Weilerstein recently premiered Joan Towers new cello concerto, A New Day, at the Colorado Music Festival. So that was a very important thing. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein, explaining her decision to retract an earlier promise not to play the pieces until she was older, says that the suites "present the player with infinite possibilities." September 15, 2010 The young cellist plays Bach with elegance, and takes listeners through the back streets of Buenos Aires with a gripping performance of Omaramor. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein She has been married to Rafael Payare since 2013. In this interview from the Harris Hall stage in Aspen, Performance Today's Fred Child talks with renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein about the Aspen experience, and what the school and festival means to her. Food. May 27, 2011 A consummate artist even before she was out of her teens, 29-year-old Alisa Weilerstein has already been granted extraordinary opportunities, from playing for President Obama to taking on an iconic musical assignment. I always hated it when people would try to label me in any way. It gives you a totally new tool. I live with his music all the time, I love it deeply, Shaw said, adding that the second book of The Well-Tempered Clavier has been her soundtrack for the past year. I also have a young daughter, who is 11 months old. The work is better as a result. Thats the beauty of it. Learn all about Alisa Weilerstein on AllMusic. Playing the cello actually takes tremendous upper body strength. Concert matines: opens at 9 a.m. Shes the same manager I have now, 20 years later. But for this upcoming performance, itll be my first time that I play it without a conductor, so it should be interesting. Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or until 30 minutes after the concert starts Jamie Jung It gives you a totally new tool. Hablas espaol? Alisa Weilerstein performs at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. to a secular Jewish family. Pentatone's sound is a bit too close but catches the intensity and the controlled spontaneity of these readings. WebAlisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. Weilersteins cello is her id. Alisa Weilerstein: From Bach To The Backstreets Of Buenos Aires. The perspective gives you something. She will offer new music: quite a lot of it, selected from works by 27 composers she has commissioned. hide caption. Alisa Weilersteins latest project is a series of staged solo recitals that weave Bachs cello suites with newly commissioned works. Weilerstein is a throwback to an earlier age of classical performers: not content merely to serve as a vessel for the composers wishes, she inhabits a piece fully and turns it to her own ends, marvels the New York Times. February 16, 2012 Positioned above a tank full of stingrays at the National Aquarium, Weilerstein used her cello to serenade sea creatures (and many pleasantly surprised visitors) with music by Johann Sebastian Bach. Alisa Weilerstein is an American cellist who started playing the cello at a young age. She lives with her husband, Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare, and their young child. People might assume that a talent like yours must have been fostered at the expense of everything else. In general, Weilerstein's approach is deliberate and detailed, more reminiscent of Mstislav Rostropovich than of the members of her own family with whom she plays chamber music. To everyones credit, I think, everyone is wrestling with this issue, Weilerstein said in a recent interview from Toronto. There will be limited program notes in advance, little to guide listeners except their ears and eyes through a collagelike narrative arc assembled from musical fragments. fill: #000; In general, Weilerstein's approach is deliberate and detailed, more reminiscent of Mstislav Rostropovich than of the members of her own family with whom she plays chamber music. December 22, 2012 The albums that sum up our year span genres and borders. But he had this remarkable - actually both my parents did, but especially my father because I worked more intensely with him between the time I was 9 and 15. Cellist Is Chosen, And Challenged If Weilersteins response was a common one to a common crisis, the result of her reflections shines with uncommon ambition, so much so that it is hard to think of many soloists of a similar stature who would dare to bring anything like it to the stage. Her passionate performance of Chopin's Cello Sonata at WGBH is the sign of a young musician well on her way to a major career. We all had a lot of time to think about what it means to really connect with an audience, what it means to connect with each other, and an appreciation for being in one communal space.. Thats a great advantage of playing these real masterworks, because theyre so rich in detail that you can always find something new, no matter how many times youve played them. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein, one of the newest MacArthur "geniuses." Weilerstein's artistry comes naturally. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Fresh, moving, timeless, and some of the most beautiful writing I can think of. Interlude WebAlisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. FC: And you mentioned Dorothy DeLay, who's a legendary violin teacher at Julliard and here in Aspen. She has evidently thought hard about how contemporary composers can be given a fairer chance to break through to audiences, especially to those people for whom contemporary art, say, is an easier ask. People assume that this is the only thing you know how to do, or that your talent is a kind of idiot-savant type of thing. We also use third party cookies which help us analyze and understand how you use this website. There Will Be Blood. 2023 Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. Weilerstein has achieved an impressive set, one that stands apart from the hundreds of others available, yet gives the listener the feeling that she might have done it differently the next day. I am traveling almost all the time. Is it to be an interpreter? Webby James Manheim. hide caption. Known for her consummate artistry, emotional investment and rare interpretive depth, she was recognized with a MacArthur genius grant Fellowship in 2011. hide caption. Music is about communication. Then you come back to it with a new and fresh perspective. Alisa Weilerstein and Inon Barnatan House Cecilia BartoliI love virtually everything she does. For example, Im about to play the Elgar concerto with the National Symphony in Russia. It certainly made things easier to not have that fear, to not have to unload that fear or deal with it. Weilerstein wanted for the first thing that listeners hear to be the Prelude from the first Suite. Alisa Weilerstein - New York Philharmonic Her father, Donald, was the longtime first violinist with the fine Cleveland Quartet, and her mother, Vivian Hornik Weilerstein, is an equally well-regarded pianist. Weilerstein was born in Rochester, New York. to a secular Jewish family. She started playing the cello at age four. She made her debut at age 13 with the Cleveland Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky 's Variations on a Rococo Theme. As a soloist she has performed with a number of other major orchestras on four continents. I also always enjoyed playing for non-cellists in addition to cellists, because I always found they gave me great perspective and I grew up practicing with my father who was a great violinist, of course, and I was quite used to that. She knew exactly what to do and what not to do with a young person. For example, the Schumann concerto Ive played many times. I do that with great repertoires a lot. Weilerstein was born in Rochester, New York, on April 14, 1982. The goal is always to know these scores better, to truly live with the great masterworkslike the Bach Suites, for example. Its very hard to write anything for solo cello and not have some subconscious relationship to Bach.. Alisa Weilerstein - MacArthur Foundation June 16, 2010 Musicians at the 2010 Spoleto Festival U.S.A. bring out the "Gypsy" in Haydn and Brahms. But disabling some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Meet Fragments, a project whose first installment of six Weilerstein will perform at Zankel Hall on April 1. The range of interpretive choices facing performers of Bach's Suites for solo cello, BWV 1007-1012, is vast. She was recognized with a MacArthur Fellowship in 2011. September 17, 2010 The young cellist plays Bach with elegance, and takes us through the backstreets of Buenos Aires with a gripping performance of Omaramor, Osvaldo Golijov's tribute to tango singer Carlos Gardel. May 22, 2022 6 AM PT Balancing an infant with a whirlwind career as one of classical musics most in-demand cellists comes easily for Alisa Weilerstein. Alisa Weilerstein Elina will Since making her professional and Carnegie Hall debuts in her early teens, she has been in high demand as a solo So Fragments is not, thankfully, another addition to the increasingly pass genre of response programming, in which composers are commissioned to write works on the dispiriting condition that they must speak to a piece by the masters of the past. She was just an incredibly encouraging presence. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Carlos Kleibers live recording of Brahms 2nd Symphony reminds me of what utter joy and inspiration sounds (and looks!) She is an ardent champion of contemporary music, and has premiered and championed important new works by composers including Pascal Dusapin, Osvaldo Golijov and Matthias Pintscher. The newly renovated Dock Street Theater in Charleston, S.C., plays host to Gypsy-inspired sounds. This means people can now refer to you as a genius in an official capacity. 25 by Brahms on June 11 at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charlestown, S.C. Among these cookies, cookies classified as necessary are stored on your browser because they are essential for the functioning of the basic functionality of the website. 2023 Orchestre symphonique de Montral. With her multi-season new project, FRAGMENTS, Weilerstein aims to rethink the concert experience and broaden the tent for classical music. Her Sarabandes are extraordinary, very slow (a lot of the high time total is racked up here) without being emotionally overwrought: they are deeply meditative. I want to keep fostering relationships with composers, help expand our repertoire, and create a cornerstones of twenty-first century repertoire. I think its a fantastic resource, and he writes so beautifully. She is married to Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare, with whom she has a young child. She plays the suites in the sequence 1, 3, 6, 2, 4, 5, making the virtuosic and difficult Suite No. Alisa Weilerstein (1982-) Alisa Weilerstein. Alisa Weilerstein | Opus 3 Artists Alisa Weilerstein on What It Means to Be a Classical Musician Hes a great inspiration for me in that sense. From there to the regal quality of the third and the life affirming and nostalgic quality of the sixth. The second disc delves into the darker Suites. Alisa Weilerstein This is what its about for me., A Cellist Breaks Music Into Fragments, Then Connects Them, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/arts/music/alisa-weilerstein-fragments-cellist.html. There may be people, Weilerstein admits, who are put off by even a modest staging, or by her tinkering with performance traditions. All Rights Reserved. They have one child. The Elgar was the signature piece of Barenboim's late wife, cellist Jacqueline du Pre. Entertainment & Arts. Thats something that Im really trying to do. He was Dad (laughs). Born in New York to a violinist father and pianist mother, she grew up and eventually formed the Weilerstein Trio with her parents. Alex Irvin / Courtesy Aspen Music Festival and School. FC: Was it hard playing at home for your dad - this world-famous violinist - when you were just learning how to play the cello? Try typing something like "creative blocks", "spiral", "world", "green" or "blue" and our snail will find what you're looking for. But Weilerstein thinks of it not as a new approach to Bach, she said, rather a celebration of the really disparate voices in contemporary classical music, with Bach as a common reference point. Alisa Weilerstein talks about her experience at the Aspen Music Festival and School In this interview from the Harris Hall stage in Aspen, Performance Today's Fred Child talks with renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein about the Aspen experience, and what the school and festival means to her. 15 Of The Greatest And Most Famous Cello Players Of All Time She spoke to Scott Simon from the Spoleto Festival USA, where she'll be performing through June 12. Known for her consummate artistry, emotional investment and rare interpretive depth, she was recognized with a MacArthur genius grant Fellowship in 2011. For me, the greatest honor of the MacArthur Grant was that its something given not only to musicians, but also to scientists and writers. 1900 S. Norfolk St., Suite 350, San Mateo, CA 94403 There was a temptation to write something really virtuosic, really out there, really avant-garde, said Reinaldo Moya, one of the more junior composers in Weilersteins group, because youre not going to have the chance to work with a soloist of that caliber every time. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at nine years old, Weilerstein is a staunch advocate for the T1D community. Weilerstein was born in Rochester, New York. Everyone brings their perspective and insight into what the composer actually meant. Who are any of us next to Mozart? Well, something that Im trying to do more of is simply being mindful to get enough exercise and to do good stretches. Jamie Jung/Courtesy of the artist I was interested in other things. Alisa Weilerstein - Orchestre symphonique de Montral Law Office of Gretchen J. Kenney. Alisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. But this project is intended to reimagine what a cello recital can be, to challenge some of the conventions that Weilerstein thinks might inhibit a listeners immediate response to the music, and to add layers of theatricality to the arguably staid traditions of the concert hall, in an acceptance that a musician is, after all, performing on a stage. Alisa Weilerstein Thats an important skill, unless you are someone who only plays alone always, you have to be able to communicate. Alisa Weilerstein has won the MacArthur Foundation "genius grant." Now, the youngest Weilerstein's profile as a soloist is being kicked into high gear. For anyone in the classical music world, being able to expose other people to these great works is always something you hope to do. Theyre chamber music players, which means that theyre listening to each other individually. Anyone can read what you share. I was never subjected to abuse or was made to practice 10 hours a day while locked up. (1988) and When Alisa Met Elliott (2012). My parents were very conscious to give me as close to a normal childhood as possible, so I had friends, played outside, went to normal school. Alisa Weilerstein : NPR However, even with a very specific composer like that, there is tremendous room for interpretation. He had this incredible way of distancing himself when we were working together, so it never felt like I was, sort of, battling a parent. Her discography also includes chart-topping albums and the winner ofBBC Musics Recording of the Year award. Theres the potential for a really deep kind of collaboration with them, which is kind of unique. Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I got management early on. I was 14 when I went with my manager. Her brother is also a conductor and violinist. Its a balance we have to strive forto protect what the composer intended, yet keep the music alive so it doesnt become a museum piece, or simply an archive. It didnt last. To keep growing with them. The Law Office of Gretchen J. Kenney assists clients with Elder Law, including Long-Term Care Planning for Medi-Cal and Veterans Pension (Aid & Attendance) Benefits, Estate Planning, Probate, Trust Administration, and Conservatorships in the San Francisco Bay Area. AW: No, because I was three months old. Its about communicating ideas which are inexpressible in words. Most classical musicians regard his work as sacred in terms of really abiding by exactly what he wrote, in terms of dynamic markings and tempi and that sort of thing. She joined the artists who found solace on social media, streaming a movement of Bachs cello suites each day, for 36 days in a row. What do you think of as being the most important creative resources for doing what you do? Jamie Jung Alisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. Its a nice challenge to have. Alisa Weilerstein (Cello) - Short Biography - Bach Cantatas Website Cellist Alisa Weilerstein. I never liked that word. Even when I was a very, sort of, unruly teenager, I still realized what he was telling me was good, so I took it (laughs). Image. When the cellist Alisa Weilerstein found herself cooped up with her family at the start of the pandemic, her first instinct, like that of so many classical musicians, was to find some way any way to communicate. There is no end point. Its like the E.M. Forster phrase, only connect, Weilerstein explained. Cello virtuoso Alisa Weilerstein is always Theres a lot of things that classical music does uniquely well, and its important to preserve those things, Weilerstein said. .st0{fill:#000;}. With contemporary music, theres so much context put around it even before weve heard anything.. Something I return to every so often is Kunderas The Book of Laughter and Forgetting. There is no end point. For Shaw, that was part of the attraction of Fragments, beyond the obvious appeal of writing for a soloist whose visible commitment expresses such a clear love of music. She collaborated with conductor Daniel Barenboim, whose late wife, Jacqueline du Pre, was the standard-bearer for this work. Some did, she said, and some very much did not.. In that sense, theres no substitute for time away. This site uses cookies to offer you the best possible experience. For cellist Alisa Weilerstein as for all of us life in 2021 involves a lot of rescheduling. In Alisa Weilersteins groundbreaking, multi-year performance series FRAGMENTS, new music by some of the most compelling composers of our time meets Concert evenings: noon to 8 p.m. Labels are generally very, very unhelpful. Since making her professional and Carnegie Hall debuts in her early teens, she has been in high demand as a solo recitalist, chamber musician and concerto soloist with leading orchestras worldwide. Conversation Alisa Weilerstein on what it means to be a classical musician Music , Beginnings, Collaboration, Process From a conversation with T. Cole Rachel April 19, Since making her professional and Carnegie Hall debuts in her early teens, she has been in After premiering the first two chapters in Toronto in early 2023, with subsequent performances at New Yorks Carnegie Hall and beyond, she looks forward to touring all six chapters in seasons to come. Her Sarabandes are extraordinary, very slow (a lot of the high time total is racked up here) without being emotionally overwrought: they are deeply meditative. Im still going to always try to improve as an artist and to be a more insightful interpreter. Im constantly trying to budget my time properly so that I have enough time and head space to really work on the things that I need to do in a practical sense, but also grow as an artist. She doesnt give the impression that making music involves will at all. Her repertory is wide but has been marked by a focus on contemporary music. Alisa Weilerstein: Fragments | Apr 1, 2023 in NYC | Carnegie Hall For example, as recently as November, Weilerstein still planned to perform the complete Bach suites for cello in Santa Barbara in April of 2021. Weilerstein did set some rules. Does the Pressure of a Pandemic Transform a Cellists Bach? If there's such a thing as cello mojo, Alisa Weilerstein has it. If you have played these pieces many times, as I have, this is the sort of thing you crave. This is, therefore, a Romantic and very exciting set of cello suites. Other career milestones include a performance at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama. Jamie Jung The staging does offer some hints about the music, as if to hold the listeners hand. It felt a little bit all right, it felt a lot risky to give her a piece about coffee like that, Moya said. She mentioned that her first cello was a cereal box with a chopstick for a bow! 1 888 842-9951. I realized that what he was telling me was very valuable. Alisa Weilerstein - IMDb I think of Mozart as a true prodigy. Dont do it for anybody else. I tend to say yes too often, but Im trying to get better at that. Since Alisa Weilerstein was just 6, the three have performed together around the globe as the Weilerstein Trio. California. AW: I was 13 when I first came as a student, so that was 1995, and I studied with David Finckel, and also, I played for Dorothy DeLay quite a lot. In fact, I played for Zara Nelsova when I was much younger, but I wasn't officially a student, I was around maybe 6 or 7 when I had my first lessons with her. Everyone brings their perspective and insight into what the composer actually meant. The helpful thing is that a lot of repertoires that I have to play are repertoires that Ive done before. Weilerstein was born in Rochester, New York, but was raised in Cleveland, graduating from Cleveland Heights High School. Cello Suite No. Cello virtuoso Alisa Weilerstein is always at the head of her class. She made her debut at age 13 with the Cleveland Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme. This is always the subject of debatewhat is the role of the performer? Alisa Weilerstein is an American classical cellist who began performing professionally at the age of 13. Renown cellist will play three of Bach's 'Unaccompanied Cello She and the cello seem simply to be one and the same, agrees the Los Angeles Times. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein has announced on her Facebook page that she and her husband, the conductor Rafael Payare, are expecting their first child together. To be included with these amazing people, that, for me, was the biggest honor. Alisa Weilerstein is an American classical cellist who began performing professionally at the age of 13. Im going to give you a similar answer to what I would say about the label of prodigy. Of course, these labels are flattering. Known for her consummate artistry, emotional investment and rare interpretive depth, she was recognized with a MacArthur genius grant Fellowship in 2011. Known for her consummate artistry, emotional investment and rare interpretive depth, she was recognized with a She lives with her husband, Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare, and their two young children. Alisa Weilerstein is one of the foremost cellists of our time. What does the idea of creative freedom mean when youre a classical musician? September 11, 2008 Cellist Alisa Weilerstein was born into a musical family with a love for chamber music. You have to be in good shape to play the instrument well. Is it always about reaching for some higher goal? Celebrity Series of Boston So you budget accordingly. For her though, Fragments is an attempt to make the concert hall more of a place of adventure again, and less of a dead end. Its familiar, theres such a child-like purity to it, says Weilerstein. Its a constant challenge, too. But if both of us are open to different orientations or interpretations, that can yield a really interesting interpretation and performance. When the cellist Alisa Weilerstein found herself cooped up with her family at the start of the pandemic, her first instinct, like that of so many classical musicians, was to find some way-any way-to communicate. So each of the six programs, which Weilerstein will offer over the next few seasons, will have a dramaturgical element: Hanako Yamaguchi, the former, longtime director of music programming at Lincoln Center, is her artistic adviser, and her production team includes the director Elkhanah Pulitzer, the set and lighting designer Seth Reiser, and the costumer Carlos J. Soto. I just want to have a kind of outpouring of music, of thoughts, and everything else, she told The New York Times then. Business. hide caption. An authority on Bachs music for unaccompanied cello, Weilerstein recently released a best-selling recording of his solo suites on the Pentatone label, streamed them in her innovative #36DaysOfBach project, and deconstructed his beloved G-major prelude in a Vox.com video, viewed almost 1.5 million times.