Anne-Marie McDermott, Piano

Appearing: March 5-8, The Glory of Russia. Purchase tickets here.

"I have a very intense relationship with Prokofiev's piano repertoire and chamber music. In 2003, I toured with the complete cycle of nine Piano Sonatas and recorded all of them - 2 CDs have been released and one is forthcoming. I also did a series of concerts at the Lincoln Center Festival with the complete Piano Sonatas and the complete chamber music. I spent a couple of years steeped in his repertoire and developed a much deeper understanding of his language.

What I find so intriguing and challenging about Prokofiev's repertoire is the extreme range of emotional demands as well as physical demands. He demands the performer to explore emotions ranging between naive, innocent, humorous, devastation, despair, irony, sarcasm, powerful, ferocious, biting, passion and ecstasy. His writing allows the performer to explore a very wide range of colors at the piano and a great sense of abandon.

The Visions Fugitives present a gentler side of Prokofiev, but no less imaginative and inventive. It encompasses a series of visions in the context of small and brief movements that contrast each other. These present a more subdued Prokofiev in a dialogue between piano and strings. They are brief night visions that are fleeting and evocative. The Visions Fugitives allow the listener to experience a very personal and intimate side of Prokofiev. They provide a perfect contrast to the Shostakovich Concerto which is extremely fiery and intense and flamboyant - it's a magical contrast!"

Ms. McDermott joins the NCCO in March for The Glory of Russia. Purchase tickets to see her perform here.