Violin Virtuoso vs Piano Virtuoso
We live in a world where millions of people will walk passed a concert hall and only a fraction will step inside. Interestingly, thousands will gather at Wrestlemania. Igudesman & Joo have finally found common ground between these two, seemingly opposite, spectator sports. Clementi had to contend with Mozart’s ingenuity, Beethoven blew Steinbelt out of Vienna, and Handel sparred Scarlatti in a joust of fingers (ending in a draw where Handel took the honour for organ mastery—the instrument, not his liver—and Scarlatti reigned harpsichord supreme). Now, Igudesman & Joo prepare themselves to go head-to-head and put an end to the bull—for good.
In the right corner we have Korean/Japanese/Chinese piano prodigy Whay-Tsu Fast and in the left, Russian/American/Jewish/German/Spanish-speaking violin virtuoso Sergey Amadeus Showoff—but, in the feud as ancient as time itself to determine the superior instrument, who will emerge triumphant? Who will snatch victory and prevail as champion in this Clash of the Soloists? Who, with flying fingers and soaring melodies, will rise above as the greatest soloist of all time and claim eternal glory? Ladies and gentleman, now on the world’s greatest stages, let’s get ready to rumble!
In this savage duel between violin and piano, anything and everything goes—whether bribery or axes in the piano and even an evil maestro in disguise. Igudesman & Joo battle it out in their iconoclastic, spectacular, Szechuan-spicy style. They blaze through concertos with extraordinary dexterity and finesse that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. A performance makes for an unforgettable, laugh-until-soda-comes-outof-your-nose performance that will leave listeners of all ages thirsting for more. Forget gladiators—this is blasphemy, this is madness, this is IGUDESMAN & JOO!
“Clash of the Soloists” was commissioned by the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra to commemorate their 150th anniversary, and a world premiere performance by the orchestra with conductor, referee, and Maestro of Ceremonies, Joshua Weilerstein.
What others say
“Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo played at my 80th birthday celebrations. I nearly died laughing. I’d like to invite them back for my 85th, but that might be considered reckless… Great usicians, great fun.”
“Hearing and seeing Igudesman and Joo performing live is experiencing pure musicianship, wonderful acting, sophistication and a terrific sense of humor. Their lack of pretentiousness and the joy of their music-making offer an irresistible invitation into the world of classical music. I can’t wait to bring them back!”