American Liszt Society Festival
The focal point of each year's American Liszt Society calendar of events. Historically, festivals have been held at a wide variety of locations in the United States and Canada. Festivals are typically hosted by a university, a library, a local ALS chapter, or a music performance organization.
Those interested in hosting a festival should contact the President of ALS.
International festivals have been added to provide performance opportunities abroad for ALS members.
Such festivals have been held in China, Budapest, Prague, Brazil, and Italy.
THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN LISZT SOCIETY
2024 ALS FESTIVAL
THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
OCTOBER 13-16
"The Composer-Pianist"
THE COMPOSER-PIANIST
The 2024 American Liszt Society Festival celebrates:
The ongoing legacy of Liszt
The 60th anniversary of ALS
The centennial of the death of Ferruccio Busoni
The work and life of composer-pianists from Liszt to Busoni to Marc-André Hamelin
The festival program includes lectures, concerts, an exhibit in the Georgia Museum of Art, a documentary on the life of Josef Hofmann (produced by ALS Medalist Gregor Benko), and a world premiere (commissioned by ALS) of a new solo piano work from festival headliner and ALS Medalist Marc-André Hamelin.
Registration and Hotels
Registration opens on July 10. Registration fees*
$25
$40
$50
ALS student members
MTNA, NATS, AMS student members
All others holding a valid student I.D.
Student registrations include discounted tickets to Marc-André Hamelin recital ($10)
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Registrations include discounted tickets to Marc-André Hamelin recital ($40)
*Please note that joining the American Liszt Society for 2024, in addition to a lower festival registration fee, offers receipt of the ALS Newsletter and the next issue of the Journal of the American Liszt Society.
ALS annual dues: Member - $50, Student Member - $25 Go to www.americanlisztsociety.net/join-als
Festival hotels rooms: $169 per night
(Links for hotel reservations to follow later in May)
$90
$140
$180
ALS members
MTNA, NATS, AMS members
All others
PROGRAM
(subject to change)
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SOLO RECITAL
Marc-André Hamelin
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MASTER CLASS
Marc-André Hamelin
LISZT’S HEIR: BUSONI AND WEIMAR
Erinn Knyt, lecturer
Carmen Fantasy by Busoni
Turandot’s Frauengemach by Busoni
Nadejda Vlaeva
BUSONI’S INTERACTION WITH
LISZT’S STUDENTS
Richard Zimdars, lecturer
THE SHADOW OF BACH
Suite, Op. 1 (excerpts) by d’Albert
Nicholas Susi
Prelude and Fugue, Op. 6 by Sgambati
Paul Barnes
Fantasy and Fugue on BACH by Liszt
Kemal Gekic
LISZT/MEDTNER RECITAL
Fairy Tales by Medtner
Yakov Kasman
Lieder by Liszt and Medtner
Kevin McMillan, baritone, Gabriel Dobner
Sonata in B Minor by Liszt
Terrence Wilson
CROSSING GENRES:
IMPROVISATION AND JAZZ
Music by Friedrich Gulda and Billy Mayerl
Daniel Horn, Martin Jones
Greg Satterthwaite, James Weidman
LATE SCRIABIN LECTURE-RECITAL
Selected late short pieces
Sonata No. 6
Matthew Bengston, Dmitry Rachmanov, Evgeny Rivkin
JOSEF HOFMANN: GENIUS AND DREAMER
Documentary produced by ALS medalist Gregor Benko
with footage never before seen, it explores the art and life of pianist Josef Hofmann. With Marc-André Hamelin, Charles Rosen, Garrick Ohlsson, Ruth Slenczynska, Constance Keene, Will Crutchfield, the 105-year-old Eleanor Sokoloff, and others discussing Hofmann.
WINGS: LECTURE RECITAL
Liszt: St. Francis’ Sermon to the Birds
Jorge Luis Mododell, lecturer
St. Francis’ Sermon to the Birds by Liszt
Spencer Myer
Birds of Paradise by Shulamit Ran
TWO PIANOS
Improvisation on Bach’s “Wie wohl ist mir” by Busoni
Meeyoun Park, Matthew Gianforte
Sonata for Two Pianos by George Walker
Alexandre Dossin, Brian Hsu
New work (first performance) by Eric Tran
Nathan Cheung, Eric Tran
LISZT AND THE SUBLIME
Robert Doran, lecturer
HEXAMERON
Liza Stepanova, Alan Woo
WOMEN COMPOSER-PIANISTS: LECTURE-RECITAL
Femmes de légende by Mel Bonis
Anna Hawkins, lecturer, Grace Huang, piano
Sonata, first movement by Agi Jambor
Heather Hancock, lecturer, Ji-Hyang Gwak, piano
FROM THREE CENTURIES
Berceuse, Op. 22 by Zarebski
Eva Polgar
Polonaise, Op. 16 by Zarebski
Derek Parsons
Vocalise by Rachmaninoff
Caroline Hong, Ryan Behan
Preludes by Ronn Yedidia
Gila Goldstein
ALS COMPOSERS
Alone by Kemal Gekic
Movement by Kemal Gekic
Kemal Gekic
Poem by Asiya Korepanova
Brandon Quarles, saxophone
Asiya Korepanova, piano
FROM HUNGARY
Dance Suite by Bartok
Robert Satterlee
Sonata by Dohnanyi
Katya Moeller, violin
Ksenia Nosikova, piano
Lisztomania by Péter Eötvös
Caroline Owen, David Kalhous, piano
Why Attend a Liszt Festival?
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Franz Liszt was perhaps the most misunderstood musician in the history of our art. His image has been used as a model of showmanship and shallow virtuosity. In fact, one important source on the history of piano playing includes a chapter on Liszt entitled
"Thunder, Lightning, Mesmerism, and Sex"! (Harold Schonberg, The Great Pianists.)
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One has only to read a few pages of Alan Walker's monumental three-volume biography of Franz Liszt before realizing that, in truth, Liszt was a deep thinker, and he had a profound effect on the musical minds of his day.
His inspiration, genius, and generosity influenced the development of musical thought well into the twentieth century.
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His was an attitude of service to his fellow musicians and to humanity.
The paradox of the notoriety of his worldly existence has, for over a century, obscured the deep religious conviction evident in his music.
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The Annual Conferences, also known as Festivals, of The American Liszt Society, hosted by various universities or other organizations throughout North America, provide an opportunity to learn more about this fascinating musician through lectures, recitals, master classes, and concerts.
Often, a sumptuous banquet and informal receptions are included in the itinerary, which most often covers a three-day time span. Perhaps equally important is the camaraderie enjoyed by Festival participants and the new musical friendships that are established as an outgrowth of the event.
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Each Conference/Festival has a theme that presents Liszt's music and the music of his contemporaries and successors in public venues.
Some Liszt Festival themes have included "An Exploration of the Italian Aspect of Liszt: Spirituality, Italian Art and Poetry, and Virtuosity,"; "The Works for Piano and Orchestra,"; "Heaven on Earth: Exploring the Sacred in Music,"; "A Celebration of Liszt and Matthay"; "Liszt in Paris"; "Anniversaries and Connections"; "Liszt in Weimar"; "Liszt and the Future"; "Celebrating Liszt and Chopin"; "Liszt as Missionary,"; "Liszt and Hungary,"; and "Liszt and His Pupils." to name just a few.
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The yearly Conference/Festival and its partner events will appeal to scholars, performers, and music lovers of all ages,
from professional musicians to young students.
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Hopefully, by attending these festivals, an image of Liszt will emerge for you that will contribute to a reassessment of his treasury of uplifting music, his importance in the dissemination of music throughout Europe in the nineteenth century, and his beneficence that allowed both the mighty and the meek to attain a higher spiritual and musical good. We sincerely hope it will be possible for you to join us in an unforgettable musical experience!