FIU Music Festival 2019
Concert Lineup
Performances are held Wednesdays through Sunday during the festival this October 26 – November 11.
Come see why we are FIU’s premier music festival! With culturally diverse and engaging concerts featuring revered Classical and Jazz musicians from acclaimed ensembles, we have something for every musical taste!
Concerts are held at The Wertheim at FIU’s Modesto A. Madique Campus. The box office can be reached by phone at (305) 348-0496 or by email at musictix@fiu.edu. Call for group rates!
Opening Concert: Duruflé Requiem
Saturday, October 26, 2019 | 7:30pm
One of the most beautiful choral works ever written, Duruflé’s Requiem is the perfect complement to the resonant acoustics of the Wertheim Concert Hall, blending choirs, orchestra, and organ in perfect harmony. Duruflé is often associated with the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral where his works have been performed over the last to today.
Kemal Gekic and Frank Cooper
Sunday, October 27, 2019 | 4:00pm
Join world-renowned musicologist Frank Cooper and FIU Artist-in-Residence and preeminent pianist Kemal Gekic for an intimate multimedia presentation and performance featuring Chopin’s Prelude Op. 45 and Franz Liszt’s Apres une lecture du Dane: Fantasia Quasi Sonata.
Z.E.N. Trio
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | 8:00pm
An enthralling ensemble of electrifying performers, the Z.E.N. Trio is made up of three standout solo musicians – pianist Zhang Zuo, violinist Esther Yoo and cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan – who captured the music world’s attention as BBC New Generation Artists. Coming together as Z.E.N., their name is more than an acronym for their initials. It represents the philosophy with which they approach chamber music making: forgoing the self for total togetherness. Co-presented by Friends of Chamber Music of Miami.
A Tribute to John Williams: FIU Festival Orchestra
Friday, November 1, 2019 | 7:30pm
Revel in fantastic music by America’s greatest living composer for film―the incomparable John Williams. Performed by the FIU Festival Orchestra, this concert promises to be a delight for all ages, showcasing music from his best-known scores including Star Wars, Schindler’s List, ET, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, Superman, and more.
Joey Alexander & FIU Jazz Big Band
Saturday November 2, 2019 | 7:30pm
The 16-year-old piano prodigy and three-time GRAMMY® nominee is enjoying one of the most ascendant careers in Jazz as a composer, musician, and bandleader. As he embarks on an exciting career which includes some high-profile U.S. performances and the release of new music, he performs with the FIU Jazz Big Band for what will be an unforgettable evening.
Borodin Quartet (NORTH AMERICAN TOUR CANCELED, CONCERT CHANGE)
Sunday, November 3, 2019 | 4:00pm
Due to an emergency, the quartet’s North American Tour has been cancelled. Audiences can still enjoy a chamber concert filled with high-caliber artists featuring Alex Fiterstein (clarinet), Natasha Paremski (pianist) and Maxim Rubtsov (Principal Flute of the Russian National Orchestra).
For more than seventy years, the Borodin Quartet has been celebrated for its insight and authority in the chamber music repertoire. Revered for its searching performances of Beethoven and Shostakovich, the Quartet is equally at home in music ranging from Mozart to Stravinsky. Co-presented by Friends of Chamber Music of Miami.
Pianist Stephen Scott & FIU Faculty Jazz Quartet
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 | 7:30pm
With a career that spans decades, Stephen Scott has performed and/or recorded with Jazz legends such as Wynton Marsalis, Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard, Bennie Golson, Dexter Gordon, Pieces of a Dream and Dr. John among other musical giants. He’ll be joined by the FIU Faculty Jazz Quartet for a night you don’t want to miss!
Amernet String Quartet with Cellist Julian Schwarz
Thursday, November 7, 2019 | 7:30pm
Praised for their “intelligence” and “immensely satisfying” playing by the New York Times, FIU’s Artist in Residence Ensemble the Amernet String Quartet will be joined by acclaimed cellist Julian Schwarz for a thoughtful and provocative program of Beethoven masterpieces.
Vadym Kholedenko
Friday, November 8, 2019 | 8:00pm
Ukranian concert pianist Vadym Kholodenko, Gold Medalist in the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, performs an electrifying concert of Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin. Co-presented by Friends of Chamber Music of Miami.
Violinist Robert Davidovici and Pianist Bernadene Blaha
Saturday, November 9, 2019 | 7:30pm
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, acclaimed violinist and Artist in Residence Robert Davidovici will be joined by University of South California concert pianist Bernadene Blaha for a two-part concert exploration of selected Beethoven Sonatas for Violin and Piano, beginning with the first five for this performance.
Finale: Wertheim Organ Showcase with Katherine Meloan
Sunday, November 10, 2019 | 4:00pm
Organist Katherine Meloan is an artist whose expressive gifts and eclectic repertoire enable her to contribute to the musical world with distinctive and engaging performances. You will be enchanted by her performance of well-known organ music by J.S. Bach, Saint-Saens, Sweelinck, and Widor performed on FIU’s Wertheim Organ, the largest concert hall organ in South Florida.