Chicago Duo Piano Festival Celebrates Crumb's 90th

The Music Institute of Chicago announces two concerts for its 31st Chicago Duo Piano Festival (CDPF), featuring performances by renowned Chicago piano duo performers and a mix of favorite repertoire for four hands at one and two pianos, as well as eight hand piano performances. The concerts take place Sunday, July 14 at 3 p.m. and Friday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston. Registration for the educational component is available at musicinst.org/cdpf-summer-festival.

Among the highlights of this year's concerts is a tribute to American composer George Crumb on the occasion of his 90th birthday. The July 14 Gala Opening Concert includes a complete performance of his Makrokosmos III: Music for a Summer Evening for two amplified pianos and percussion, with pianists Fiona Queen and Louise Chan and percussionists Joshua Graham and John Corkill. Other works include Weber's Invitation to the Dance in a version featuring Katherine Peterson, Katherine Lee, Soo Young Lee, and Camille Witos; Schubert's Andantino Varié with Matthew Hagle and Mio Isoda; and Borodin's Polovetsian Dances from Prince Igor with Xiaomin Liang and Jue He.

The July 19 Duo Piano Extravaganza Concert features excerpts from Crumb's Makrokosmos IV: Celestial Mechanics for amplified piano, four hands, with pianists Louise Chan and Susan Tang. Other works include Brahms's Variations on a Theme by Haydn featuring Elaine Felder and Milana Pavchinskaya; Mozart's Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos performed by Inah Chiu and Sung Hoon Mo; selections from Rachmaninoff's Suites for Two Pianos with Alexander Djordjevic and Gregory Shifrin; and a 200th birthday tribute to Franz Von Suppé with his Poet and Peasant Overture featuring Mark George, Ralph Neiweem, Gregory Shifrin, and Alexander Djordjevic.

A free master class takes place Saturday, July 20, at 10 a.m. at Nichols Concert Hall, conducted by Xiaomin Liang and Jue He.

Chicago Duo Piano Festival concerts take place
Sunday, July 14 at 3 p.m. and Friday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m.
at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $10 for students
Call 800.838.3006 or visit chicagoduopianofestival.org.