Valley of the Moon Music Festival

Schedule:

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm: Blattner Lecture Series at Hanna Boys Center
Yavet Boyadjiev Virtual Lecture hosted by Kate van Orden
In this pre-concert lecture, noted White scholar Dr. Yavet Boyadjiev will explore José White’s connections with some of the most interesting musicians of his time, all from diverse backgrounds. We will hear about White’s friendship with his fellow Paris Conservatory students and his pioneering support for female students and colleagues. We will also learn about White’s collaboration with other Cuban musicians who were taking part in the movement for independence from Spain.  In all, the lecture will widen our understanding of José White, his music, and his circle. All Blattner Series Lectures are free with purchase of concert ticket.

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Jose White’s Circle at Hanna Boys Center
José Silvestre de los Dolores White (1835-1918), also known as José White and Joseph White, was born in Matanzas, Cuba, during colonial times. He began playing the violin and composing at a young age. His professional debut occurred in 1854 alongside the American pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869), who inspired him to study at the Paris Conservatoire. There, he won the Premier Prix after less than one year of study. White gained global recognition as a soloist, composer, and pedagogue and, in the United States, he notably became the first soloist of African descent to perform with the New York Philharmonic Society, during his 1875-1876 tour. Through musical works by White and his contemporaries in Europe and the Americas, including Gottschalk, Camille Saint-Saëns, Cécile Chaminade, Nicolás Espadero, Ignacio Cervantes, and others, this program will examine the rich—and underexplored—cultural milieu in which White lived and worked. The Festival welcomes Latin Grammy-nominated pianist Adonis Gonzalez in his Valley of the Moon Music Festival debut.

Program:
José Silvestre de los Dolores White Lafitta - Zamacueca, Danse Chilienne Op.30 for Violin and Piano (1897)
Ignacio Cervantes  - 6 Cuban Dances (1899)
Camille Saint-Saëns  - Piano Quartet in B♭ major, Op. 41 (1875)
Cécile Louise Stéphanie Chaminade - Piano Trio No.1, Op.11 (1881) | III. Presto
White - Potpourri Cubano
Louis Moreau Gottschalk  - Souvenir de la Havane, Op.39 (1859)
Pablo de Sarasate - Zigeunerweisen, Op.20 (1878)
White  - La Bella Cubana for 2 Violins and Piano (ca. 1910)

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