Violinist Sean Lee and Pianist Peter Dugan Celebrate Paganini in New EP and Concert At Chamber Music Society Of Lincoln Center

In January 2022, violinist Sean Lee and pianist Peter Dugan celebrate Paganini in the first ever performance of all 24 Caprices in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's 52-year history as well as the release of a new EP of nine Caprices with accompanying music videos. A top prizewinner at the "Premio Paganini" International Violin Competition, Lee embraces the legacy of his late mentor, violinist Ruggiero Ricci, as one of few violinists who dare to perform the complete 24 Caprices of Niccolò Paganini in recital. His ongoing educational YouTube series Paganini POV uses modern technology to share a unique perspective on violin playing.

On Thursday, January 27, 2022 at 7:30pm at the Rose Studio at CMS, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center presents Lee and Dugan in Schumann's arrangement of Paganini's Complete Caprices for Violin and Piano, Op. 1 (c. 1805), marking the first time all 24 of Paganini's Caprices have been performed in one concert in the organization's 52 year history.

On January 28, Lee and Dugan release a digital album featuring nine of the Caprices, each with accompanying music videos. An LP of the recording is planned for spring 2022. Watch the video for Caprice No. 5 in The Strad! The duo will release two singles, Caprice No. 15 on January 7, 2022 and Caprice No. 20 on January 21, 2022.

Lee says, "The 24 Caprices of Niccolò Paganini are like the Mount Everest of the violin repertoire. But beyond the technical challenges, each Caprice is a compelling character piece and even more colorful with the addition of Robert Schumann's piano arrangements, which keep the original violin score completely intact, unchanged. Having studied in my high school years with violinist Ruggiero Ricci (who made the first solo violin recording in 1947), I'm thrilled to perform the complete set, something I didn't even dream of when I initially studied them! The musical and technical ingenuity both are tremendous, keeping me constantly fascinated with pondering their countless obstacles. In performance, the electricity in the air is like none other."

Dugan adds, "It's unusual to hear the work of two great composers simultaneously, but that's exactly what this collaboration is all about. In this series of nine videos, you'll get a closeup look at all of the violin pyrotechnics of the Paganini caprices, but you'll also experience the charm and elegance of these pieces, magnified by Schumann's piano writing, which ranges from dark and brooding to frothy and quirky."

Lee and Dugan also perform the complete Caprices in two concerts in Florida in January, presented by Perlman Music Program/Suncoast in Sarasota on January 13 and by The Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach on January 19.

Link: https://www.chambermusicsociety.org/nyc/events/upcoming/art-of-the-recital-sean-lee-and-peter-dugan/

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