6 minute read
Grand Piano Series
music is a journey
by Gary Mooney Like almost everything else in our society, Covid wreaked havoc with the Grand Piano Series over the past year, but Grand Piano Series President & Artistic Director Milana Strezeva explains that now is the right time to re-institute its live audience shows. “Music, culture, and the arts in general are essential healing forces for our souls, and there is no substitute for live performances that you share with your family and friends, as those experiences will help us get through the pandemic or any other catastrophe.”
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She continues, “I recently watched a documentary about the great pains people endured in the Second World War, where bombs flew all around Russia, but the citizens in one town blasted radio music all over their community, then held a concert in their local performance hall one day after bombs destroyed it, with everyone bundled up in thick coats in freezing weather because the building no longer had a roof. Yet there they were listening to music. Why? Because when things seem at their worst and we must dig deep for salvation to survive, music is one of the few things that brings us all together. I really believe music in particular and the arts in general will help get us through the pandemic.”
The Grand Piano Series is in its sixth season, now in conjunction with the former Classic Chamber Concerts, which passed on their 25 year Chamber Music tradition. “This season’s Grand Piano Series is a mixture of incredible artists along with up-and-coming performers from a broad variety of backgrounds, all who are achieving their best possible work,” offered Milana. “We hope that attitude rubs off on our audiences—do your best every day and maybe you will discover that if you listen to a little Bach every morning, it will improve your whole day!”
With the Grand Piano Series hosting live performances again, Milana is cognizant that society continues to deal with the pandemic and some still have health and safety concerns. “We do not, however, have a pandemic policy in place for the entire season, as Covid can change so quickly,” she explained. “But we are taking precautions. When we host performances at St. Leo’s Auditorium, there will be a vacant seat on either side of your own personal group. Depending on what the Center for Disease Control recommends at that particular time, we may or may not require guests to wear masks, but if you want to, feel free! Of course, if you have any symptoms, we ask that you do not attend the shows, out of respect for each other, as we are not out of the woods yet.”
We have a link on the Grand Piano Series website (grandpianoseries.org) with our most current Covid policy that we always update, so if you have a concern as your show approaches, go online and check that out.”
In addition to the live performances, Milana adds that “roughly a week to ten days prior to each show, join us online for a pre-concert get-together with each artist, where they talk about their upcoming program, musical inspirations and current projects. Then you can ask them questions. We began doing this during the pandemic and everyone loved it, including the artists, so we will continue it this season.”
Milana is not only the Grand Piano Series President & Artistic Director, but an accomplished musician as well. The Moldovan-American pianist has been praised by critics for her “technically fluid, dramatically convincing and sonically full-bodied supportive collaborations.”
Milana, an international award winner and graduate of The Juilliard School of Music, is a founding member of the Manhattan Piano Trio, one of the most creative and dynamic young ensembles in America. At age 11, she began playing chamber music with her parents, where her love of family collaboration grew into a passion for advocacy of vocal and instrumental Chamber Music.
“I come from a musical family, as my parents loved music despite coming from humble backgrounds, with my father a farmer and my mother ran the household. They found their musical abilities by accident, with Mom eventually becoming one of the top Soprano opera singers in the Soviet Union and Dad playing the clarinet, and each ended up incredibly successful. So there was always Chamber Music in our household.”
She recalls that “when I was around 5 years old, I was with my grandfather, who was a farmer as well, and he was listening to a concert and crying because the music was so beautiful. I learned from that young age that music can communicate its passions to everybody! Sadly, many people think you must have a higher education or come from a wealthy background to experience the power of communication that Chamber Music brings. But nothing is further from the truth. Music is the outlet that allows an audience who brings their own stories and experiences to a concert to unite in a partnership and that is incredible, especially now when so many of us seem to have few things in common. Some of us speak English or Russian or Spanish or Mandarin, but music is the world’s true second language that brings us together. Everyone can understand the language of music!” “Too often, I hear people say they probably would not enjoy or understand our concerts because they do not know anything about Chamber Music,” Milana continued, “but you do not need to know anything about Chamber Music to enjoy our live performances. Just show up without any preconceived notions or
GRAND PIANO SERIES November 10 : Aldo Lopez-Gavilan December 6 & 8 : Chelsea Guo January 11 : Schaghajegh Nosrati February 2 : Santiago Ballerini February 16 : Colburn Artists Play Beethoven March 9 : Manasse/Frautschi/Nakamatsu March 30 & 31 : Manhattan Chamber Players & Milana Strezeva April 27 : Geneva Lewis May 11 : Alessandro Mazzamuto Ft.Myers magazine readers can take advantage of a 10% discount on tickets. when you purchase advance tickets, enter the code ‘FM10’ on the checkout stage.
music is a journey
above: Milana Strezeva; right, top to bottom: Santiago Ballerini, Geneva Lewis, Chelsea Guo.
expectations about what you should feel and let the music take you on your own personal journey. That is my philosophy about attending concerts—just come and be open to new experiences, as that is what keeps us all young and vibrant and engaged. Almost without realizing it, you become richer for the experience. That is our goal!”
As to why people should attend the 2021-22 Grand Piano Series: “To get inspired,” exclaimed Milana. “First, we have fantastic audiences composed of folks from all walks of life. People constantly tell me they are hesitant to come because they are not Chamber Music or piano aficionados, so they do not know what they would talk about, but our typical audience is full of car or horse lovers, financial advisors, plumbers, doctors, and any diverse background you can imagine, so it is a nice environment to make friends. Second, the artists are incredible, and after each performance we have a meet-and-greet where you can not only speak with them but to one another, and everyone enjoys that.”
“At Grand Piano Series concerts, you quickly discover that music brings something beautiful to each and every one of us! I love people and stories and music, and music tells us stories in a language that communicates those tales and love to everyone on our journey together, and that is the ultimate benefit of attending the Grand Piano Series!” •
Grand Piano Series concerts are performed at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Bonita Springs, the Wang Opera Center in Naples and the Gulf Theatre in Punta Gorda. For information about the Grand Piano Series, call 646-734 8179.
