BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:172@grandpianoseries.org DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Easter:20260513T150000 DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Easter:20260513T160000 DTSTAMP:20260421T142133Z URL:https://grandpianoseries.org/events/narrative-musicale-rhapsody-in-new -york/ SUMMARY:Narrative Musicale: Rhapsody in New York DESCRIPTION:\n\n\n\n\nTickets are available through the Artis—Naples box office\nPhone: 239-597-1900\n\nClassical saxophonist Valentin Kovalev is r edefining the voice of the saxophone for the 21st century. His commanding performances\, innovative programming\, and powerful digital presence are elevating the instrument on the world's most prestigious stages.\n\nThis m ission was brought to the forefront with his victory at the 2022 Naumburg Foundation International Saxophone Competition\, which culminated in a sol d-out debut recital at Carnegie Hall. The 2023 performance featured the wo rld premiere of a new work by GRAMMY-winning composer Steven Mackey\, soli difying Valentin's reputation as a trailblazer.\n\nValentin’s growing li st of accolades includes winning the Concert Artists Guild (CAG) Competiti on and its Audience Award\, joining the roster of Astral Artists as a Nati onal Competition Winner\, and receiving significant awards from the Fondat ion pour la Vocation (France)\, the Rostropovich Foundation (Russia)\, and the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia.\n\nHis dynamic artistry spans g enres\, from a world premiere with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra to a live performance with acclaimed electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling for an audience of 6\,000. An active educator\, Valentin has taught masterclas ses across the Americas\, Europe\, and Asia\, and was recently appointed v isiting professor at the Cleveland Institute of Music.\n\nValentin's journ ey from Siberia to the world stage—with studies in Moscow\, the Paris Co nservatory\, and the University of Michigan—is a testament to his singul ar vision. His impact extends online\, where he has cultivated a global co mmunity of over 150\,000 followers and garnered more than 100 million view s across his social media channels.\n\nValentin Kovalev is a Henri Selmer Paris and Conn-Selmer artist and is represented by Concert Artists Guild.\ n\n\n\n\n\n\nKonstantin Soukhovetski is a pianist\, composer\, and educato r who is the winner of 17 awards from prestigious international piano comp etitions. Soukhovetski has performed to critical acclaim at leading venues including Carnegie Hall\, Lincoln Center\, Wigmore Hall (London)\, and th e Louvre (Paris).\n\nAs the newly appointed Director of Education and Comm unity Engagement at Grand Piano Series in Naples\, Soukhovetski brings his dynamic combination of performance and audience interaction honed through his acclaimed presentations on music at the Curtis Institute of Music\, N orthwestern University\, Singapore’s Academy of Music\, Latvia’s Jelga va Music School and as an adjunct faculty member at his alma mater\, The J uilliard School. Born in Moscow to a family of artists\, Soukhovetski stud ied at the Moscow Central Music School\, where he double majored in piano and composition.\n\nSoukhovetski’s Pride Suite for piano is enjoying wor ld premieres this season\, and his first symphonic work\, Once Upon the Sp ring\, was performed with the Auburn Symphony in California and the Greate r Connecticut Youth Orchestras. He now resides in Naples\, where he enjoys the rich cultural offerings\, beautiful weather\, and the thriving artist ic community.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMilana Strezeva is a Juilliard-trained pianist\ , founding member of the Manhattan Piano Trio\, and co-founder of the Gr and Piano Series in Naples\, Florida. Milana's experience as a stellar pe rformer and strategic arts executive has come together at the Grand Piano Series\, where Milana demonstrated an innate ability to foster collaborati ons and contribute positively to community enrichment through music.\n\nPr aised by the critics for her "technically fluid\, dramatically convincing\ , and sonically full-bodied supportive collaborations" (Boston Globe)\, Mi lana Strezeva is a Moldovan-American pianist. At the age of 11\, she bega n playing chamber music with her clarinetist father and her mother\, the r enowned soprano Svetlana Strezeva. Milana's love for family collaboration eventually grew into a passionate advocacy of vocal and instrumental chamb er music. Milana is a founding member of the award-winning Manhattan Piano Trio\, which has performed in more than 30 American states\, in Australia \, South Africa\, and Italy\, and in venues such as Alice Tully Hall (Lin coln Center)\, Merkin Hall (Kaufman Music Center)\, and the Ravinia Festiv al (Chicago).\n\n\n\nProgram\nThis program celebrates the American Dream t hrough its most iconic symbol: New York City. A place of arrival and reinv ention\, it inspires\, beguiles\, and leaves its mark on all who pass thro ugh or make it their home. Featuring the saxophone - the ultimate "new A merican" - tonight's performers\, Russian-speaking Americans\, echo the journeys of Gershwin and Rachmaninoff.\n\n\n\nGeorge Gershwin: Rhapsody i n Blue\, arr. Jun Nagao \nValentin Kovalev\nKonstantin Soukhovetski\n\n\n\ n\nSergei Rachmaninoff: Vocalise\nValentin Kovalev\nMilana Strezeva\n\n\n\ n\nÁstor Piazzolla: History of Tango\nI. Bordello 1900\nII. Café 1930\n\ nValentin Kovalev\nKonstantin Soukhovetski\n\n\n\n\nRoberto Molinelli: Pic tures from New York\nI. Dreamy dawn\nII. Tango Club\n\nValentin Kovalev\n Milana Strezeva\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGet Tickets\n\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://i0.wp.com/grandpianoseries.org/wp-conten t/uploads/2026/04/Valentin-4-PC-Aiwen-Zhang-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl =1 CATEGORIES:Concerts LOCATION:Artis—Naples (Ubben Signature Event Space)\, 5833 Pelican Bay Bo ulevard\, Naples\, FL\, 34108-2740\, United States X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=5833 Pelican Bay Boulevard\ , Naples\, FL\, 34108-2740\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Arti s—Naples (Ubben Signature Event Space):geo:0,0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Pacific/Easter X-LIC-LOCATION:Pacific/Easter BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20260404T210000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:-06 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR