Prolific composer Franz Schubert composed his final three sonatas just three weeks before he died at 31 years old in 1828. On October 3, University at Albany’s music department will host Kwok-Wai Lio to perform those three sonatas as a set.
Kuok-Wai Lio graduated from the Curtis School of Music and has gone on to perform across the world as a pianist and chamber musician. Kuok-Wai has been invited as far as Europe to attend Sir András Schiff’s Masterclass and as close as Caramoor for Leon Fleisher’s mentorship program. He’s performed for former President of the People’s Republic of China, Hu Jintao, and at Carnegie Hall. Now, Kuok-Wai will return to New York as University at Albany’s Guest Pianist.
The three sonatas — Sonata in A major, D. 959; Sonata in B major, D. 960 and Sonata in C minor, D. 958 — represent a finality to Franz Schubert’s illustrious yet short career. Schubert wrote over 600 art songs, several symphonies, chamber and incidental music and an opera over his life. In these final three sonatas, Schubert swirled together formal compositional structures with structural inventions from his contemporaries and himself.
The show will be at 7:30 at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center, on the Uptown University at Albany campus — 1400 Washington Avenue. Advance tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty and staff. Day of show tickets are $10 for the general public and $8 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty and staff. All tickets must be purchased on-line from the UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s site.
The post Guest artist Kuok-Wai Lio to perform Schubert’s final three sonatas at UAlbany appeared first on NYS Music.
