Harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, who made his SF Performances debut three years ago, shatters musty stereotypes of the baroque keyboard with violinist Stefan Jackiw in a program surveying 300+ years of music that puts the harpsichord in an entirely new light.
Mahan Esfahani has made it his life's mission to rehabilitate the harpsichord in the mainstream of concert instruments. To that end, his creative programming and track record in commissioning new works have drawn the attention of critics and audiences across Europe, Asia, and North America. He was the first and only harpsichordist to be a BBC New Generation Artist (2008-10), a Borletti-Buitoni prize winner (2009), and a nominee for Gramophone's Artist of the Year (2014, 2015, and 2017).
Stefan Jackiw is one of America's foremost violinists, captivating audiences with playing that combines poetry and purity with an impeccable technique. Hailed for playing of "uncommon musical substance" that is "striking for its intelligence and sensitivity" (Boston Globe), Jackiw has appeared as soloist with the Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco symphony orchestras, among others. This season, highlights include performances of the Mendelssohn Concerto with the Dallas Symphony, under Juraj Valcuha, and the Minnesota Orchestra, under Ilyich Rivas. As a chamber musician, Jackiw has collaborated with such artists as Jeremy Denk, Steven Isserlis, Yo-Yo Ma, and Gil Shaham, and forms a trio with Jay Campbell and Conrad Tao.