Event
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
Naples Philharmonic Masterworks
Naples Philharmonic
Joana Carneiro, conductor
Yeol Eum Son, piano
Adams — Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Rachmaninoff — Piano Concerto No. 3
Stravinsky — Petrushka
Yeol Eum Son, the South Korean pianist whose graceful interpretations and crystalline touch have captivated audiences worldwide, makes her Naples Philharmonic debut in what promises to be an extraordinary evening of wildly eclectic music.
The evening sets off at a brisk pace as conductor Joana Carneiro and the Naples Philharmonic put the pedal to the metal for a performance of John Adams’ postminimalist fanfare Short Ride in a Fast Machine. Featuring a steady beat and exuberant repetition, this is minimalism at its finest.
Yeol Eum Son then joins the orchestra for a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 — arguably the most technically challenging piano concerto in the standard classical piano repertoire. Respected and often feared by many pianists (with some even refusing to play it), Rachmaninoff completed his Third Piano Concerto in 1909. While public opinion was mixed following its debut, it is now regarded as the pinnacle of the composer’s career. Yeol Eum Son’s flawless execution of this magnificent concerto is as thrilling as a highwire act performing without a net.
The evening concludes with Igor Stravinsky’s rhythmically colorful Petrushka. Completed in 1911 for Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes as a follow-up to his early masterpiece The Firebird, this ballet depicts the tragic story of the sad clown Petrushka, a beautiful ballerina and a jealous Moor, three puppets brought to life with a magic flute.
Prelude at 6:30pm
Join the conductor before the performance for an insightful 30-minute prelude discussion about the program.
Music and Museum
All Masterworks tickets include same-day admission to The Baker Museum. Museum hours on day of performance: 10am-7:30pm. In addition, the doors to Hayes Hall will open 90 minutes prior to this performance. Arrive early to enjoy the exhibitions and light fare available at Heidi's Place.
The November 14 performance is generously sponsored by George* and Joyce Kempton.
Tickets start at $29.
Naples Philharmonic
Naples Philharmonic
Founded in 1982, the Naples Philharmonic normally performs over 140 orchestral and chamber concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts from September through June each year.
Meet the Musicians
Alexander Shelley
Artistic and Music Director Meet Alexander
Jack Everly
Principal Pops Conductor Meet Jack
James Ehnes
Artistic Partner Meet James
Manuel López-Gómez
Associate Conductor Meet Manuel
Alvin Ho
Assistant Conductor Meet Alvin
Joana Carneiro
Joana Carneiro
Acclaimed Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro is in her fourth and final season as the principal guest conductor of the Real Filharmonia de Galicia and artistic director of the Gulbenkian Youth Orchestra, a post she has held since 2013.
She previously served as principal conductor of the Orquestra Sinfonica Portuguesa at Teatro Sao Carlos in Lisbon; music director of Berkeley Symphony; and official guest conductor of the Gulbenkian Orchestra.
In high demand across the globe for her focus on contemporary music both in the concert hall and on the opera stage, some of her recent highlights include engagements with prominent orchestras around the world, including the BBC Symphony, Brussels Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and others.
A native of Lisbon, she began her musical studies as a violist before receiving her conducting degree from the Academia Nacional Superior de Orquestra in Lisbon. She received her master’s degree in orchestral conducting from Northwestern University and pursued doctoral studies at the University of Michigan.
From 2002 to 2005, she served as assistant conductor of the L.A. Chamber Orchestra and as music director of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra of Los Angeles.
Yeol Eum Son
Yeol Eum Son
Poetic elegance, an innate feeling for expressive nuance and the power to project bold, dramatic contrasts are among the arresting attributes of Yeol Eum Son’s pianism. Her refined artistry arises from breathtaking technical control and a profound empathy for the emotional temper of the works within her vast repertoire.
In high demand as a musician, Son has won critical praise for her interpretations. Her development as an artist is partly due to her work with a wide range of conductors, including Alexander Shelley, Joana Carneiro, Antonio Pappano and many more. She has collaborated or performed with dozens of orchestras around the world, including the Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, Oslo Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic and others.
Son was among the prize winners at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in 1997 and won the 1999 Oberlin International Piano Competition. She attracted international attention at the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition and the 2011 International Tchaikovsky Competition. Her performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.21 has received nearly 23 million views on YouTube.
In addition to Son’s performance schedule, she is an active recording artist.
