Hi everyone – I collaborated in the creation of this new and exciting ballet that reveals some of the “secret messages” long attributed to Shostakovich’s music.

Scene: A Place out of Time – Alison Cook Beatty Dance Co.  photo © Paul B. Goode

Messages In Time

Saturday November 9, 2019 8pm Capezio Theater at Peridance, 126 East 13th Street, just off Union Square.

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Photos, the music, and the creative process

Shem Alison Cook Beatty, Artistic Director ACB Dance photo © Russell Haydn

This performance, arranged at the last minute, was somewhat raw from my point of view, yet (seemingly) extraordinarily powerful for the artists and their companions who were attending.

In our training as violinists, polished performance is a professional essential.  However I am reminded by this evening that the spiritual and emotional power of Music transcends all the notions of “polished performance” we are trained to set as standards and goals.  In fact, without it we accomplish little for others, and diminish the return for ourselves.

I feel privileged to have been invited by retreat leaders Tim Hawkesworth and Lala Zeitlin, and for being so well received by the artists with whom they are working.  My thanks to you all.

Robert Burkhardt, Oxana Mikhailoff, Shem Guibbory

Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Gershwin/Heifetz and Beethoven

Bronxville Womens Club – 7:30pm Saturday February 16thhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/all-about-love-robert-burkhart-cello-oxana-mikhailoff-piano-shem-guibbory-violin-tickets-54664370604

This performance was a home-coming for me – so many colleagues and friends from early on in my career, folks to whom I have looked up all my life. Although I wasn’t nervous, I do want to say that I had some trepidation about presenting to these superbly knowledgeable musicians my intensely personal artistic vision of J.S. Bach and his music. Somehow it seemed to go well and all were enthusiastic in their appreciation – phew!

In talking afterwards with my life-long friend Earl Howard – composer, instrumentalist – I started to get an idea of a new kind of sound that I might bring to the Bach works – one in which my particular violin and it’s unique sound would play a large part. More on this as the Journey of 100 continues.

At the Jr. B# Musical Club of Central New York, 7 pm

My performance tonight is part of an evening that includes Helden Tenor Jon Frederik West giving a talk about the role of Samson in Camille Saint-Saens’ Samson and Dalilah – a MET Opera HD world-wide theatrical broadcast this Saturday afternoon.

What a great night.  My friend and colleague Jon Frederick West started the evening out with a super presentation on Samson and Dalilah  – MET’s upcoming HD Theatrical Broadcast, this Saturday afternoon.

The tiny room was packed with young musicians, some of whom I have coached in the past – Jr. High and High School players all from within about 50 miles around Utica.  Like this morning, I let the music flow where it would, and in the interests of making an early evening for all, I only took a few of the repeats. 🙂 . Thank you to Sar Strong, Senior Advisor/Coordinator of the Jr. B# Club, for inviting me.