Young Concert Artists Gala 2024
Photo Credit: Chris Lee
April 4, 2024 saw the 63 rd Annual Young Concerts Artists Gala. The organization provides crucial support for emerging talent in the form of training and performance opportunities, and over the years has nurtured a wide array of today’s leading artists.
This year’s gala honored Damian Woetzel, who is currently the President of The Juilliard School and Artistic Director of Vail Dance Festival. During his tenure, Woetzel has spearheaded a number of initiatives relating to Creative Enterprise and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB); tech and streaming programs such as Juilliard Live; the opening of the first branch campus in Tianjin, China; and fundraising efforts to make possible the tuition-free Drama MFA and Music Advancement Program of Juilliard.
The concert was opened with introductory remarks by host Kevin Joyce, who then turned the podium to YCA President Daniel Kellogg and Board Chairman Paul Sekhri. After reflecting on the mission of the organization, Kellogg shared the news of a $1.5 million gift from Joan and Irwin Jacobs to support the ongoing development of exceptional talent.
Photo Credit: Chris Lee
“I’m incredibly grateful for the honor and the chance to be in this orbit,” began Woetzel in his own remarks. “The idea of developing young artists- it’s a sense of purpose, obviously, it’s also a sense of public good, a sense of shared possibility and optimism, curiosity, and a lot of hard work; and I think about that every day. In a moment like this I want to thank Dan and his leadership, everybody at YCA, Paul, Susan Wadsworth for dreaming this 60+ years ago, Ann Ziff my friend and champion, thank you for chairing this. It’s truly an honor, one I take personally and on behalf of the hundred year history of the school that I’m truly privileged to lead…
“I want to recognize the many faculty members of Juilliard here tonight. They represent all of the brilliant teachers at Juilliard and teachers of the arts in schools and performing arts centers all throughout the world. My gratitude and my belief is with you. My gratitude and belief is in what you do every day to inspire, to push forward, and to bring up the next generation. And my gratitude and my belief is with my wife, Heather Watts, who has been the ultimate guide, support, and love for me; thank you, Heather, so much. All of us are here because we believe in something, we believe in helping young artists connect with their future. As a young artist myself growing up in Boston, studying ballet and music, it was apparent to me then and it’s what I remember most, is those people- those teachers- who took the time to open the door, to take that extra step to give me the next step, and to push me forward, to inspire, to push and prod until I ended up at the New York City Ballet at 18, and going on to have the career I was so fortunate o have. To end up directing an extraordinary, culturally and aggressively creative lab that is the Vail Dance Festival , and now also to develop the next generation of young artists, and since 2018 I have had that privilege as the head of Juilliard…
“I believe we are pushing for a golden age of creativity and inclusivity through the development of our students. I believe in our drive for excellence, and I believe we are matching that drive now with the drive towards affordability and the ultimate goal of a tuition-free Juilliard…”
Opening the program was the “Valse” from Rachmaninoff’s from “Suite No. 2 for two pianos, Op. 17,” played by Ying Li and Chaeyoung Park, winners of the ’21 and ’22 YCA International Auditions, respectively. The sudden chord and running notes opened this second movement like the starting pistol of a race as Li and Park quickly drew the audience into the almost-frantic musical texture. The two were in excellent form as they flowed between the rapidity of the opening material and ensuing sections of a more affectionate, cantabile approach.
Photo Credit: Chris Lee
Following this was guitar duo and ’23 audition winners Ziggy & Miles, with “Chiquinha Gonzaga” from Radames Gnattali’s “Suite Retratos.” This piece conveyed much of the composer’s unique blend of the virtuosity of classical style with the suave expressivity of samba and jazz. The brothers displayed no shortage of technique as the underlying, chordal strumming gave way to dexterous licks or soulful elaborations of the material, making for a truly entertaining selection. The pair was then joined by flautist and 2016 winner Anthony Trionfo for “Zita” from Astor Piazzolla’s “Suite Troileana.” After a quick exchange of musical ideas between the instruments, the two united well as Trionfo strung together extended passages of nimble, airy tones over the guitars. Shifting to a sparse and uneasy andante, the longer phrases of the flute were filled in by the guitars as the trio built back towards a swift and powerful close.
Next on the program was violinist and 1986 winner Anne Akiko Meyers, joined by pianist and 2019 winner Albert Cano Smith. Their first selection was Gounod’s arrangement of Bach’s “Ave Maria,” treated prayerfully as the shimmering upper keys introduced the immensely warm measures from the violin, with Meyer’s expressive vibrato richly conveying the sentiments of the piece. Their approach translated beautifully to their following selection, Makoto Ozone’s arrangement of Harold Arlen’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Meyers and Smit were then joined onstage for an original dance piece by Charles “Lil Buck” Riley set to Saint-Saens’ “The Swan.” An award-winning artist and choreographer, Lil Buck blends his experience in styles such as ballet, hip-hop, and Memphis Jookin’ to create a stunning and evocative portrayal of the eponymous bird in flight. The sheer fluidity of his gestures allowed him to transition between standing movements and supremely-graceful floorwork as he spun about the stage on his knees. Despite the kinetic juggling act as Lil Buck was able to isolate and reconnect the various flows between the planes of his body, one couldn’t help but admire the absolute silence and control behind his movements. While itself a brief piece, Lil Buck’s performance was as innovative as it was virtuosic, and was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the evening. After this, Park returned to the piano with cellist and 2017 winner Zlatomir Fung for two butterfly-inspired selections. The first, Faure’s “Papillon, Op. 77,” saw the jaunty vamp of the accompaniment soared over by Fung’s rapid phrases of rich tones before easing into a more lyrical mood which showcased his articulate vibrato. The second, David Popper’s “Papillon, Op. 3, No. 4,” was packed with rapidly descending and rising figures which made this short selection into a lighthearted gauntlet of tones and color.
Photo Credit: Chris Lee
Next up was leading pianist and 1997 winner Jeremy Denk, playing the third movement of Charles Ives’ “Piano Sonata No. 2, Concord, Mass., 1840-60.” Rising from its tranquil introduction, the piece soon built a great breadth of aural textures as Denk elaborated on the motif from Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” to dizzying extremes. Owing to the piece’s nature as a depiction of transcendentalist values, the music likewise seemed to explore and rise above the conventions of its time, with Denk’s phrasing carrying with the excitement of something new trying to emerge from the density of sounds and ideas.
Bringing the program to an exciting finish was the “Allegro brillante” from Schumann’s “Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 44,” played by Smit on the piano, and joined by violinists Bella Hristova and Oliver Neubauer, violist Toby Appel, and cellist Julia Bruskin. Opening with bright, stately measures, the piece was suddenly halted as one of Hristova’s strings had to be retuned, a correction which took mere seconds and led to a humorous moment as Appel inquired “So… From measure 29?” before the quintet resumed. This piece made for a captivating display of skill and interpretive sense from the quintet, comprised of several generations of YCA talent whose ability to adapt and express never failed to take the audience’s breath away.
Photo Credit: Chris Lee
Thursday’s concert had no shortage of spectacular moments and served as testament to YCA’s ongoing mission of nurturing young performers. Their 2023-24 season continues through May 20, to be concluded with a season final concert at Carnegie Hall.
Photo Credit: Kendall Redmon
-written by Logan Martell