In the midst of the pandemic shutdown, violinist Johnny Gandelsman decided to take the temperature of the United States during a tempestuous time. So Gandelsman, a member of the dynamic string quartet Brooklyn Rider as well as an eloquent solo performer of Baroque and contemporary music, sent out a commissioning call to a variety of American composers asking for music for solo violin.
The result, “This Is America,” offers a sampling of responses from such composers as Rhiannon Giddens, Conrad Tao, Tyshawn Sorey and Angélica Negrón. Gandelsman will perform selections from the collection in a pair of solo recitals presented bySan Francisco PerformancesandStanford Live.
Datebook Review
“In 2020, with COVID, racial strife and political upheaval raging all around him, violinist Johnny Gandelsman was feeling anxious and disoriented. So he asked all the composers he knew to write him a piece about the current state of things. It's a natural response. After all, as Gandelsman put…”Read More