Kirill Gerstein http://www.kirillgerstein.com Official website of Kirill Gerstein, pianist Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:16:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 STAVANGER, NORWAY http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/02/03/stavanger-norway-3/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/02/03/stavanger-norway-3/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:16:27 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1765 Stavanger Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Shelley, conductor

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/02/03/stavanger-norway-3/feed/ 0 HOUSTON, TX http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/22/houston-tx-5/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/22/houston-tx-5/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:05:25 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1762 Houston Symphony
Hans Graf, conductor

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/22/houston-tx-5/feed/ 0 The final showdown: Kirill vs. “Rach 2″ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/18/the-final-showdown-kirill-vs-%e2%80%9crach-2%e2%80%b3/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/18/the-final-showdown-kirill-vs-%e2%80%9crach-2%e2%80%b3/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:48:36 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1825 The third and final week of “RachFest” is filling me with excitement for the upcoming performances of Rachmaninoff’s second concerto. I’m also feeling a hint of nostalgia as this project comes to a close. It has been wonderful and challenging to be immersed uninterruptedly in Rachmaninoff’s concertos. Performing all of them with the musicians of the Houston Symphony, becoming familiar with many of the audience members, feeling the continuity of the series and staying in Houston for three weeks has been a memorable and touching experience.

- Houston Symphony Blog, January 18, 2012

Read the full post here

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/18/the-final-showdown-kirill-vs-%e2%80%9crach-2%e2%80%b3/feed/ 0 HOUSTON, TX http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/15/houston-tx-4/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/15/houston-tx-4/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:58:40 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1757 Houston Symphony
Hans Graf, conductor

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/15/houston-tx-4/feed/ 0 Kirill writes about his time at RachFest http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/11/kirill-writes-about-his-time-at-rachfest/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/11/kirill-writes-about-his-time-at-rachfest/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:02:08 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1820 Join Kirill as he shares his thoughts on performing as artist-in-residence during the Houston Symphony’s “RachFest.” Two posts are available to read in the “Press” section of this site, and future posts will be available both here and on the Houston Symphony’s blog.

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/11/kirill-writes-about-his-time-at-rachfest/feed/ 0 One down, three to go! On deck: Rach 1 & 4 http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/11/one-down-three-to-go-on-deck-rach-1-4/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/11/one-down-three-to-go-on-deck-rach-1-4/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:22:27 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1818 Our “RachFest” continues this week with a pairing of Rachmaninoff’s 1st and 4th piano concertos. These two wonderful pieces are sometimes undeservedly overshadowed by their more famous cousins. I am glad to have the chance to present them to the Houston audience, and playing them together in one program makes a lot of sense.

- Houston Symphony Blog, January 11, 2012

Read the full post here

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/11/one-down-three-to-go-on-deck-rach-1-4/feed/ 0 A fearless hand ballet: Gerstein attacks a naughty RachFest with a perfectionist’s cool for Symphony http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/a-fearless-hand-ballet-gerstein-attacks-a-naughty-rachfest-with-a-perfectionists-cool-for-symphony/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/a-fearless-hand-ballet-gerstein-attacks-a-naughty-rachfest-with-a-perfectionists-cool-for-symphony/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:27:13 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1813 If Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto could talk, it would say take me, love me, hug me, hold me, adore me.

And that’s just the PG version. I suspect what’s lurking between the lines would be more sultry, even naughty, not verbiage I’d be willing to put down on a critique of such a classic. But if you could picture a passionate romantic romp that was set in motion with a shot of vodka, a piece of rye and a spoon full of caviar, this soundtrack would not be in the background, it would be paramount to the escapade.

- CultureMap Houston, January 6, 2012

Read the full article here

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/a-fearless-hand-ballet-gerstein-attacks-a-naughty-rachfest-with-a-perfectionists-cool-for-symphony/feed/ 0 Houston Symphony promotes its version of a prizefight http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/houston-symphony-promotes-its-version-of-a-prizefight/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/houston-symphony-promotes-its-version-of-a-prizefight/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:08:09 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1806 The people at the Houston Symphony have come up with a pretty clever campaign for its upcoming RachFest: The advertising deliberately resembles a promotion for a boxing match.

For three weeks in January, Jones Hall will play host to “the biggest, baddest showdown of the century”: composer Sergei Rachmaninoff “vs.” pianist Kirill Gerstein.

The analogy sort of makes sense. The famous Russian composer wrote four big-fisted piano concertos that are each daunting for any pianist. The 32-year-old Gerstein is bravely stepping into the ring to play all four of them.

- Houston Chronicle, January 3, 2012

Read the full article here

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/houston-symphony-promotes-its-version-of-a-prizefight/feed/ 0 Kirill Gerstein celebrates Rachmaninoff in Houston http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/kirill-gerstein-celebrates-rachmaninoff-in-houston/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/kirill-gerstein-celebrates-rachmaninoff-in-houston/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:59:08 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1801 Kirill spends January as artist-in-residence with the Houston Symphony’s “RachFest,” a month-long celebration of Rachmaninoff’s works. During the festival, Kirill undertakes the monumental task of performing all four of the composer’s piano concertos, the first performance of which occurred January 5. Everett Evans of the Houston Chronicle, discussing Kirill’s interpretation of the “gargantuan” Piano Concerto no. 3, praised his “mastery of the music’s ever shifting moods.”

RachFest continues on January 13 with performances of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concertos nos. 1 and 4, and concludes on January 19, 21, and 22 with his Piano Concerto no. 2. Hans Graf conducts these performances. For more information, and to purchase tickets, click here.

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/kirill-gerstein-celebrates-rachmaninoff-in-houston/feed/ 0 Getting ready to Rach: Kirill Gerstein on Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/getting-ready-to-rach-kirill-gerstein-on-rachmaninoff%e2%80%99s-piano-concerto-no-3/ http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/getting-ready-to-rach-kirill-gerstein-on-rachmaninoff%e2%80%99s-piano-concerto-no-3/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:21:13 +0000 admin http://www.kirillgerstein.com/?p=1797 I am excited to start our joint Rachmaninoff adventure with the Houston Symphony this week. In my opinion, Rachmaninoff’s concertos are some of the most gratifying pieces written for the piano. Playing and hearing the four concertos in three consecutive weeks offers a special opportunity to hear the essence of Rachmaninoff’s voice while observing the changes and growth of his style.

- Houston Symphony Blog, January 4, 2012

Read the full post here

]]> http://www.kirillgerstein.com/2012/01/10/getting-ready-to-rach-kirill-gerstein-on-rachmaninoff%e2%80%99s-piano-concerto-no-3/feed/ 0