Rachmaninoff at 150

April 22–23, 2023
Sweeney Concert Hall, Sage Hall

As a quintessential composer and legendary pianist, Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) gave his United States debut at Smith College in 1909. For the remainder of his illustrious career, he returned to Smith three times and performed in the John M. Greene Hall. In 1942, his cousin and sister-in-law Sophie Satin arrived at Smith as a research associate and later became a visiting associate professor of botany until her retirement in 1955.

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Rachmaninoff’s birth, Smith College Music Department presents three concerts with all-Rachmaninoff programs featuring some celebrated solo piano works interspersed with lesser-known chamber and vocal works.

Curated by pianist Jiayan Sun, Assistant Professor of Music and Associate Chair for Performance Activities, these concerts will present distinguished guest artists including pianists Sergei Babayan and Melvin Chen, and cellist Ignacy Gaydamovich. The concerts will also feature Smith faculty artists and twelve student pianists.

7:30 p.m. | Chamber Music Concert
The program presents works from Rachmaninoff’s chamber music repertoire including both two-piano suites, Trio élégiaque no. 1, and selected songs. Featuring guest artists pianist Melvin Chen and cellist Ignacy Gaydamovich, with Joel Pitchon, violin; Katherine Saik, soprano; Yang Liu, piano; and Jiayan Sun, piano.

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)
Fantaisie (Tableaux), for Two Pianos, op. 5 (1893)    Jiayan Sun, piano I; Melvin Chen, piano II
Fritz Kreisler, arr.         Katherine Saik, soprano; Joel Pitchon, violin; Jiayan Sun, piano
Two Songs for Voice, Violin, and Piano
     К детям | To the Children, op. 26, no. 7 (1906)
     В молчаньи ночи тайной | In the Silence of the Night, op. 4, no. 3 (1893)

from Twelve Romances, op. 21 (1902) Katherine Saik, soprano; Jiayan Sun, piano
     no. 3 Сумерки | Twilight
     no. 5 Сирень | Lilacs
     no. 6 Отрывок из А. Мюссе | Loneliness: An Excerpt from de Musset
     no. 8 На смерть чижика | On the Death of a Linnet
     no. 10 Пред иконой | Before the Icon
     no. 11 Я не пророк | No Prophet I

Intermission

Trio élégiaque, no. 1 in G Minor (1892)
          Joel Pitchon, violin; Ignacy Gaydamovich, cello; Jiayan Sun, piano
Suite no. 2 for Two Pianos, op. 17 (1901)     Yang Liu, piano I; Jiayan Sun, piano II