After years of problems and hardships, such as homelessness, addiction, injury and sickness, they are determined to move forward and establish a new life.

Into the third week, we started an eight-week progressive training with generous support from Fleet Feet Sacramento.

Lisa Riley, Training Director at Fleet Feet Sacramento, brings in over four years of coaching experience for beginning runners to One Step Forward.

"This is quite an inspiring group," she commented on her second day with the Clean & Sober group. "They are up and smiling at 7 a.m. I had only been there one day and they were hugging me and thanking me already. Their attitudes are awesome."

The training will culminate with No Excuses 5K, a race held on May 25 at William Land Park. Our goal is that members will complete running or walking a 5K, most of them for the first time.

With the recent surge of media exposure for Tent City, Sacramento’s homeless problem has attracted national attention. While the homeless and Tent City were in Sacramento for decades, most media coverage seems to focus on the recent economic downtown as a staggering cause of the increased homeless population.

The homeless problem intertwines with complex sets of problems such as drugs, addiction, disability and mental illness, besides the economic crisis. It requires a holistic and multi-faceted approach to address the problems.

One Step Forward hopes to make an impact on those disadvantaged populations who are striving to restore their lives by helping them gain strength, motivation, and the drive to overcome their problems.

Running does not directly solve problems. Running helps people fight their problems with their own efforts. Distance running is not just about fitness. It is a powerful tool to gain mental strength. One Step Forward aims to emphasize three key factors: a sense of accomplishment, a sense of community, and hope.

Imagine: You train and run a distance with a speed you would have never imagined you could. You run a mile today and run three miles next month. Soon you will do a 5K race, a 10K race, then a half marathon. Maybe you will want to try a full marathon some day.

This ongoing process of efforts and achievements will provide a sense of accomplishment and increased self-esteem. It will give you the pride and motivation to achieve a further goal.

Running does not have to be an individual and lonely activity. At One Step Forward, we do it in a group where we can talk and encourage each other. It forms camaraderie and a support system for each group member. My conversations with the members demonstrate to me that they are eagerly seeking a gateway to community and society. Through the group run, we will build a strong sense of community.

A combination of these two, a sense of accomplishment and a sense of community gives us hope. With hope and confidence in our ability to drive ourselves to overcome challenges, be it recovery from addiction or gaining job skills, we can move forward one step at a time.

I am looking forward to running with the group for the next seven weeks and the challenge at the No Excuses 5K race. I hope to learn more about the members, strengthen the program, and expand it to new groups.

One Step Forward is supported by a small number of volunteers, in addition to our partners, Clean & Sober and Fleet Feet Sacramento.

If you are interested in knowing more about the program or joining us, please email us at run1stepforward@gmail.com.
For more information about Clean & Sober, please visit http://clean-and-sober.org/
For more information about Fleet Feet Sacramento, please visit http://www.fleetfeetsacramento.com/

Review: Angela Hewitt Plays the Complete Goldberg Variations

2009-03-04T19:48:00Z

A cold and rainy Sunday afternoon seemed to brighten with the warm and transcendent music of Bach’s Goldberg Variations performed by Canadian virtuoso, Angela Hewitt.

As I found my seat, an hour before the performance, at the beautiful concert hall at the Mondavi Center in Davis, I saw Hewitt standing on the stage discussing the monumental work she was about to perform. Her lecture demonstrated a deep respect for the composition and skill in translating the complex structure of the piece to a lay audience.

Hewitt has played the Goldberg Variations thousands of times since age 16 and she is known worldwide for her performance and interpretation of Bach on the piano. Yet, she stressed she never became tired of it. Hearing about the background and character of this masterpiece from a pianist made the concert experience more interesting. It expanded our understanding of the music and composer.
The Goldberg Variations consist of an aria and 30 variations. All variations except three are in major keys and most are based on dances from Bach’s time and therefore are playful and sometimes coquettish.

The aria contrasts this with its searching, perhaps transcendent, upward moving lines, weaving in counterpoint with the ground base. The piece was composed for a double manual harpsichord and requires superb skills and virtuosity to perform on the piano.
With only a single keyboard the pianist must cross hands frequently. This creates a visual component of the hands weaving back and forth, and Hewitt performs with the flair of a dancer.

Bach provides limited instruction to the musician, such as the tempo and dynamics, leaving substantial freedom of interpretation to a pianist. One important decision a pianist has to make is whether or not to execute the repeats.

In Sunday’s concert, Hewitt included all repeats that made the entire piece 80-minute long compared with 35-minute long without repeats. Hewitt prefers including repeats because she finds “its impact immensely heightened, the architecture so much more evident, and the possibilities for variation within the variations endless,” she wrote on the program note.

An elegant sleeveless dress ensured that her arms would be free to move anywhere on the keyboard. The beautiful Aria, a gentle sarabande, was followed by variation 1. Hewitt played subsequent variations beautifully and powerfully. The Goldberg Variations showcase a pianist’s skills, technique and musicality.

The tempos raging from largo to presto and the extreme hand positions were handled by Hewitt’s flawless movement. The live concert sounded more dramatic and emotional than my recollection of her recording. Seeing the emotion expressed in her face and the physicality of her performance, perhaps influenced from her years as a ballet dancer, was a distinctive and poignant experience.

The movements that stood out were variations 25, 26, and the transition from the last variation to the Aria da Capo. The variation 25 is the last of three variations in minor keys. The expressive style harkens the romanticism heard in Chopin’s music.

The variation was sorrowful yet exquisite and lyrical, with a slow and tranquil tempo. It was as if there were human voices in the music.
With virtually no pause, she launched into the 26th technically demanding variation. It is extremely fast and requires complex overlapping of hands. As Hewitt explained before the concert, a pianist has to put oneself together in a few seconds after being spent emotionally in variation 25 to play the fast toccata, in variation 26, with precision and clarity.

The final variation (30) is in a form called the Quodlibet literally meaning “as you like,” where Bach used two humorous folksongs. Describing this playful variation, Hewitt wrote in her program note that “now the party is over, the crowd disperses, and the Aria returns, as if from afar.” Indeed, the Aria was magically brought back to us with utmost beauty.

When the final note of the Aria dissipated, I felt like I woke from a dream. Hewitt’s face showed a subtle combination of exhaustion and satisfaction. The audience was excited and there was an immediate standing ovation.

After playing for 80 minutes without a break Hewitt returned for a short Q&A with the audience. When asked what was going through her mind while playing such a long and demanding piece, she jokingly said she was tired and hungry by the 26th variation.
She added that the needed strength and stamina come not only from discipline, practice, will power and experience but also from occasional massages and making use of the limited free time in her packed schedule.

It was a luxury to have a world class pianist not only perform a work she knows so well, but give the audience a snapshot of her internal dialogue and thoughts on the music.

These discoveries made my concert experience so rich and exciting that I kept listening to recordings of the Goldberg Variations on iTunes and YouTube for the rest of the afternoon.

Program:
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Mondavi Center
Angela Hewitt, Piano
Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (1742)
J.S. Bach (1685-1750)