Naida Cole's performance of Beethoven PC # 2

[Spatula]

Naida Cole's performance of Beethoven PC # 2

"The Beauty of Brahms and Beethoven *"



On-line ticket purchases are no longer available for this event. To order tickets please call the CPO Box Office at (403) 571-0849.

Friday, November 19, 2004 8:00 pm
Saturday, November 20, 2004 8:00 pm
Jack Singer Concert Hall

Michael Güttler, Conductor
Naida Cole, Piano

Wagner   Die Meistersinger: Prelude
Beethoven   Concerto, piano, no. 2, op. 19, B-flat major *
Brahms   Symphony no. 3, op. 90, F major



* Please note: "The Piano Concerto No. 4, op. 58 in G major by Beethoven originally programmed for this concert will not be performed.

Stunning super-talent Naida Cole makes her CPO debut in an awe-inspiring evening of beauty, majesty and splendour.

__________________________________________________________________

Good evening, I attended the performance and by far it was grand and well thought out.  I'm talking about the energy and excitement produced. 

And I'm talking about the conductor; the pianist on the other hand...
Her playing was well paced and thoughtful, but she was really lacking in the emotions and phrasings especially in the 2nd movement.  I could tell she was nervous and apprehensive as she kept wiping her hands on her dress lap. 

Another tell tale sign was she never looked in the audiences direction, not once. 
Again, she is a young artist with talent, but it takes experience to really rush out and give it all you have.  I could tell she was a bit apprehensive and her facial expression was of that of one who was worried. 

I can understand such feelings of anxiety, simply because I treated my former harmony teacher out to this event, and before the performance, I played a few pieces I was working on, and again I felt that anxiety.  I can see first hand (mind the pun) where Ms. Cole was hestitant, but managed to pull off a very good performance. 

Her dress attire was, simply, sexy.  I sat fourth row away from the piano and DIRECTLY on her right hand side, and managed to get a good view of her hands moving and articulating each note.  What was the really kicker was when she got up to bow again, she was wearing a strapless dress, so I got a good view of her ____. 

Anyone else on this forum seen her perform?   Share what you think. 


(pst, OMG is she HOT or what!)

[bernhard]

So, did you go backstage to meet her and ask all those questions about practice and technique you decided to ask from pianists after your last concert review? 

Or you just drooled unable to utter a word?

Anyway, keep up the concert reviews, I have truly enjoyed them.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[Spatula]

So, did you go backstage to meet her and ask all those questions about practice and technique you decided to ask from pianists after your last concert review? 

Or you just drooled unable to utter a word?

Anyway, keep up the concert reviews, I have truly enjoyed them.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

I didn't stay for the after thought period were they had the Q+A period.  I was with my harmony teacher and I haven't talked to her for a while so instead we went out for hot chocolate.   Thanks for reading my review, but this time it wasn't so detailed.  I might review it in more detail like the Bartok 3 concerto. 

The conductor thought, his name is Michael Güttler and he TOTALLY looked like Keanu Reeves, even my teacher agreed and giggled.  I found his conducting style probably the most energetic and really wanting to get straight into the music. 

Ah what the heck, I'll post a little bio:

Michael Güttler, Conductor

Michael Güttler is one of today’s most talented conductors of the young generation.  He was born in Dresden, Germany to a most gifted musical family.  His father, Ludwig Güttler, is a very famous trumpet player and as a result, Michael grew up studying the trumpet, viola, and piano; additionally, he sang in the chorus and studied conducting.  He entered a program called “Forum For Young Conductors” and went on to win a number of important competitions, such as Spoleto in 1996, Treviso in 1994, London in 1993, and more.

In October 2002, Güttler was recommended to Valery Gergiev as a most talented young conductor and was invited by the maestro to St. Petersburg. Gergiev was so impressed by the young assistant at the famous Mariinsky Threatre.  There, Güttler has been conducting famous operas such as The Ring, the Flying Dutchman, Parsifal, etc.  Although his schedule in Russia is quite full, the young conductor still files frequently to Western Europe in order to honor previously booked engagements.

He has performed in many concert halls and opera houses such as Sydney, Hannover, Karlsruhe, and Berlin.  He has also conducted the ballet in London’s famed Covent Garden and has accepted various assistant conductor posts in Italy, where he has become a frequent guest at Teatro San Carlos in Naples.

Whereas many artists that are employed at the Mariinsky Theatre often flee to the West in pursuit of better paying jobs, young Güttler is doing exactly the opposite.   He recently told the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, that he prefers to stay in St. Petersburg and “collect experiences,” such as the chance to conduct a Ring cycle at the Mariinsky. 
However, he still looks forward to one day finding himself on the conductor’s stand somewhere in the United States. 

Naida Cole, Piano

Pianist Naida Cole has been hailed as “a dazzling star” by Gramophone magazine.  Performing regularly in major halls around the world, she has quickly established a reputation as an individual artist with her own unique voice.  This is evident in her repertoire choices as well as her musical parners, most notably Gidon Kremer. 

A native of Toronto, Naida Cole studied with Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, Marc Durant ant the Université de Montréal, Marina Geringas at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and Leon Fleisher, Karl Ulrich Schnabel, Dimitri Bashkirov, Fou Ts’ong, and Charles Rosen at the Fondazione Internazionale per il pianoforte in Cadenabbia, Italy.  In 1997 Naida Cole added to her collection of prizes for best performance of the commissioned work and best chamber music performance at the Van Clibern International Piano Competition.

As a recitalist and soloist, Naida Cole has always programmed a wide range of works, regularly performing French and contemporary music alongside the masters.

Naida Cole has appeared frequently with the major Canadian orchestras including the Toronto Symphony, Montreal Symphony, and National Arts Centre Orchestras and has also performed with Gidon Kremer’s Kremerata Baltica, the London Sinfonietta and the Munich, Warsaw, and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras. 

As a recitalist she has performed in Wigmore Hall, Teatro Ghione in Rome, and throughout North America including the Kennedy Center.  As a chamber musician she has appeared in the Lockenhaus, Ravinia, Spoleto USA and Ottawa Chamber Music Festivals.

Sources: Prelude, Official Programme of the CPO, November/December 2004 Volume 30 Number 2.  Page 24.

[banana_split]

Naida Cole excels in French repertoire because she's a wonderful colorist. I highly recommend her Ravel.

[Spatula]

Damn...looks like Nils cleaned up this place (sob)

The war with Julie is lost forever (YEAH!)

[julie391]

  it will only live on in our memories

[julie391]

oh, and i am seriously very annoyed - i thought i made some good serious comments about the bias towards attractive people in music...

[Alde]

I have heard Naida perform a couple of years ago in Toronto.  She performed the Corgliano Etude Fantasy, and the Liszt Sonata.  I don't like her playing.  She plays too fast and her playing does not move me.
I think who ever is managing her, is using her looks to get her gigs.  It is really unfair for the other pianists in the world who are better then her.  Can you believe she had a contract with Deutsche Grammophon!

[faulty_damper]

Well, how else are we going to get good picture of her?  Have you tried Googling her?  It's more difficult to find a picture of her than to find porn!

 

And that bias isn't just in music, Julie, it's part of our culture.

[thracozaag]

  Next time I see her, I'll be sure to take lots of photos for you guys [extreme sarcasm]

koji (STSD)

[faulty_damper]

Thanks, Koji.