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Sunday, June 29, 2025
— a “hybrid” event —
Michael Noble
piano
Engaging Complexity
From CHATGPT:
Francis Poulenc and Philip Glass, though from different musical traditions, share a remarkable ability to blend accessibility with innovation, creating works that resonate with both emotion and intellect. Poulenc, a key figure of the French neoclassical and post-Romantic schools, is known for his lyricism, wit, and embrace of contrasting styles. His music, often infused with a distinct French sensibility, balances lightheartedness with moments of deep introspection. Glass, representing the minimalist movement, takes a different approach, focusing on repetitive structures and shifting patterns to evoke an almost hypnotic quality. Despite their stylistic differences, both composers explore the interplay of structure and emotional depth. Poulenc’s dynamic shifts in texture and harmony can be compared to Glass’s repetitive cycles, where subtle variations unfold over time. The two share a common desire to push boundaries while maintaining a clear, communicative sound, creating a bridge between complexity and listener engagement.
PROGRAM
Ólafur Arnalds
“Saudade” (When We Are Born)
Francis Poulenc
“Mélancolie”
Philip Glass
Étude No. 2
Francis Poulenc
Improvisation No. 13, FP 170
Philip Glass
Étude No. 6
Francis Poulenc
Improvisation No. 15 in C Minor, FP 102
“Hommage à Édith Piaf”
Philip Glass
Étude No. 16
Francis Poulenc
“Trois Novelettes:”
No. 1 in C Major, FP 47
No. 2 in B-flat Minor, FP 47
Novelette on a Theme of Manuel de Falla
Francis Poulenc
Improvisation No. 1 in B Minor, FP 63
Presto
Philip Glass
Étude No. 7
Federico Mompou
“Damunt de tu Només les flors”
Philip Glass
Étude No. 12
BIOGRAPHY
Pianist Michael Noble is “a pianist with an admirable ability to serve the music at times with the subtlety of a master chamber music player, and also at times to blaze forth with commanding virtuosity and to carry [the audience] to dramatic climaxes.” (Lyn Bronson, Peninsula Reviews).
A prizewinner of numerous international competitions, Michael has been called “a pianist to remember” (Het Nieuwsblad) and “exceptional” (New York Concert Review). His most recent accolades include nominations in the Best Classical Artist and Best Classical Song categories at the 2024 Wammie Music Awards, the DC metro
area’s counterpart to the Grammys. He is also a Voting Member of The Recording Academy (the Grammys).
Michael has performed in renowned venues, including Weill and Zankel Halls at Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis), the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels, and the Preston Bradley Center in Chicago. Additionally, he is a sought-after guest artist, appearing regularly at festivals including the Gentsche Festspiele (Belgium), the Kwadrofonik Festival (Poland), the Forum de la Création Musicale (Belgium), Musiksommer Schloss Rosenegg (Austria), and the Thailand International Composition Festival. Michael has been featured as soloist with the Monterey and Tulsa Symphonies, and the Idyllwild
Arts Academy Alumni Orchestra, among others.
Michael holds a doctorate and two masters degrees from the Yale School of Music and a BM and BA in English Literature cum laude from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester respectively. In addition, he attended the Paris Conservatoire and the Royal Ghent Conservatory, the latter as a Fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation. His principal teachers and mentors include Peter Frankl, Nelita True, Melvin Chen, Daan Vandewalle, and Nicholas Angelich.
The 2024-25 season includes recitals, lectures and masterclasses throughout Thailand, solo performances in New York City, Brussels, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., and the release of his third studio album “Silver Screen.”
Michael resides in Washington, D.C. where he serves on the faculty of Levine Music. Previously, he resided in New York City where he was on faculty at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts, and Wetherby-Pembridge School New York.
Videos:
Mozart Sonata in A minor, K. 310
Glass Etude No. 9
Album: michaelnoble.hearnow.com/ascension
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