Cactus Pear Music Festival - PROGRAM II: BAYING AT THE MOON: Beethoven & Beyond

Baying at the Moon: Beethoven & Beyond features the timeless “Moonlight” Piano Sonata performed by Bulgarian pianist Viktor Valkov in his CPMF debut. Dmitri Shostakovich’s Viola Sonata, inspired by Beethoven’s aforementioned work follows; his last composition, it was completed just four days before the Russian composer’s passing. It is a powerful, austere work expressing sentiments of death and dying. The colors and textures then change dramatically as Verne Reynolds’ Antiphonal Calls for two horns written in 1975 (the exact same year as the viola sonata) is performed by Detroit Symphony hornist Johanna Yarbrough and Jeff Garza. SAS Principal Clarinet Ilya Shterenberg will undoubtedly shine in Francaix’ virtuosic Tema con Variazioni for clarinet and piano. The concert comes full circle when we close with the delightful, yet rarely performed Sextet for two horns by Ludwig van Beethoven.