Jon Nakamatsu, Van Cliburn Gold Medalist, Debut Performance with Pacific Chamber Orchestra
Music Director Lawrence Kohl presents pianist Jon Nakamatsu in his debut Pacific Chamber Orchestra (PCO) performance on Sunday, April 26 at 3:00 p.m. at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore.
Nakamatsu is a Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medalist and a Bay Area favorite. A frequent solo recitalist at the Bankhead, he joins PCO for American composer Edward MacDowell’s buoyant Second Piano Concerto. The program culminates in the gorgeous melodies and triumphant sweep of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.
MacDowell’s music is optimistic, expansive and heartfelt and distinctly American,” says Nakamatsu. “I’m excited to bring his buoyant Second Piano Concerto to my home audiences with PCO.” Van Cliburn chose MacDowell’s piece for his professional debut when he was eighteen.
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, often portrayed as a heroic arc, begins with the iconic “fate knocking at the door” and culminates in triumph. Tchaikovsky transforms that fate idea into a deeply personal declaration of identity, voiced through tender yearning, surging intensity and resolute strength. The resulting symphony of sweeping melody and exhilarating power captivates global audiences.
Kohl frames the program this way, “MacDowell and Tchaikovsky offer two distinctly life affirming works. One is spirited and lyrical, the other soulful and blazing. Both are exhilarating.”
Together, the concerto and symphony create an afternoon of Romantic sweep, radiant melody and emotional affirmation.
Tickets at the Bankhead, tickets range from $25 to $85 depending on your choice of seats. Go to https://pacificchamberorchestra.org/.
About Pacific Chamber Orchestra: Begun by Music Director Lawrence Kohl in 1989, PCO is a premier regional professional ensemble performing at Bankhead Theater in Livermore and Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church in Lafayette. PCO’s educational programs introduce classical music to over 7,000 local students each year by teaching the fundamentals of music through elementary school assembly programs and enrichment clinics for middle and high school music ensembles. PCO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3516647-0
