Yuja Wang returns to Carnegie Hall to continue her season-long Perspectives Series. The curated six-concert series features upcoming performances with renowned violinist, and frequent collaborator of Ms. Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and the musical comedy duo Igudesman & Joo.
In a recent interview with Playbill, Ms. Wang discussed her excitement for her series at Carnegie Hall saying: “The idea of doing whatever I want for a whole year in my adopted hometown—especially at Carnegie Hall—totally excited me. I didn’t want to do the same things that I always do, like a recital or a concerto with an orchestra. So I decided to perform with my friends and mentors who have meant a lot in my life, who have been a source of inspiration and encouraged me to do what I do now. I have realized that collaborating with people and being around artists like Leon Fleisher and Michael Tilson Thomas (who has been my mentor since I was 17) is the best way to learn—not just about music, but also about life.”
Beginning on February 6, Yuja shares the stage with Leonidas Kavakos in a program including Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 2, Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata No. 1, Bartók’s Rhapsody No. 1 for piano and violin, and Strauss’ Violin Sonata in E-flat Major. The duo toured through Europe last month performing a similar program, receiving acclaim from the Financial Times remarking: “Together the musicians embraced the kind of swashbuckling drama that they had taken such pains to avoid earlier in the programme, demonstrating just how capable they are of flamboyance and showmanship — as long as the music calls for it.”
Yuja will collaborate with composers and musical humorists, Igudesman and Joo, for a night of lighthearted musical comedy on February 11 at Carnegie Hall. She recently performed with Igudesman & Joo at the Philharmonie Luxembourg earlier this month. In her interview with Playbill, Yuja spoke of her unusual pairing with the duo: “The video that got everyone’s attention—myself included—was “Rachmaninoff Had Big Hands.” Those two guys are so funny—they crack me up every second. And they’re so full of ideas—really great, intelligent ideas. Just the thought of me being in a show with them is very outside myself. It’s something completely different. But I have no idea what they’re going to make me do! Apparently they have this idea of having me do yoga…”
For more information about Yuja’s Perspectives Series, visit carnegiehall.org/wang.