Vassil Kazandjiev (b. 1934) - Toccata 1957, New England Premiere by Tania Stavreva (Live!)

Performed live at the Boston International Summer Music Festival "Youth & Muse" Faculty Concert Series, Seully Hall, the Boston Conservatory, August 21st, 2008 (New England Premiere)

About the composer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassil_Kazandjiev
About Tania Stavreva: www.taniastavreva.com www.myspace.com/taniastavreva www.twitter.com/taniastavreva http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tania-Stavreva/72024680157

A Message from Tania Stavreva:

"On August 18th, 2008 I had the pleasure to meet and work with the composer during my visit in Sofia, Bulgaria. This was a great opportunity for me since the New England Premiere of the Toccata was only 3 days later in Boston, MA. I find that in this work there are a lot of rhythmic drive, lyrical lines and modern energy incorporated whiting the percussive elements that I identify myself with. I was grateful that I had the opportunity to work with the composer himself since he helped me bring out a lot of new voices and nuances in the piece that I wasn't aware of before. He also helped me think more orchestral, especially during the climaxes. This is what he said to me about the Toccata when I told him that I needed a program note:

The story regarding the creation of my "Toccata" for piano is funny and it is even quite absurd. In fact, this is the only piece that I wrote the fastest ever in my life. I was forced to do it since my Professor in Composition decided last minute that he didn't like my orchestral work for my final so I had to write the Toccata in just few days in order to graduate. So, this is how I graduated successfully from the Music Academy in Sofia in 1957. Now I am grateful to my Professor since I was never going to write this piece if I was not pushed by him :D. It turned out that now this is one of the most played compositions of mine."

Slide show: by Tim Daoust
About the images on the slide show:
1. Photo by Erwin Sityar
2. Photo by Bob Stegmaier
3. Live at Cornelia Street Cafe, NYC, December 26th, 2011
4. Live at Clive Davis Theater at the Grammy Museum, April 9th, 2011
5. at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony
6. Photo by Ed Friedman
7. Modeling Shoot for the New England School of Photography "Beauty & Glamor" Photo Sessions
8. Photo by David Mathews, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
9. Photo by Stuart Nacher
10. Photo by Stuart Nacher

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