Curtis on Tour Resumes Live Performances in Greece, Germany, and France September 21–28
PHILADELPHIA—September 15, 2021—Curtis on Tour launches the 2021–22 season with performances by an all-star, all-alumni trio in Athens, Greece from September 21 to 24. Touring activities, the first conducted in person since the start of the global pandemic, continue at venues in Berlin (September 26) and Paris (September 28).
Touring artists include alumni Josef Špaček (Violin ’09), Timotheos Petrin (Cello ’17), and George Xiaoyuan Fu (Piano ’16). Noted for prominent orchestral roles, international competition wins, and impressive collaborations, each performer is in high demand across the globe for his remarkable artistry and distinctive chamber music performances.
Now in its sixth year as the resident ensemble at the Nights of Classical Music at the Gennadius Library festival, Curtis on Tour’s four performances from September 21 to 24 are presented by the Schwarz Foundation in collaboration with the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. These concerts feature solo works for piano, at turns passionate and whimsical; duos for violin and cello, including Dhipli zyia by Greek-French modernist composer Iannis Xenakis; and the energetic trios “Ghost” by Beethoven and “Dumky” by Dvořák to close out the residency. The venue at Cotsen Hall will live-stream the performances on September 21, 22, 23, and 24, starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. In-person audiences are welcome with free priority tickets.
Selections from the four Athens programs will be repeated at the Konzerthaus Berlin on September 26 at 8 p.m. and Hôtel de Talleyrand in Paris on September 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Additional tours during the 2021–22 season include a virtual tour by renowned flute, strings, and piano alumni for audiences in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru (October and November 2021); and a United States tour led by esteemed faculty Ida Kavafian, violin, and Peter Wiley (Cello ’74), both former members of the internationally-acclaimed Beaux Arts Trio (February 2022). The latter tour features Franz Schubert’s brilliant Quintet in C major, D. 956 paired with a newly commissioned work by composition faculty member Richard Danielpour for chamber music presenters in northern California and Buffalo, N.Y., at Brevard Music Center, and at home in Philadelphia, among other venues.
In addition to the national and international tours, Curtis on Tour manages professional performance engagements for Curtis students and recent graduates, providing emerging artists with the matchless experience of appearing with leading ensembles and presenting organizations. Notable appearances in the 2021–22 season include those with Washington Performing Arts, the Kansas City Symphony, and the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts.
All performances are part of Curtis on Tour, the Nina von Maltzahn global touring initiative of the Curtis Institute of Music. Grounded in the school’s “learn by doing” philosophy, tours feature extraordinary emerging artists alongside celebrated alumni and faculty. In addition to performances, musicians offer master classes, educational programs, and community engagement activities while on tour. Curtis on Tour also manages solo engagements for Curtis artists with professional orchestras and presenters. Since the program was established in 2008, Curtis on Tour ensembles have performed more than 375 concerts in over 100 cities in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Visit Curtis.edu/CurtisOnTour for more information.
CURTIS ON TOUR IN EUROPE
ATHENS
Tuesday, September 21 at 8:30 p.m.
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Cotsen Hall
George Xiaoyuan Fu, piano
| RACHMANINOFF | Appassionato, from Études-Tableaux, Op. 39 |
| TAILLEFERRE | Pastorale |
| DUTILLEUX | Le jeu des contraires, No. 3, from Préludes |
| RAVEL | Selections from Miroirs |
| SCHUBERT | Sonata in B-flat major, D. 960 |
This performance will be live-streamed at ascsa.edu.gr/events/livestream starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Wednesday, September 22 at 8:30 p.m.
American School of Classical Studies, Cotsen Hall
Timotheos Petrin, cello
George Xiaoyuan Fu, piano
| SCHUBERT | Introduction, Theme and Variations, Op. 82, No. 2; arr. Piatigorsky |
| STRAVINSKY | Suite italienne |
| POULENC | Sonata |
This performance will be live-streamed at ascsa.edu.gr/events/livestream starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Thursday, September 23 at 8:30 p.m.
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Cotsen Hall
Josef Špaček, violin
Timotheos Petrin, cello
| HALVORSEN | Sarabande con variazioni in D minor on a Theme by Georg Frideric Handel |
| MARTINŮ | Duo No. 2 |
| XENAKIS | Dhipli zyia |
| KODÁLY | Duo, Op. 7 |
This performance will be live-streamed at ascsa.edu.gr/events/livestream starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Friday, September 24 at 8:30 p.m.
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Cotsen Hall
Josef Špaček, violin
Timotheos Petrin, cello
George Xiaoyuan Fu, piano
| BEETHOVEN | Trio in D major, Op. 70, No. 1 (“Ghost”) |
| DVOŘÁK | Trio in E minor, Op. 90 (“Dumky”) |
This performance will be live-streamed at ascsa.edu.gr/events/livestream starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Nights of Classical Music at the Gennadius Library is presented by the Schwarz Foundation in collaboration with the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. For more information, visit www.ascsa.edu.gr/events.
BERLIN
Sunday, September 26 at 8 p.m.
Konzerthaus Berlin, Kleiner Saal
Josef Špaček, violin
Timotheos Petrin, cello
George Xiaoyuan Fu, piano
| BEETHOVEN | Trio in D major, Op. 70, No. 1 (“Ghost”) |
| DVOŘÁK | Trio in E minor, Op. 90 (“Dumky”) |
Presented in collaboration with Young Euro Classic. For tickets and more information, visit www.young-euro-classic.de.
PARIS
Tuesday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Hôtel de Talleyrand
Josef Špaček, violin
Timotheos Petrin, cello
George Xiaoyuan Fu, piano
| BEETHOVEN | Trio in D major, Op. 70, No. 1 (“Ghost”) |
| DVOŘÁK | Trio in E minor, Op. 90 (“Dumky”) |
Presented by The Arts Arena. For tickets and more information, visit ArtsArena.org.
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