Virtuosic Bassoonist and Pianist Duo Spur “Dance Fever”

“Eleni’s romantic sounding bassoon was the perfect foil for the piano.” —The Royal Gazette

“Gave the audience cause to marvel at his mesmerizing artistry and extraordinary ability to communicate...a brilliant performance played with astonishing vigor.” —The Post-Standard

MALIBU, CA – February 20, 2024 – The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts presents the connected and masterful Eleni Katz and Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner at Raitt Recital Hall as part of the Bergmann Recital Series on Pepperdine University’s campus in Malibu on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 2 p.m.

Hailed for her virtuosity and vibrant musical spirit, bassoonist Eleni Katz has established herself as a prominent soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. Katz is a winner of the 2022 Concert Artist Guild Competition and has performed with several of the nation’s top ensembles, including the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Sarasota Orchestra, and as a member of the New World Symphony. 

“A gifted virtuoso” (San Francisco Chronicle), Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner at 25 holds multiple degrees from Juilliard and Yale; was named a winner of the Concert Artists Guild 2022 Victor Elmaleh Competition and distinguished as a Gilmore Young Artist, an honor awarded to the most promising American pianists of the new generation; performed at the White House and Kennedy Center for Presidents Obama and Biden. His multi-faceted artistry has been featured on NPR, PBS, CNN International, the Wall Street Journal, and WDR-Arte. He received the Atlantic Council Young Global Citizen Award recognizing social action through music in Iraq, Rwanda, France, Canada, and USA; General Petraeus commended his “courageous humanitarian contributions through the arts…strengthening the ties that unite our nations.”. 

Each distinguished and uniquely recognized in their craft, Katz and Werner come together to uplift and transcend the music that's on the page, into a living experience of revealing artistry and beautiful connectivity. Incorporating a wide range of music, this program will take audiences around the world with music written by an expansive assortment of composers, hailing from places all over the globe such as Cuba, Taiwan, France, Russia, and Mexico. 

The rousing program for "Dance Fever" includes Pièce en forme de Habanera by Maurice Ravel, Andante and Hungarian Rondo by Carl Maria von Weber, Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp minor, Opus 39 by Frédéric Chopin, Spring Fever by Cindi Hsu, Jarabe Tapatío by Jesús González Rubio, Bésame Mucho by Consuelo Velázquez, Récit et Allegro by Nöel-Gallon, and The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky. 

Tickets, priced at $30 for the public and $10 for full-time Pepperdine students, are available now by calling (310) 506-4522 or online at the "Dance Fever" event page.

 

About the Bergmann Recital Series

The Bergmann Recital Series at Pepperdine University has delighted audiences with new and emerging classical musicians since 1993. With intimate Sunday afternoon performances in Raitt Recital Hall, the series is known nationally for the high quality of its performances, the stunning location, the beautiful and acoustically superior venues, and the engagement and loyalty of its audience. Many of the featured artists have gone on to significant critical and professional acclaim, including cellist Johannes Moser, pianist Haochen Zhang, soprano Jessica Rivera, and cellist Alisa Weilerstein. The Recital Series is made possible by the generous support of G. Beverly Bergmann and other funders to the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts.

 

About the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts

Delighting more than 50,000 patrons and participants annually with live performances, art exhibitions, and local outreach opportunities, the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts serves as a hub for the arts on Pepperdine University’s Malibu campus, uniquely linking professional guest artists with Pepperdine students as well as patrons from surrounding Southern California communities. Three performance spaces, including the 450-seat Smothers Theatre, the 124-seat Raitt Recital Hall, and the “black box” Lindhurst Theatre, host hundreds of performances, rehearsals, and master classes throughout the year. The Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, a dynamic, two-story exhibition space, showcases a revolving selection of modern and contemporary art with a focus on art made in California.

 

Event Details

WHAT: Eleni Katz, bassoon and Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner, piano in “Dance Fever”
WHEN: Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA
TICKETS: (310) 506-4522 or "Dance Fever" event page
PRICES: $30 

 

Photos

Download a photo of Eleni Katz
Download a photo of Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner

 

Media Contact

Ericka Sherrill
Marketing and Publicity Manager, Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts
ericka.sherrill@pepperdine.edu
310.506.4055