Acclaimed faculty cellist Felix Wang will take the Turner Hall stage on September 5 for a Master Series recital, the opening event of the Blair School of Music 2025-26 concert season. Joined by faculty special guests Carolyn Huebl, violin; and new faculty appointment Sun-A Park, piano; Wang will perform the works of four iconic 20th century French composers who were influential in the development of a distinct musical style characterized by lightness, elegance, and wit. (Tickets)
Performer’s Program Notes:
The Blair School had a concert back in March celebrating Maurice Ravel’s 150th birth year and I wanted to continue the tribute by programming his Sonata for Violin and Cello. This piece also happens to have been on the date of my very first concert at Vanderbilt, twenty-five years ago! My wife, Carolyn Huebl, was living in Pittsburgh at the time and flew in to join me for that occasion. She will join me again, but it will be a much shorter commute…
Beyond that, I have been wanting to learn Nadia Boulanger’s beautiful work, Three Pieces for Cello and Piano. Once I had those two pieces set, I decided to continue with the French composer idea and turned to two works that are favorites of mine, Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for Cello and Piano and Henri Dutilleux’s Three Strophes for Solo Cello. The works all also share the common thread of having been composed in the 20th Century.
I’m thrilled that our newest faculty member, pianist Sun-A Park, will be joining me as well, the first of what we hope will be many concerts at Vanderbilt.
Program:
Three Pieces for Cello and Piano – Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979)
Three Strophes on the name of Sacher – Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013)
Sonata for Violin and Cello – Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Sonata for Cello and Piano – Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
About Felix Wang:
Felix Wang’s diverse career has taken him throughout the world as a chamber musician, soloist, and in recital, receiving critical acclaim for, “beautifully wrought,” “dazzling,” and “soulful” performances. The cellist of the Blair String Quartet, Wang is a founding member of the Blakemore Trio and co-principal cellist of the IRIS Orchestra under the direction of Michael Stern.
He holds a doctor of musical arts from the University of Michigan, a master of music from the New England Conservatory, and a bachelor of music from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. He was also a recipient of the prestigious Frank Huntington Beebe Grant for study abroad, using it to study in London with William Pleeth.
Friday, September 5, 2025, 7:30 p.m., Turner Recital Hall
Tickets: $17.50 | Tickets
Running time: 60 minutes
– Free parking is available in the Vanderbilt West Garage on Children’s Way, directly across from Blair School of Music.