A musical “night scene,” the nocturne brought the lyricism of bel canto opera to the piano. These intimate pieces reveal Chopin’s mastery in balancing elaborate yet singing melodies against steady left-hand accompaniments. Join piano faculty member Minji Kim and composition chair Evan Meier as we explore the artistry of the nocturne through performance and discussion.

Highlights of the Event:

• Explore Chopin’s evolving style, from early influences to his later, more complex works.
• Deepen your listening skills by understanding how melody, harmony, ornamentation, and rubato shape these expressive works.
• Gain insight into the artistic and technical challenges of performing works that are both intimate and intricate.

Featuring live performances by Minji Kim and Levine piano students, this event journeys through Chopin’s nocturnal sound world from both student and professional perspectives, highlighting the expressive depth, nuance, and technical artistry these works demand.

• • November 8
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Chopin’s Preludes

  Join piano faculty member Crystal Jiang and composition chair Evan Meier for a conversation and performance exploring Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28.

  
• • December 16
  • 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

  Lecture | The Eternal Optimism of the American Musical

  Featuring performances by Joey Clark and Levine chorus members, this event showcases Broadway songs that speak to themes of unity, hope, and peace.

  
• • January 17
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Bach’s Chaconne and Other Masterworks for Solo Violin

  Join violin faculty members Kimberly Galva and Yan Izquierdo with composition chair Evan Meier to discover how Bach transformed traditional dances and adapted elaborate contrapuntal writing for the solo violin.

  

J.S. Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas represent a summit of solo violin repertoire, including the monumental D Minor Chaconne and intricate, multi-voiced fugues. Join violin faculty members Kimberly Galva and Yan Izquierdo with composition chair Evan Meier to discover how Bach transformed traditional dances and adapted elaborate contrapuntal writing for the solo violin. Through conversation and performance, we’ll explore how these innovations create profound musical statements that express the depths of the human experience.

Highlights of the Event:

• Learn about Bach’s revolutionary approach to solo violin writing and the origins of the chaconne and other dance styles used in the sonatas and partitas.
• Deepen your listening skills by understanding how melody, harmony, rhythm, structure, and style shape these works.
• Gain insight into the artistic and technical demands of musical performance.
• Discover how violinists approach these masterpieces at different stages of development.

Featuring live performances by Kimberly Galva, Yan Izquierdo, and Levine violin students.

• • November 8
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Chopin’s Preludes

  Join piano faculty member Crystal Jiang and composition chair Evan Meier for a conversation and performance exploring Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28.

  
• • December 16
  • 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

  Lecture | The Eternal Optimism of the American Musical

  Featuring performances by Joey Clark and Levine chorus members, this event showcases Broadway songs that speak to themes of unity, hope, and peace.

  
• • February 14
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Valentine’s Day Cabaret

  Join us for this special Valentine’s cabaret as we reignite the flames of Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, and the Gershwins’ first set.

  

What is it about the history, form, and role that musical theater has played in our society over the past century that makes it an intrinsically optimistic art form? Who were the shepherds of this perspective? Do signs point to a future of the American musical continuing on this path?

Featuring performances by Joey Clark and Levine chorus members, this event showcases Broadway songs that speak to themes of unity, hope, and peace. The program also includes interviews with chorus members, offering their reflections on hearing these songs in their youth and singing them now as older adults with deeper life experience and a broader perspective.

This lecture can serve as a jury alternative for adult students at Levine.

• • November 8
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Chopin’s Preludes

  Join piano faculty member Crystal Jiang and composition chair Evan Meier for a conversation and performance exploring Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28.

  
• • January 17
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Bach’s Chaconne and Other Masterworks for Solo Violin

  Join violin faculty members Kimberly Galva and Yan Izquierdo with composition chair Evan Meier to discover how Bach transformed traditional dances and adapted elaborate contrapuntal writing for the solo violin.

  
• • February 14
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Valentine’s Day Cabaret

  Join us for this special Valentine’s cabaret as we reignite the flames of Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, and the Gershwins’ first set.

  

Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28, are masterpieces in miniature — each one a complete musical world spanning every major and minor key. Join piano faculty member Crystal Jiang and composition chair Evan Meier for a conversation and performance exploring the striking depth and innovation that make these brief works cornerstones of the piano repertoire at all levels.

Highlights of the Event:

• Learn about Chopin’s influences as he wrote the preludes and his groundbreaking advances in composing for the piano.
• Deepen your listening skills by understanding how melody, harmony, rhythm, structure, and style shape these works.
• Gain insight into the artistic and technical demands of musical performance.
• Discover how pianists approach the preludes at different stages of development.

This event, featuring live performances by Crystal Jiang and Levine piano students, offers a look into Chopin’s music through the eyes of both the student and the professional musician.

• • December 16
  • 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

  Lecture | The Eternal Optimism of the American Musical

  Featuring performances by Joey Clark and Levine chorus members, this event showcases Broadway songs that speak to themes of unity, hope, and peace.

  
• • January 17
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Bach’s Chaconne and Other Masterworks for Solo Violin

  Join violin faculty members Kimberly Galva and Yan Izquierdo with composition chair Evan Meier to discover how Bach transformed traditional dances and adapted elaborate contrapuntal writing for the solo violin.

  
• • February 14
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Valentine’s Day Cabaret

  Join us for this special Valentine’s cabaret as we reignite the flames of Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, and the Gershwins’ first set.

  

“L is for the way you Look at me … LOVE was made for me and you!”

It may have been over a century since these classic American songs of love were penned, but their simple, yet memorable melodies and clever, yet eloquent lyrics have stood the test of time. Join us for this special Valentine’s cabaret with faculty member Joey Clark as we reignite the flames of Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, and the Gershwins’ first set.

• • November 8
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Chopin’s Preludes

  Join piano faculty member Crystal Jiang and composition chair Evan Meier for a conversation and performance exploring Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28.

  
• • December 16
  • 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

  Lecture | The Eternal Optimism of the American Musical

  Featuring performances by Joey Clark and Levine chorus members, this event showcases Broadway songs that speak to themes of unity, hope, and peace.

  
• • January 17
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Bach’s Chaconne and Other Masterworks for Solo Violin

  Join violin faculty members Kimberly Galva and Yan Izquierdo with composition chair Evan Meier to discover how Bach transformed traditional dances and adapted elaborate contrapuntal writing for the solo violin.

  

This presentation explores how instrumental practice and music education shape brain development and aging, drawing on recent scientific research and findings from Levine flute faculty member and neuroscientist Dr. Takeaki Miyamae’s own research in the field. In the performance segment, Dr. Miyamae will demonstrate how techniques of musical expression are intricately linked to auditory perception and how these interactions can create compelling auditory illusions, revealing music as a form of perceptual “magic.”

The program features solo flute performances by Dr. Miyamae, including Dvořák’s Humoresque and Ibert’s Piece for Flute Solo.

This lecture can serve as a jury alternative for adult students at Levine.

• • November 8
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Chopin’s Preludes

  Join piano faculty member Crystal Jiang and composition chair Evan Meier for a conversation and performance exploring Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28.

  
• • December 16
  • 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

  Lecture | The Eternal Optimism of the American Musical

  Featuring performances by Joey Clark and Levine chorus members, this event showcases Broadway songs that speak to themes of unity, hope, and peace.

  
• • January 17
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Bach’s Chaconne and Other Masterworks for Solo Violin

  Join violin faculty members Kimberly Galva and Yan Izquierdo with composition chair Evan Meier to discover how Bach transformed traditional dances and adapted elaborate contrapuntal writing for the solo violin.

  

Originally conceived as “studies” to improve playing, etudes have evolved into works that combine technical challenge with artistic depth. Join cello faculty member and chamber music co-chair Vasily Popov and composition chair Evan Meier for an afternoon of music and conversation, centered on the art of the cello etude.

Highlights:

• Explore the history of the etude as it developed from a study tool into concert repertoire, along with evolving performance practices on the cello.
• Deepen your listening skills by understanding how melody, harmony, rhythm, structure, and style shape these works.
• Gain insight into the technical and artistic demands of performance.
• Explore how etudes shape a performer’s growth at different stages of study.

Featuring live performances by Vasily Popov and his students, this event offers a window into the inner workings of both the practice room and the concert stage. Featuring works by Kummer, Dotzauer, Piatti, Popper, Romberg, Davidoff, and more.

• • November 8
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Chopin’s Preludes

  Join piano faculty member Crystal Jiang and composition chair Evan Meier for a conversation and performance exploring Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28.

  
• • December 16
  • 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

  Lecture | The Eternal Optimism of the American Musical

  Featuring performances by Joey Clark and Levine chorus members, this event showcases Broadway songs that speak to themes of unity, hope, and peace.

  
• • January 17
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Bach’s Chaconne and Other Masterworks for Solo Violin

  Join violin faculty members Kimberly Galva and Yan Izquierdo with composition chair Evan Meier to discover how Bach transformed traditional dances and adapted elaborate contrapuntal writing for the solo violin.

  

Join violinist Annabelle Berthomé-Reynolds for a lecture-recital exploring how bow technique influences musical expression in French violin music from the late 19th to early 20th century. Featuring works by Saint-Saëns, Fauré, and Aubert, the program highlights the shifting stylistic demands of each composer, from nuance to brilliance.

Through performance and commentary, Annabelle will demonstrate how the French school of violin playing evolved across this pivotal period. From Saint-Saëns’ clarity and virtuosity to Fauré’s lyrical refinement and Aubert’s impressionistic textures, each composer requires distinct approaches to bowing, phrasing, and rhythm that shape both the sound and gestures of French violin performance.

Program:
Louis Aubert, Sonata for Violin and Piano (1926)
Camille Saint-Saëns, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28 for Violin and Piano (1863)
Gabriel Fauré, Berceuse, Op. 16 for Violin and Piano (1879)

Annabelle Berthomé-Reynolds, violin
Crystal Jiang, piano

• • November 8
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Chopin’s Preludes

  Join piano faculty member Crystal Jiang and composition chair Evan Meier for a conversation and performance exploring Frédéric Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28.

  
• • December 16
  • 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

  Lecture | The Eternal Optimism of the American Musical

  Featuring performances by Joey Clark and Levine chorus members, this event showcases Broadway songs that speak to themes of unity, hope, and peace.

  
• • January 17
  • 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST

  Lecture | Discovering Bach’s Chaconne and Other Masterworks for Solo Violin

  Join violin faculty members Kimberly Galva and Yan Izquierdo with composition chair Evan Meier to discover how Bach transformed traditional dances and adapted elaborate contrapuntal writing for the solo violin.