Beethoven was revived last Saturday, as guest artists Katie Wolfe and Liang – Yu Wang performed at the Dingeldine Music Center.
Their program featured three of the Beethoven Sonatas for keyboard and violin, and was mostly attended by Bradley students and a number of Peoria residents at the Peters Recital Hall.
Gillian Strachan, senior music education major, is a violinist and said Beethoven is one of her favorite composers.
“When I listen to them create such beautiful music, I imagine that this is what Beethoven must have envisioned when he was writing this music, and this is probably how he would have wanted it to sound,” Strachan said.
Wolfe is a violinist who has performed in eleven countries including Costa Rica, Korea and Italy. She is also the founder of the Matisse Piano Trio, formed in 2004, and is known for teaching music as well as performing in different concert venues around the United States.
“My parents were pivotal in getting me into the music industry,” Wolfe said. “Just being exposed to so many opportunities [and being] taken to orchestras and meeting teachers got me interested in this at a very young age.”
Pianist Yu debuted her album with cellist Thomas Landschoot that was later nominated as the “The Best Classical Music Album” by the Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan.
She is currently on the faculty at Western Illinois University School of Music and has closely worked with violinist Ruggiero Ricci, who endorses her as a “terrific pianist.”
According to Yu Wang, the best part of her career is working with a variety of people.
“My profession is collaborative piano and it is necessary to team up with people, that is, I always perform with someone,” Yu Wang said. “It isn’t only about my individual performance, but how much I have to observe the other person’s style of playing which has been different with every person.”
“I’ve been to many musical concerts and it is really interesting to watch such talented people take the stage,” said Ellie Stamper, a senior public relations major.
Wolfe and Wang embarked on their Beethoven journey in 2017 and so far, have performed the full cycle of ten sonatas at several universities in the Midwest.
“It is all about loving and truly believing in what you do because if you don’t do either, doubt can stop you from going further,” Wang said.
