Vicki Ray: The Rilke Project

In “The Rilke Project,” pianist Vicki Ray recites poetry by Rainer Maria Rilke which has deeply influenced her work over the years. The poems will be paired with new and recent repertoire for piano, piano and voice, piano and percussion, and piano and electronics. World premieres by David Rhodes, Steuart Liebig, and Joseph Pereira will be performed as well as repertoire by Peter Eötvös, Charles Ives, and others. The evening features special guests Elissa Johnston and Joseph Pereira.

“This has been a lifetime project for me,” Ray says of her love affair with Rilke’s work. “It means so much to me to share this pairing of text and music – I’ve dreamed about it forever.”

PROGRAM:

Leonard Bernstein – “Two Love Songs”
Steuart Liebig – “Intermediary” (premiere)
Charles Ives – “The Cage”
Andrew Tholl – “A Grain of Salt at Arm’s Length”
Joseph Pereira – “Magnificent Desolation” (premiere of new version)
Peter Eötvös – “O Rose!”
David Rhodes – “Bright Traces” (premiere)

The poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke will be interwoven throughout the program