Program Includes Works by Schumann and Ravel

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2006, AT 8 PM

Colburn Celebrity Series is Generously Supported by the Colburn Foundation

This Concert is Sponsored by KPCC-FM, 89.3

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who captivates audiences worldwide with his compelling performances and poetic interpretations, returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall for a solo recital program on Wednesday, February 22, 2006, at 8 p.m. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association presents this special recital as part of the eight-concert Colburn Celebrity Series, which spotlights the finest virtuosos in the world today.

An exciting and versatile musician respected for his mastery of color, nuance, and rhythmic intricacies, Thibaudet is sought after by today's foremost orchestras, conductors, and music festivals as well as for collaborations with pre-eminent musicians.

The recital's program features two works by Schumann and two by Ravel. The Schumann works are Arabeske in C Major, op. 18, a short work written during his courtship of his soon-to-be-wife Clara, and the 1852 version of Symphonic Etudes, op. 13, with the addition of five Posthumous Variations, edited and published by Brahms after Schumann's death. It is now a performing practice, credited to the great pianist Alfred Cortot, for soloists to restore the Posthumous Variations into the fixed order of the published score in a sequence of their own choosing. Ravel's brash Valses nobles et sentimentales, the composer's favorite among his own piano works, and the poetic Gaspard de la nuit, considered one of the greatest technical challenges in the standard repertory, round out the concert.

Thibaudet's last appearance at Walt Disney Concert Hall was in April 2005 as a soloist with the Philharmonic. The Colburn Celebrity Series continues with virtuoso performances by pianist Murray Perahia on March 15, 2006 and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes with tenor Ian Bostridge on May 3, 2006.

Pianist JEAN-YVES THIBAUDET can be heard in performances throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. An accomplished performer, equally at home with chamber music and recitals as with orchestral repertoire, Thibaudet is in great demand as a collaborator. He currently performs and records with such artists as Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Angelika Kirchschlager, Yuri Bashmet, and the Rossetti String Quartet. He is an award-winning, Grammy-nominated exclusive recording artist for Decca with over 30 recordings. Thibaudet's diverse repertoire includes works by Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Liszt, Messiaen, Chopin, Shostakovich, Gershwin, Brahms, Schumann, D'Indy, Wolf, and Ravel; his recording of Ravel's complete piano works received a Grammy nomination. He has made successful forays into the world of jazz as well, including "Reflections on Duke: Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays the music of Duke Ellington" and "Conversations with Bill Evans." Among his numerous recording awards, Thibaudet counts the Echo and Schallplatten Preis Awards, the Diapason d'Or, the Choc de la Musique, the Gramophone Award, and the Edison Prize. He was featured in the 2000 PBS/Smithsonian special, Piano Grand!, a piano performance television special hosted by Billy Joel to give tribute to the 300th anniversary of the piano. Of French and German heritage, Thibaudet was born in Lyon, France, where he began his piano studies at age five and made his first public appearance at age seven. At age 12, he entered the Paris Conservatory where he studied with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator of Ravel. At age fifteen he won the premier Prix du Conservatoire, and three years later won the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York. In 2001, the Republic of France awarded Thibaudet the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2002 he was awarded the Premio Pegasus from the Spoleto Festival for his artistic achievements and his long-standing involvement with the festival.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music - Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association's involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2006, AT 8 PM

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, 111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles

Colburn Celebrity Series

JEAN-YVES THIBAUDET, piano

SCHUMANN Arabeske in C Major, op. 18

SCHUMANN Symphonic Etudes, op. 13

RAVEL Valses nobles et sentimentales, for piano

RAVEL Gaspard de la nuit

Colburn Celebrity Series is generously supported by the Colburn Foundation

This concert received media support from KPCC-FM, 89.3

Tickets ($15-$82) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000. When available, choral bench seats are sold for $15 to selected Philharmonic, Colburn Celebrity Recital, and Baroque Variations performances. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For all information, please call 323.850.2000.

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