YCA Artist Showcase
$20-$40
- Steven Banks, saxophone
- Anthony Trionfo, flute
- Harmony Zhu, piano
- Xak Bjerken, piano
Toru Takemitsu — Air
Sigfrid Karg-Elert — Sonata Appassionata, Op. 140
Steven Banks — Come As You Are
Christoph Willibald Glück — Mélodie de Orfeo ed Euridice
Elliott Carter — Caténaires
Eugène Bozza — Three Pieces for flute and oboe
Frédéric Chopin — Fantasie in F minor, Op. 49
Russell Peterson — Trio No. 1 for Flute, Alto Saxophone, and Piano ("III. Allegro")
Saxophonist Steven Banks, flutist Anthony Trionfo, and pianist Harmony Zhu – all winners of the Susan Wadsworth YCA International Auditions – will perform an eclectic program of works by Takemitsu, Chopin, Steven Banks, and more. They will be joined by pianist Xak Bjerken.
COVID-19 Protocols: To ensure our patrons’ health and security, as well as the safety of our performers and staff, the Kennedy Center has implemented the following policy:
- Proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and a valid photo ID are required to attend all indoor performances and events at the Kennedy Center.
- Unvaccinated children under 5 years of age and patrons with a medical condition or a closely-held religious belief that prevents vaccination, must provide either proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test conducted no more than 72 hours prior to attending an indoor performance, or proof of a professionally administered Antigen test conducted no more than 6 hours prior to attending an indoor performance. Please see the full COVID safety plan for more information on what is accepted.
- Masks are required at all times for all patrons regardless of vaccination status inside all theaters during performances at the Kennedy Center.
Ticket purchasers are responsible for communicating these rules to whomever they provide tickets. Performance ticket holders who do not comply with these policies will not be admitted.
Review the full policy details and requirements at https://www.kennedy-center.org/visit/covid-safety/.
About Steven Banks, saxophone
Winner of the prestigious 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Steven Banks (b. 1993) is an ambassador for the classical saxophone, establishing himself as both a compelling and charismatic soloist, dedicated to showcasing the vast capabilities of the instrument, as well as an advocate for expanding its repertoire. Steven is also the first saxophonist to capture First Prize at the Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions (2019). He was also recently chosen to join WQXR’s 2022 Artist Propulsion Lab, a program designed to advance the careers of artists and support the future of classical music.
Steven has recently appeared as soloist with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Oregon Mozart Players, Colorado Music Festival, Colorado Symphony, Utah Symphony, the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and on subscription with the Cleveland Orchestra, performing with such conductors as John Adams, Peter Oundjian, Earl Lee, Xian Zhang, Nicholas McGegan, and Rafael Payere. Upcoming orchestral engagements include the Kansas City Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Detroit Symphony, New World Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra.
Steven is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education, performance, and newly commissioned works in the classical realm. He presented at the TEDxNorthwesternU 2017 conference presenting his dynamic approach to overcoming institutionalized prejudices against women and people of color, and he has written and given lectures on the history of black classical composers. He also collaborated with flutist Anthony Trionfo and violinist Randall Goosby to create the Learning to Listen roundtable, a discussion on the nuances of the Black experience in classical music and beyond. In partnership with the Sphinx Organization, they also created the Illuminate! series, which opened three essential conversations on the subject of music education, artist activism, and the LGBTQIA+ community in classical music.
Steven has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Saxophone Performance with a minor in Jazz Studies from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Master of Music degree from the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music.
http://steven-banks.com/About Anthony Trionfo, flute
About Harmony Zhu, piano
About Xak Bjerken, piano
Terrace Theater at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F St NWWashington, DC 20566
United States
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