Saturday, April 1, 2023 • 2:30 p.m.
The Unitarian Church at 6556 35th Avenue NE
Harmonia Chamber Players
Joseph Vaz, piano
Program
Kenji Bunch (*1973)
Summer Hours
William C. White (*1983)
Piano Sonata, Op. 45
— intermission —
Robert Schumann (*1810–1856)
Piano Quintet in E♭ major, Op. 44
About the Concert
Joseph Vaz, an exciting, young New York–based pianist, joins members of Harmonia for an afternoon of chamber music new and old. The centerpiece of the program is the West Coast premiere of the piano sonata composed specifically for Mr. Vaz by Harmonia’s music director, William White.
Health & Safety
Harmonia musicians all have up-to-date vaccination status and those performing without masks undergo testing prior to each performance. We ask that in-person audience members be up to date with their vaccinations to the extent they are able (although vaccine cards will no longer be checked at the door). All attendees are strongly encouraged to wear a mask during the performance. (These policies are subject to change throughout the season based on local health guidelines and mandates, as well as the policies of the venues at which we perform.)
Guest Artist
A “performer of complex repertoire” (Isle of Wight Arts League Creative Voice), pianist Joseph Vaz has performed internationally as a soloist and chamber musician in the United States, Canada, Austria and Italy, in venues from Carnegie Hall to the Arnold Schönberg Center in Vienna. Born in Faro, Portugal, Mr. Vaz now lives in New York City and studies at the CUNY Graduate Center with the renowned pianist and pedagogue Julian Martin. He is a laureate of several national and international competitions since 2012, with recent performances at the Seattle International Piano Competition, Robert Beardsley Piano Prize Competition and the West Virginia International Piano Competition.
Mr. Vaz frequently performs at international festivals, including recent appearances at the Internationale Sommerakademie in Reichenau, Orford Music Academy, Bowdoin Music Festival and Chautauqua Piano Institute. He has played for several acclaimed artists and pedagogues, including Byron Janis, Jerome Lowenthal, Jon Nakamatsu, John Perry and Natalya Antonova. His orchestral debut came with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in 2015, and he has also performed as soloist with the Seven Hills Sinfonietta and other orchestral ensembles.
An active collaborative pianist, Mr. Vaz has worked with a diverse array of musicians in chamber music and with multiple orchestras and choirs for operas and concert programs. He is a proponent of new music, working closely with several composers on pieces for world premieres. Interested in many genres, he enjoys working in contemporary music ensembles, musical theatre and popular music. Outside of music, Mr. Vaz holds a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a minor in French from Indiana University, and can be found on the 6 train with his nose in a book.