Dream Piano Drama for Two Pianos, Violoncello and Dancers Concept by Sabrina He Wed March 21 8pm USC Newman Alfred Recital Hall Art Directors: Kenneth J. Foster Stewart L. Gordon Rachel Fine Jun Xu
Performers: Classical Piano：Sabrina He Jazz Piano：Paul Voia-Tipei Cello：Cristina Basili Dance：Jordan Johnson，Jessie Lee Thorne
Introduction
By filming the adaption of music performance combined with visual experience, this program showcases the fascinating intertwining of visual and sound culture that creates a unique, stunning performance full of visual delight and listening pleasure. The jazz music in the show symbolizes the hero’s unrestrained, humorous attitude towards life; the classical music signifies the innocent and romantic character of the heroine. The collision of different styles of music, interwoven with dance expressing the inner world of the characters, show the audience the combination and conflict of reality and fantasy in life. Not a single word will be spoken by the characters as they allow the expressions of music and dance to tell their story. The music will guide the developing love story, showing the audience a brand new artistic form of piano drama in a captivating auditory and visual feast.
Synopsis
Sabrina, a young girl, has a happy childhood growing up in a wealthy and cultured family, full of longing and anticipation of the outside world and her future. She lives a carefree life, believing that everything in the world is as beautiful as a dream. One day, she meets the gifted pianist, Paul. Sabrina is deeply attracted to his handsome features and talent. She feels that Paul is her prince charming and Mr. Right. The two quickly fall in love and start to dream of a happy future together. Over time, the differences in their understanding of the world and their pursuit of life come to light. Paul aspires to live a free and unrestrained life, hoping to travel all over the world. On the other hand, Sabrina is satisfied with the happy and intimate world of just the two of them and thinks that it is enough as long as they have each other, not wanting too much adventure or drama in her life. The once happy couple quarreled over these slight differences, which gradually grew to huge conflicts, creating an irreconcilable gulf between them.
Paul left. Sabrina became very sad, depressed and struggled in pain, until one day, she accidentally comes to the spot where they first met and recalled many happy memories. She suddenly realizes that life is just like that – how finding the life you desired does not go as planned, but if it is meant to be, one day fate will bring your love and dreams to fruition.
Program
Scene 1 1. Strauss/Schulz-evler: Blue Danube Waltz (sections) Piano: Sabrina 2. Faure: Après un rêve (After a dream) Cello: Cristina Piano: Sabrina Dance: Jessie
Scene 2 3. Chopin: Waltz in A Minor Piano: Sabrina 4. Chopin: Waltz in A Minor (Jazz version) Piano: Paul 5. Chopin: Waltz in C-sharp Minor (sections) Piano: Sabrina 6. Churchill: Someday My Prince Will Come Piano: Paul 7. Chopin: Waltz in D-flat Major Piano: Sabrina 8. Corea: Got A Match? Piano: Paul 9. Ginastera: Danza de la moza donosa (Dance of the Beautiful Maiden), from Danzes Argentina Piano: Sabrina Dance: Jordan, Jessie 10. Piazzolla: Libertango Two Pianos: Sabrina, Paul; Dance: Jordan, Jessie
Scene 3 11. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (sections) Piano: Paul 12. Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody in A minor (sections) Piano: Sabrina
13. Poulenc: Sonata for Four hands III. Finale Two Pianos: Sabrina, Paul Dance: Jordan, Jessie 14. Sting/Miller: Shape of My Heart Piano: Paul
Scene 4
15. Chopin: E Minor Prelude Cello: Cristina, Piano: Sabrina 16. Debussy: Clair de lune (sections) Piano: Sabrina; Dance: Jordan, Jessie 17. Strauss/Schulz-evler: Blue Danube Waltz (sections) Piano: Sabrina
Performers Biography Classical Piano：Sabrina He Jazz Piano：Paul Voia-Tipei Cello：Cristina Basili Dance：Jordan Johnson，Jessie Lee Thorne
Sabrina He USC Thornton School of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts Cultivated and educated by her father since the age of four, Sabrina Xiao He has displayed an exceptional talent and a sincere enthusiasm in piano. She has performed actively in Asia, Europe and North America. She won the first Place at Tuesday Musical Scholarship Competition in U.S., is a scholarship Recipient of Bell T. Ritchie Award in U.S. and the third Prize Winner of 2015 International Music Competition Paris Grand Prize Virtuoso in Paris, France; She was the winner of Music Teachers’ Association of California Piano Concerto Competition in North California, and performed Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 with Thousand Oaks Orchestra in Los Angeles in 2010. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and her Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. She has studied with renowned masters including Paul Schenly, Daniel Shapiro and Sharon Mann; she has also worked with legendary artists include Leon Fleisher, John Perry and Yoheved Kaplinsky. She is currently a full-scholarship recipient and teaching assistant in the keyboard department, pursuing her Doctoral of Musical Arts degree majoring in piano performance at the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California, under the tutelage of Prof. Stewart Gordon.
Paul Voia-Tipei USC Thornton School of Music, Master of Music Paul Voia-Tipei was born in Arad, Romania. He won the 1st place in the Pro Piano International Competition, Bucharest, and 2nd place in the Carl Filtsch International Piano Competition, Sibiu. In 2005, Paul and his family left Romania and moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Paul won 1st place in the Concerto Division AZ Piano-Schimmel Young Artist Competition, and in 2013 he performed Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto with the ASU Symphony as a winner of the annual ASU Concert of Soloists competition. He has also performed as a soloist several times with orchestras including the Mesa Symphony and the Orchestra in Residence in Italy at 2011 Music Fest Perugia. Paul received his Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance at Arizona State University and is currently finishing his Graduate Certificate at USC under the instruction of pianist Daniel Pollack.
Cristina Basili USC Thornton School of Music, Master of Music Cristina Basili was born into a Greek family of musicians in Vienna. Since 2005, she has also worked intensively with Prof. David Grigorian in Munich. With a scholarship of the Onassis Foundation Greece, she obtained a Master Performance Diploma from University of Arts in Berne in 2015. She is currently studying at Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles with Ralph Kirshbaum. She is prize winner of national and international competitions as "Prima La Musica", Austria, International Cello Competition in Liezen/ Styria , Janigro International Competition for young cellists, Croatia, Lions Austria Music Competition, Brahms International Cello Competition. In 2011 she won a prize grant from the Rahn Foundation in Zurich, which placed a master cello at her disposal. As a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician Cristina Basili has performed at famous venues throughout Europe and has been invited to play at international festivals such as the Riva Music Festival, Italy, the International Enescu Festival in Sinaia, Romania, Aigina and Nafplion Festivals, Greece, Jugendmusikfestival Coburg, Germany.
Jessie Lee Thorne The Boston Conservatory, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Creative Performance Jessie Lee Thorne began her professional dance training at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and continued at The Boston Conservatory, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Creative Performance. Upon graduation, Jessie joined the Imperfect Dancers Company in Italy. She has traveled through America, Europe, Russia, and Israel performing works by Walter Matteini, Ohad Naharin, Jiri Kylian, Lester Horton, Doug Varone, Robert Moses Kin’, and Adam Barruch. She has premiered her own choreography at The Boston Conservatory and The American College Dance Festival.
Jordan Johnson USC Kaufman School of Dance, Bachelor of Dance Invited by Lincoln Center, Jordan Johnson has performed live with Josh Groban, originated a role in Daniel Ezralows "Pearl", and recently has had the pleasure of helping Emma Portner set work on Justin Bieber's Dancers for Bieber's "Purpose" Tour. In the past few years, he has been in music videos for Katy Perry, Pentatonix, Peaches, Yacht, and others. In addition, Jordan currently attends USC where he will graduate with a bachelor's in dance in 2019. Special thanks to sponsor:
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