Academy Celebrates 10 Years with Concert & Zukerman Master Class

The Music Institute of Chicago celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Academy program, which has educated and prepared gifted pre-college musicians for professional training and music careers, with several public events in 2016. On Saturday, February 6, renowned violinist/violist/conductor Pinchas Zukerman gives a master class for Academy students, free and open to the public, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Principal Clarinetist Stephen Williamson performs chamber music with Academy students. Both events take place at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston.

Zukerman leads a master class, free and open to the public, for Academy students Joshua Brown, violin, and Tess Krope, viola, and Community School student Julian Rhee, violin, at 3 p.m. Zukerman has remained a phenomenon in the world of music for more than four decades. Devoted to the next generation of musicians, he has inspired younger artists with his magnetism and passion. His enthusiasm for teaching has resulted in innovative programs in London, New York, China, Israel, and Ottawa. The name Pinchas Zukerman is equally respected as violinist, violist, conductor, pedagogue, and chamber musician.

Williamson performs Mozart's Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A Major, K. 581 with Academy students at 7:30 p.m. In addition to serving as principal clarinetist of the CSO under Maestro Riccardo Muti, he was the principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic (2013-14) under Alan Gilbert, principal clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (2003-11) under James Levine, and a frequent guest principal clarinetist with the Saito Kinen Festival Orchestra in Japan under Seiji Ozawa. Williamson is currently on the faculty of DePaul University.

The rest of the concert program features Academy musicians performing Beethoven's Trio for Piano and Strings in B-flat Major, Op. 97 (Archduke Trio); Beethoven's String Quartet in G Major, Op. 18, No. 2; and Mendelssohn's Trio for Piano and Strings in C Minor, Op. 66.

The Music Institute's Academy 10th Anniversary Celebration Concerts continue with Music Institute alumni Rachel Barton Pine and Matthew Lipman performing Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante on Saturday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall.

In a surprise addition to the 10th anniversary festivities, pianist and Academy alumna Kate Liu makes her triumphant return to Chicago after capturing the Bronze Medal at the 17th Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition. Liu, a Music Institute student from 2004 through 2012, performs a solo recital at Nichols Concert Hall on January 16, 2016.

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