A&A CEMBALO DUO – DANSE MACABRE: Devilish Virtuosity on Two Harpsichords
September 24, 2019
Venue:
Woodend Sanctuary
Schedule
Date:
Time:
This Concert is Sold Out. Hear the harpsichord as you’ve never heard it before in this stunning Duo’s Washington debut.
European reviewers herald A&A’s ‘Devilish Virtuosity’ and ‘…poetry [and] intoxicating virtuosity beyond expectations’.
About
Program
Bio
Anastasia Antonova
Anastasia Antonova
Bio
Anna Kiskachi
Anna Kiskachi
Reviews
The A&A Cembalo Duo has performed at premier festivals across Europe and Japan. The Duo has achieved widespread recognition and glowing reviews on the international stage.
DANSE MACABRE
Anastasia Antonova & Anna Kiskachi
[Capriccio Baroque thanks the artists for their generosity in giving this benefit concert]
~ DANCE OF MADNESS ~
J-B. Lully (1632 – 1687) – J.H. D’Anglebert (1629 – 1691)
Passacaglia from the opera Armide. Arr. for two harpsichords
J-N-P. Royer (1705 – 1755)
La Marche des Scythes for harpsichord
Vertigo for harpsichord
Tambourin for harpsichord
~ DANCE OF LOVE ~
G. Handel (1685 – 1759)
Lascia chio pianga for harpsichord
L. Boccherini (1743 – 1785)
Fandango. Arr. for two harpsichords
~ DANCE OF LIFE ~
English Dances
H. Purcell (1659 – 1695)
Chaconne, Allegro, Maestoso, from the opera King Arthur. Arr. for two harpsichords
T. Morley (1557 – 1602)
Pavan and Galliard for harpsichord
Slavonic Dances
A. Dvoràk (1841 – 1904)
Slavonic dance Nr. 7, c-Moll, op. 46, “Skocna”
Humoresque Nr. 7, G-Dur
Slavonic dance Nr. 7, C-Dur, op. 72, “Kolo”
Arr. for harpsichord four-hands
~ DANCE OF DEATH ~
J. Froberger (1616 – 1667)
Tombeau fait à Paris sur la mort de Monsieur Blancrocher for harpsichord
G. Ligeti (1923 – 2006)
Passacaglia ungherese for harpsichord
C. Saint-Saens (1835 – 1921)
Danse Macabre. Arr. for harpsichord four-hands
ANASTASIA ANTONOVA
Anastasia Antonova, a Russian harpsichordist and pianist, is the only musician who has won prizes at each of the three largest and most prestigious harpsichord concerts: 1st prize at the international Prague Spring Competition (69th edition, 2017, Czech Republic); 3rd prize at the International J.S. Bach Competition (21st edition, Leipzig, Germany); and 3rd prize at the International Musica Antiqua Competition (Brugge, Belgium, 2018). Additional prizes won by Anastasia include:
* Winner (2nd prize, 1st was not awarded) at the international Yamanashi Competition (Japan, 2016)
* Winner of the City of Prague Prize for the most successful laureate at the Prague Spring International Music Competition (2017, Czech Republic)
* Laureate (Golden Award) at the international harpsichord Svirel competition (A&A Cembalo Duo, ensemble nomination, Slovenia, 2016)
* Winner (3rd prize) at the international Volkonsky harpsichord competition (Moscow, Russia, 2013)
* Winner of a special audience award at the Austrian Baroque Academy (Gmunden, Austria, 2011)
* Laureate (3rd prize) of the Open All-Russian “Merzlyakovka invites friends” piano competition (Moscow, 2008)
* Laureate and winner of a special prize at the international “IBLA Grand Prize” competition (Raguza, Italy, 2007)
Since 2018 Anastasia Antonova has been teaching harpsichord, basso-continuo, and chamber ensemble performance in Moscow State P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory. And, since 2012 she has been an Artist of Accademia Villa Bossi in Italy.
Born in Moscow, Anastasia excelled at Classical and Baroque music from her early school years. Her first recitals with orchestra were at age 12 when she performed keyboard concertos by J.S. Bach and W.A. Mozart. And, also while at school, she received the honor of playing at the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory performing solo repertoire by Mozart and Beethoven.
Anastasia graduated with honors from Moscow State P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory where she studied harpsichord (Prof. Olga Filippova), piano (Prof. Michail Dubov) and fortepiano (Prof. Alexey Lubimov). She continued her harpsichord studies at the post-graduate level at Moscow Conservatory (Prof. O. Filippova) and the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna (Prof. Wolfgang Gluxam). She also received important artistic guidance at international master classes with K. Haugsand, P. Hantai, S. Sempe, M. Mencoboni, C. Schornsheim, and others.
Anastasia performs extensively as a soloist and chamber music player in Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, Slovenia and Russia. Her repertoire covers music of five centuries – from English virginalists to modern composers. As pianist and harpsichordist she has premiered a number of works by composers of the 20th and 21st centuries in Russia. Anastasia’s recent appearances have been in venues such as the Wiener Konzerthaus; Prague’s Rudolfinum; the Great Hall of Tivolivredenburg in Utrecht; the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory; South Czech Philharmonic; Moscow International House of Music; Moscow Philharmonic; Zaryadye Hall, and many others. In 2018 she made her debuts with Czech Philharmonic and Prague Spring International Music Festival.
In 2011 Anastasia, with her colleague Anna Kiskachi, founded A&A Cembalo Duo. A&A has already proven itself at numerous international music festivals, including Early Music Fabulous Fringe in Utrecht (Holland); Musica Antiqua in Brugge (Belgium); Resonanzen; Styriarte; Alter Musik Italia Mia; Brunnenthaler Konzertsommer (Austria); Early Music Yamanashi (Japan); Klang im Kloster; Neuburger Barockkonzerte (Germany); Accademia del Ricercare (Italy); Clavecin en France (France); Breaking Stereotypes (Russia), and others.
Besides solo, chamber music and cembalo duo concerts Anastasia performs as a soloist with orchestras such as Pratum Integrum; Collegium 1704; South Czech Philharmonic; Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinu Zlin Orchestra; State Symphony Capella of Russia, Moscow Chamber Gnessin Orchestra; and others.
Her harpsichord performances were broadcast by Russian Culture TV and radio stations such as Radio Osterreich I (Austria); Cesky rozhlas, CRo Vltava (Czech Republic); Der Bayerische Rundfunk (Germany); Concertzender (Netherlands); Radio Russia; and Radio Orpheus (Russia).
ANNA KISKACHI
Harpsichord, piano, hammer-clavier, historical piano and continuo player.
Prize-winner at the Prague Spring Harpsichord Competition (Czech Republic), a leading music competition represented by the World Federation of Music Competitions.
Winner of the Bohuslav Martinu Foundation Prize for best performance of the Concerto for Harpsichord and Small Orchestra (composer: Bohuslav Martinu).
Winner of the Wanda Landowska Harpsichord Competition (Italy).
Senior Lecturer for harpsichord and accompaniment at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz (Austria).
“[.. Anna Kiskachi completely steals the show with her virtuosic performance …moving from the small Italian to larger two-manual French harpsichord for the occasion. This really was a show-stopping performance, full of dramatic and well-timed pauses.” Andrew Benson-Wilson, Early Music Review.
Anna Kiskachi recently celebrated her debuts at:
Konzerthaus Vienna
Great Hall of Brivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht
Moscow International House of Music
Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory
Concertgebouw Brugge
Moscow Philarmonic Hall
ZaryadyeHall
& many others…
Anna Kiskachi recently participated in prestigious festivals including:
Utrecht Early Music Fabulous Fringe Festival (Holland)
Musica Antiqua Brugge (Belgium)
Resonanzen – Festival (Austria)
Styriarte – die steirischen Festpiele (Austria)
Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik (Austria)
Yamanashi Early Music Festival (Japan)
New Virtuosi (Great Britain)
Bach Festival (Poland)
AMIA – amis de la musique sur instruments ancienc (France)
Clavecin en France (France)
Neuburger Barockkonzerte (Germany)
& many others…
With her numerous concerts as a soloist, as part of the A&A Cembalo Duo, and as a continuo player Anna is widely appreciated and lauded across Europe and internationally. She has performed in Russia, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Finland, Great Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and Japan.
Anna has performed with highly regarded orchestras including the Orchestra of Salzburg Philharmonie (Austria); Les Orpheistes (Vienna); the Haydn Orchestra (Bolzano); Collegium 1704, Filharmonie Bohuslava, Martinu Zlin, etc. Anna has also collaborated with many renowned musicians including Julia Lezhneva, Michi Gaigg, soloists of the Moscow Baroque ensemble Pratum Integrum, and with ensemble NEObarock (winner of the prestigious music award ECHO). Anna has also collaborated in programs with the Moscow Philarmonic, Salzburg Philarmonic and the Haydn Fondazione (Bolzano, Italy).
In 2011 Anna Kiskachi and Anastasia Antonova founded A&A Cembalo Duo. This is the only harpsichord duo in Russia and its unique and extravagant performances have been enthusiastically endorsed by audiences in cities across Europe and in Japan.
Since 2012 Anna has been an Invited Artist at the Accademia Villa Bossi in Italy.
In 2019 Anna was appointed a Senior Lecturer for harpsichord and accompaniment at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria.
“When both harpsichordists took a seat at their instrument their four hands seemed to belong to only one body”Ausburger-allgemeine, Germany
Their’s “…is a poetry of intoxicating virtuosity beyond expectations”Steirerkrone, Austria
“…you hardly believe that a harpsichord duo can give rise to such emotions…” Donaukurier, Germany
