Paul Barnes Performs "A Bright Sadness"

Celebrating both his twenty-fifth year at the Glenn Korff School of Music and his return to playing for a live audience, pianist and chanter Paul Barnes returns to the Lied Center for Performing Arts to present a contemplative and cathartic program of piano works inspired by the mystical world of Native American, Greek, Jewish, and Latin chant. Barnes, a concert pianist and Greek Orthodox chanter, has collaborated most recently with Philip Glass and Victoria Bond to create piano works based on ancient byzantine and Jewish chant. Barnes has also been a passionate champion of the works of Liszt and performs Liszt’s late masterpiece Via Crucis, the Way of the Cross, exploring the painful but ultimately triumphal journey of Christ to the cross. Barnes will be joined by Nicholas Lemme and the Our Lady of Guadalupe Schola who will perform traditional Gregorian chant and assist Barnes with the Greek Orthodox chant. World premieres on this program include Barnes’ transcription of Philip Glass’s Annunciation and David von Kampen’s new piano work Trisagion (2020). The overall theme of “bright sadness” permeates the program as the tremendous depth and intensity of ancient chant is seen through the bright prism of hope and love. This event is a free but ticketed performance with tickets available at the Lied Box Office. This recital will also be webcast from the Lied Center website and Facebook page. This event is jointly sponsored by the Glenn Korff School of Music and the Lied Center.