Classics IV: Romantic Connections
Classics IV: Romantic Connections
Johannes Müller Stosch, conductor
Mikhail Korzhev, piano
West Ottawa Performing Arts Center
Click here to view or download a PDF of the West Ottawa Performing Arts seating chart.
Arturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026)
BONDS Montgomery Variations
MARX Romantic Piano Concerto
Mexican composer Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is one of the most frequently performed Latin American pieces in the orchestral canon today. It is based on the Cuban danzón. Márquez writes, “Danzón 2 … endeavors to get as close as possible to the dance, to its nostalgic melodies, to its wild rhythms, and although it violates its intimacy, its form and its harmonic language, it is a very personal way of paying my respects and expressing my emotions towards truly popular music.”
After studying piano and composition with Florence Price in Chicago, Margaret Bonds composed her variations in the wake of the 1963 firebombing of Birmingham, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. She describes them as “a group of freestyle variations based on the Negro Spiritual theme; I want Jesus to Walk with Me. The treatment suggests the manner in which Bach constructed his partitas – a bold statement of the theme, followed by variations of the theme.” A profound lyricist and yearning optimist, Austrian composer Joseph Marx considered himself a musical poet of happiness. HSO Music Director Johannes Müller Stosch describes his 1919 Romantic Piano Concerto as “the Austrian counterpart of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto, with lush romantic melodies, harmonies, and plenty of technical fireworks for the soloist.” The piece was resurrected and made popular by famed pianist Jorge Bolet, is a rarely performed gem melding orchestra with piano in a duet of energy and radiant lyricism.
Mikhail Korzzev is one of the few pianists of this generation who has the boldness, technique, and strength to take on Marx’s Romantic Piano Concerto. He “projects strength, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review)
Program
Arturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 (Audience Choice 2026)
The Montgomery Variations
Margaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972)
1. Decision
2. Prayer Meeting
3. March
4. Dawn in Dixie
5. One Sunday in the South
6. Lament
7. Benediction
Romantic Piano Concerto (Michigan premiere)
Joseph Marx 1882-1964
1. Lebhaft (Allegro moderato)
2. Nicht zu langsam (Andante affettuoso)
3. Sehr lebhaft (Allegro molto)
Mikhail Korzhev, piano
Learn more about the music…
We will be hosting not only the Classical Chat series at Freedom Village, but also Pre-Concert Talks! Details below:
Classical Chats at Freedom Village: These informative and fun talks are led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and take place at 3 pm on the Thursday before each Classics concert. (Freedom Village, 6th Floor Auditorium, 145 Columbia Ave.)
Pre-Concert Talks: These talks, led by Johannes Müller-Stosch and Amanda Dykhouse, are online under the "Pre-Concert Talk" Tab.
New to the Symphony? Check out the Frequently Asked Question page…
Mikhail Korzhev, a pianist that “projects strength, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…” (International Record Review) is equally active as a solo recitalist, a performer with various chamber groups, a soloist with orchestras, and as a recording artist. His latest CD recordings, the two volumes of a Complete Piano Concertos by Ernst Krenek in collaboration with English Symphony Orchestra and Kenneth Woods were released by Toccata Classics in 2016 and 2017 to enthusiastic reviews in Gramophone, Diapason and other publications, made it to the “want list” of Fanfare magazine, became one of “10 Best Contemporary Records of the Year” by The Times (London), and in December 2017 made it to the list of “Top 10 Best Classical Records of the Year” by Forbes magazine. In September 2017 Korzhev became a recipient of a prestigious Anassilaos Prize, the annual award for the achievements in Arts and Sciences given by the local government of the province of Calabria (Italy).
Korzhev collaborated with several distinguished conductors: Sergiu Commissiona, Carlo Ponti Jr. and others, his chamber music collaborations include performing with soloists of Russian National Orchestra, Mladi Chamber Orchestra, Lyris String Quartet, and members of St. Petersburg and Tokyo String Quartets among others. His collaborative work was highly appreciated by Eugenia Zukerman, Richard Stolzman, Oleh Krysa and other noted musicians. Korzhev’s performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press: ”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera, Rome).”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune).
His particular interest in contemporary music has lead Korzhev to participate in the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005, which had the emphasis on the music of Ernst Krenek. As a winner of that competition Korzhev gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has a lot of affection for Krenek’s style… brings out well the dramatic qualities of his music…” Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos in 2008 that became an instant top seller and received several very enthusiastic reviews in the press.
Korzhev’s discography also includes three CD recordings featuring compositions for solo piano and chamber works by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann (in collaboration with Alyssa Park and Lyris string quartet) and a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com.
Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He taught at University of Southern California. Currently he is on the faculty of California State University at Fullerton and Chapman University. Since 2008 Korzhev is the faculty member at Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna, Austria.
Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from University of Southern California, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at Moscow Conservatory College.