Hailed as “ingenious,” “mysterious,” and “inspiring,” The Illustrated Pianist combines science-fiction and adaptive visual installation in an imaginative concert of piano music, inspired by the timeless book The Illustrated Man.
This unique multimedia event, assembled by the pianist and composer Nicole Brancato for the Old First Concerts in San Francisco, honors the centenary, in 2020, of the iconic American science-fiction author Ray Bradbury and the seventieth anniversary, this year, of his celebrated story collection. The program comprises distinct new works by seven accomplished composing pianists, including Nicholas Pavkovic, Jed Distler, Monica Chew, Dee Spencer, Tin Yi Chelsea Wong, Keisuke Nakagoshi, and Brancato herself, paired with visual elements designed by Cory Todd.
The acclaimed New York City premiere of The Illustrated Pianist was featured in The New Yorker and boasted the commission of eighteen new works for piano. In this new edition coming up at the historic Old First Church, five new piano commissions and new visual design are made possible by the Ross McKee Foundation. We invite you to reflect on the tales that inspired these new works of art, or to envision your own stories!
Through these unique sonic and visual collaborations, the project connects diverse perspectives to ponder our past, speak to us about our present, and wonder about the future. The themes presented transcend age and time — and perhaps, in some ways, speak to us even more loudly now than in previous decades…
performance co-presented with the Ross McKee Foundation
The Ross McKee Foundation has supported the Bay Area piano community since 1992 through grants, education and a piano competition for young artists. Learn more about our work at rossmckeefoundation.org.