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Absolute Ensemble & Simone Dinnerstein: Absolute Bach Re-invented "irreverently inspired"

  Tobias

Simone Dinnerstein, described as "the pianists' pianist of Generation X" by The New Yorker magazine, is highly regarded for her emotive performances. Slate Magazine compared her to Wanda Landowska and Myra Hess; based in New York, Dinnerstein garnered an international following after the 2007 release of her recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The recording took the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard Classical Chart in just one week.

Conductor Kristjan Järvi, who was born in Estonia and raised in the U.S., pushes the borders of classical music with his technical prowess and a notable charisma. His creativity infuses originality and enthusiasm into the traditional repertoire; he serves both as artistic advisor to the Basel Chamber Orchestra and the founder and director of Absolute Ensemble.

In their performance of what Järvi calls "music without borders," Absolute Ensemble weaves together numerous music genres, and ensemble members not only compose their pieces, but are often called upon to improvise during performances. Kristjan Järvi designed the Absolute Bach Re-invented concert to showcase the multi-talented ensemble members who are also writers – Charles Coleman, resident composer, guitarist Gene Pritsker, pianist Matt Herskowitz, cellist Mike Block, and saxophonist Daniel Schnyder.

Founded in 1993 in New York, Järvi’s Absolute Ensemble tours widely whilst maintaining bases in both New York and at Musikfest Bremen in Germany. Awarded the Deutsche Bank Prize at Musikfest Bremen for outstanding musical achievement, Absolute Ensemble’s recordings also garnered the German Record Critic’s Prize and a Grammy nomination.

The concert tour featuring pianist Simone Dinnerstein will include performances in Toronto, Ontario (February 18 at Koerner Hall, The Royal Conservatory), New York City (February 19 at Le Poisson Rouge), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (February 20 at Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center) and Austin, Texas (February 26 at Hogg Memorial Auditorium, University of Texas).

Image by Pavel Antonov

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