New Kid In Town

I'm not trying to turn this into the unofficial Julia Fischer website or anything. I know I've been talking about her a lot lately, but I don't want anyone to think I'm obsessed. It's just that it's exciting to discover a new artist and learn about them and listen to all of their recordings. C'mon, don't you remember when you used to do that, back when you were a teenager, before you finally grew up and went on to lead a normal life.

Ok, so maybe I missed that last part. Anyways, in case you haven't been keeping up with the latest classical music news, Julia Fischer is the gifted German violinist and music professor who has taken Europe by storm, and steadily made a name for herself in America as well. The Baltimore Sun called her recent 2006 concert "the most sensational BSO debut since Chinese pianist Lang Lang's six years ago." The Boston Globe said of her performance with the Boston Symphony that she "stood out as the major debut artist of the season", and, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, after her performance with the Atlanta Symphony "the entire concert hall cheered her for a rare three curtain calls, with the ASO musicians, who joined in the applause." (Geez, I sound like I'm writing ad copy, don't I. Order your tickets by calling...)

Well, you get the idea. Still only 24 years old, she has already been named Best Newcomer by BBC Music Magazine, and listed as one of Tomorrow's Classical Superstars by Gramaphone Magazine, all the while earning rave reviews in Seattle, Aspen, San Francisco, Carnegie Hall, and on and on and on... Needless to say, if you haven't heard of her yet, you probably will in the future. Talent like this gets talked about, both inside and outside the classical music world.

But that's not why I'm writing this post. Instead, I want to mention a little blurb I read in an article posted at classiquenews.com. About halfway through the text it's mentioned, almost in passing, that Fischer "may give some piano concerts as was recently announced" (I'm paraphrasing here). Now I've searched and searched the internet and I can't find any such announcement, but could it be true?

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, maybe I should back up a bit. You see, Julia Fischer is known both as an accomplished violinist and pianist, and it's been thought that if this violin thing didn't work out for her then she could always try her hand as a concert pianist instead. Of course, as far as I know, there's never been any confirmation or hint from her that this was the case. Until this article, that is.

So is it true? Will Julia Fischer become the Deion Sanders of the classical music world? A two instrument musician? I'm sure the musical historians out there would say that this sort of thing is done all the time, that many noted musicians have performed on different instruments. However, outside of Mozart, I can't think of a one. And I don't mean an oboeist who gets up a charity fundraiser and plays a little chopsticks on the piano - I don't think that's what we're talking about here. From the little I know about Julia Fischer I don't think she's the type who would do something like this as a gimmick or publicity stunt. She seems very serious about her music, and I doubt she would give a piano concert unless she felt it would be at a level equal to that of the very best pianists in the world. I could be wrong, but you get a feeling that she would not embarass herself that way.

So what do you think? You think it's gonna happen? I have to say, after looking at her concert schedule I don't see how it's possible. She has upcoming concerts in Cincinatti and at the Kennedy Center in Washington and Avery Fischer Hall in New York, and then begins a European concert tour with Loren Maazel and the New York Phil. Perhaps over the spring and summer she could put together a piano program, but with all of her other recording and performing commitments it seems unlikely.

On the other hand, it would be something to see. We've been hearing about her talent at the keyboards so it would be nice to actually hear her play. You know, to see if she's as good as people say she is. Hmmm...just have to wait and see on that. And let's not forget - she still has a lot to achieve as a violinist.

That's your Julia Fischer update for tonight. For schedule and ticket information visit our website or call...

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