William Eddins Plays Granados’ Masterwork Goyescas

Milwaukee, Wisc. May 23, 2023 – PianoArts brings William Eddins back to the Milwaukee stage on June 11 – not as a conductor but as a pianist. Mr. Eddins brings to life Enrique Granados’ six-piece suite, Goyescas, a work rarely performed in its entirety, at 7:30 pm at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.

Based on artwork by Francisco Goya, Goyescas tells the classic story of passion, love, and loss like an opera for piano, and Mr. Eddins’ performance will capture that rich Spanish dance of life.

Mr. Eddins’ background in both piano and conducting gives him a unique way of interpreting and expressing this suite. “The work features a variety of moods and emotions, from the flirtatious and playful ‘Los requiebros’ to the hauntingly beautiful ‘Quejas, o La Maja y el ruiseñor’,” Mr. Eddins explains. “Granados creates a work that is both deeply rooted in the culture of Spain and universal in its appeal. Goyescas captures the spirit and energy of Spain in the early 20th century.”

Favorites, Elena Abend and Orlando Pimentel will open the concert with Manuel de Falla’s captivating Siete Canciones populares Españolas (“Seven Popular Spanish Songs”) for piano and clarinet. Written in the same time period as Goyescas, this piece is based on folk songs of the time and reflects the passion and aspirations of early 20^th century Spain.

 A Night in Spain

• Two flamenco guitarists from the music and dance troupe, Siempre Flamenco, create an atmosphere
• of early 1900’s Spain
• 6:30 pm Concert Conversations – well-known guest speaker, Meaghan Heinrich, takes the audience
• behind the curtain of the Goyescas story
• 7:30 pm Concert – Siete Canciones populares Españolas (“Seven Popular Spanish Songs)

Intermission.         Goyescas

• 9:00 pm Artists Reception – sangria and conversation as audience members connect with the artists while surrounded by the sounds of flamenco guitars

Concert Information
The concert will be performed at The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 1584 North Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee. Tickets are $15 for students; $25 for adults. Seating is limited, and reservations are encouraged. Please contact Sue Medford at 414-962-3055 or info@pianoarts.org.

About the Artists
Meghan Heinrich is an award-winning music teacher with the Milwaukee Public Schools. She is a frequent collaborator for education and community initiatives with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and has previously held positions on the education staff of The Cleveland Orchestra.

Venezuelan-born Elena Abend, piano, is a graduate of the Juilliard School. Her performances include Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, the Academy of Music as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and prestigious halls across Europe. An active chamber musician, Ms. Abend has collaborated at the renowned Marlboro and Ravinia Music Festivals. Ms. Abend is chair of piano studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she teaches piano performance, collaborative piano, and chamber music. She is also on the faculty at the New England Music Camp in Maine and the Collaborative Piano Institute at Louisiana State University.

Venezuelan-born Orlando Pimentel, clarinet, began his musical training in Venezuela’s System of Youth Orchestras (“El Sistema”). A member of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra from 1989 to 2009, performing under renowned conductors including Claudio Abbado, and Gustavo Dudamel. In 1988, he and three other colleagues formed the Caracas Clarinet Quartet, which traveled worldwide and won Venezuela’s National Artist Award for Best Classical Ensemble. He received his Master’s at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mr. Pimentel teaches clarinet at Lawrence University.

William Eddins is the Music Director Emeritus of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and a frequent guest conductor of major orchestras throughout the world, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. His recent engagements include conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra with Yo-Yo Ma, and collaborations with Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with both the Detroit Symphony and Minnesota Orchestra. Mr. Eddins also regularly conducts from the piano in works by Mozart, Beethoven, Gershwin, and Ravel.

An ardent supporter of both music and education, Mr. Eddins joined PianoArts in 2023 as Honorary Artistic Advisor. He co-founded the missional MetroNOME Brewery, a taproom in St. Paul whose mission is to nurture music education for local children.

About PianoArts
PianoArts exists to develop innovative ways to foster appreciation and performance of classical music by identifying and training new generations of pianists with exceptional musical and verbal communication skills, preparing them for performance, and presenting them to diverse audiences. For more information, visit PianoArts.org

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.