Earlier this month I joined my family on an outing to see the world renowned concert pianist Murray Perahia.
Before the performance began I took a bit of time to photograph the concert hall. I attended Sonoma State as a student but was in my finishing semester when Weill Hall was complete. I will never forget the excited chatter that passed through the music department on the day that Yo-Yo Ma came to the school to spend time testing out the acoustics of the space. From what I heard he was impressed with Weill Hall.
As a graduated student – with slightly more free time – I was excited to explore the space, have a glass of champagne and mingle a bit.
It was a Friday night and everyone was dressed with flare. My eyes landed on two young woman that looked stunning. Gold shoes were the first thing that caught my eye. I could feel our mutual flutter of anticipation for the performance to begin.
Placing my champagne to the side, I asked them for a quick photo shoot before the bell rang to begin seating.
The performance did not disappoint. Perahia had crisp notation and flawless technique. Seldom have I listened to such a clean and intellectually brilliant performance. His playing felt warm and sensitive to the ear. His style was not of a dramatic nature but still managed to have a strong emphasis even with a more delicate and refined touch. It was a positively lyrical experience, and I held on to each note as it was played. His recital included pieces by Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Franck, and Chopin. I did not photograph the man himself due to restrictions. But I did capture the stage before he sat down to play.
If you are ever in the Sonoma Area I highly recommend attending a concert at the new Weill Concert Hall located on the Sonoma State University Campus.
Cheers!
fashionmudra 