NATCHITOCHES – Violinist Andrej Kurti will hold a CD release concert for his new recording of Bach’s “Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin” on Tuesday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. The concert is open to the public. There is no admission charge. A livestream will be available at nsula.edu/capa/capalivestream. Kurti is a professor of violin at Northwestern State University.
The release of the CD completes a trilogy of recordings of some of the most challenging works for the violin which includes Paganini’s “Twenty-Four Caprices for Solo Violin,” Ysaye’s “Six Sonatas for Solo Violin” and Bach’s “Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin.
“These works are considered the most beautiful, challenging, and important works in the solo violin repertoire,” said Kurti. “They are the three ‘Mount Everests’ each aspiring violinist is dreaming of eventually climbing: performing and recording. Most recently I have completed the recording of the “trilogy” which has allowed me to join the company of a select elite violinists who recorded all three sets during their careers.”
Kurti believes every artist, whether a teacher or performer has or should have, certain compositions or opuses as their “dream goals” or “dream achievements,” which they set as one of the ultimate performing/teaching/recording milestones.
Kurti recorded the works by Ysaye in 2012 and the Paganini CD in 2019. Dr. Sergei Kvitko has been his executive producer and sound engineer for Blue Griffin Recording. He said the work that went into the first CD went beyond the accomplishment of completing a recording.
“The process of preparation and the completion of such a project had immediate positive results in the areas of research/teaching/performing aspects,” said Kurti. “First, personally, I had to work hard on excelling in my performing skills, combined with the in-depth research regarding the Opus 27, which widened my teaching approaches and methods used in a daily studio teaching. I believe that if (performance wise) I get better- my students get better.”
Kurti said the CD is nationally and internationally distributed, with the name of Northwestern State in the biographical credits, which brought attention to the music program.
“I received inquiries by potential students and their teachers throughout the United States, South America, and Europe,” he said. “The release of the CD, containing one of the most challenging and loved Opuses, helped in attracting talented students towards our music program and my violin studio.”
“Paganini’s Twenty-Four Caprices for Solo Violin,” was recorded in Magale Recital Hall at Northwestern State.
“Technically extremely challenging and musically very charming and emotional, this masterwork is an essential repertoire and source for more advanced violin studying and growth in the performance field,” said Kurti. “So far, this opus has been recorded only by a few violinists, some of them being the leading artists of our time, and role models for many aspiring performers.”
Kurti said Bach’s “Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin” completes his “dream milestone.”
“They are believed to be the foundation and inspiration for composers such as Paganini and Ysaye, and due to their exceptional musical beauty and value, sonatas and partitas remain the most essential teaching and performing violin repertoire,”
A reception honoring Kurti will follow the concert.
