Sunday, Jan. 17, 1:30pm
Hotel Real de Minas garden
$200

After our successful open air music events in the fall, the season continues after the holiday break with the same format at the Hotel Real de Minas on Sunday 17 January with Russian pianist Alexander Pashkov. The program includes works by Rachmaninov, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Haydn, and many more. As many of you are not yet in San Miguel there will only be one concert that weekend.

Pashkov has played many times for us over the years but in his March, 2020 concerts for us, after an absence of four seasons, he truly stunned our audiences with world class playing. In the wide ranging repertoire that he will play this month there will be something for everyone, and it is sure to be a spectacular afternoon with a virtuoso talent on display.

Click on this link to watch a 3 minute video of Pashkov talking about his return to San Miguel.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3fwkcog86wvwnxq/Clip%20for%20SMA%281%29.mp4?dl=0

The program includes many “variations” by various composers; short works designed to show off the range of techniques they could write, and often requiring prodigious virtuoso techniques to play. This is true of the Mendelssohn variations we will hear, written to raise funds to help pay for a statue of Beethoven in Bonn. There will also be six of Rachmaninov’s beloved Preludes. Contrary to popular belief, these were not written as a standalone composition, but emerged piecemeal over two decades, originally intended to be the opening of a much larger work.

Mozart wrote numerous variations, most famously, on the tune “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”, but Pashkov will play his little heard “Theme and Variations”, KV 54, which may be familiar as they are based on the third movement of his violin sonata KV 547. Moving on to Schumann, Pashkov presents the Variations on the name "ABEGG in F major” a piece thought to refer to the 20 year old composer’s infatuation with the young Pauline von Abegg. The first five notes of the theme are A, B♭ (B), E, G, and G. This use of pitch names as letters was also used by Schumann in other compositions, such as his Carnaval. Moving away from variations, there will also be several Chopin sparkling gems, including mazurkas, impromptus and rondos.

We continue our outdoor Food+Music concept for this event in the tranquil gardens of the Hotel Real de Minas, in their open air Zefarino Garden Restaurant, around a charming loggia. Enjoy waiter served food and a choice of wines at socially distanced tables, each seating 1-4 people. Doors open at 1.15 pm with the first course served from 1.30 pm. Pashkov will play the first half of the program at 2 pm and following a 45 minute interval for the main course/dessert, he will perform the second half. The menu comprises soup, chicken with vegetables, and dessert. We will finish by around 4.45 pm, when it will still be light.

The hotel’s full hygiene protocols will be in place, including: the use of hand sanitizer; temperature checking; shoe sanitizing; all staff wearing face masks etc. Entry is via the hotel lobby, or their parking lot on Camino Viejo al Pantheon, also accessed from Ancha, where you can park for a fee, and directly access the gardens. See map in our brochure for a detailed plan.

With socially distanced seating numbers are strictly limited, so book your places now. Tickets can be purchased at $850 pesos per person, inclusive of food, wine and music by clicking the link below. Please send us an email after your purchase, specifying if you want a table under the open sided loggia, or completely out in the open on the lawn.

Tickets — Pro Musica:
promusicasma.org

You can also watch the music program on our HD video on demand from around 20 January via our web site. To do so, you can visit our tickets page on the website to purchase video credits. The full program, including the music to be played, program notes and artists’ biographies, will be available in advance on our web site in a digital ‘flip page’ format; just like reading the printed program.

By joining us in person on the 17th, or watching via the HD video on demand, you will be directly helping to keep classical music alive, not only in San Miguel, but in the wider world, by supporting our musicians and their families. Escape from the turmoil of the planet for a few hours and enjoy the magical realm of classical music. In the words of Plato:
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”

Sincerely, Michael Pearl, President, Pro Musica