Linda Li-Bluel & DeAnn LeTourneau
Doors open at 7:00 PM | Concert begins at 7:30 PM
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Romantic Roots, Jazz Echoes – featuring works by Florence Price, Amy Beach & more…
De Ann Letourneau, violin
Linda Li-Bleuel, piano
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Prelude from Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006 (c. 1720)
Arr. Jascha Heifetz (1901–1987)
Bach’s intricate counterpoint and rhythmic vitality laid the foundation for all Western
harmony. Through Heifetz’s virtuosic arrangement, Baroque precision takes on Romantic
sweep.
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Sonatensatz in C minor (Scherzo from the F.A.E. Sonata) (1853)
Written as part of a collaborative sonata honoring violinist Joseph Joachim, this fiery
movement captures Brahms’s youthful vigor and rhythmic intensity.
Amy Beach (1867–1944)
Violin Sonata in A minor, Op. 34 (1896)
I. Allegro moderato
Among the first major violin sonatas by an American woman composer, this movement
reflects Brahmsian passion infused with Beach’s melodic warmth and harmonic daring.
George Gershwin (1898–1937)
Preludes for Violin and Piano (1926, arr. from original piano works)
I. Prelude No. 1 – Allegro ben ritmato e deciso
II. Prelude No. 2 – Andante con moto
Prelude No. 1 bursts with syncopated jazz rhythm and bold harmonies, embodying the
drive of 1920s New York. Prelude No. 2 offers a sultry ‘lazy blues’ melody in B■ major.
Gershwin fused jazz rhythm and blues harmony with classical structure, creating a
distinctly American sound that inspired Ravel, Price, and Kroll.
Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Blues from Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano in G major (1923–27)
Ravel’s witty dialogue between classical form and American jazz, inspired by the sounds
of the 1920s and his friendship with Gershwin.
Florence Price (1887–1953)
Adoration (c. 1951, arr. for violin and piano)
A gentle hymn of grace by the first African-American woman whose music was performed
by major U.S. orchestras; its tender spirituality closes the lyrical arc.
William Kroll (1901–1980)
Banjo and Fiddle (1945)
A virtuosic showpiece where country fiddling meets concert-hall brilliance—an American
folk-inspired finale of rhythmic joy.
Approximate total duration: 60 minutes (with brief remarks between works)
Dr. Linda Li‑Bleuel is a distinguished pianist and Professor of Music at Clemson University, where she teaches applied and collaborative piano, music history, and theory. A Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Taiwan (2008–09), she performed and taught extensively at top institutions like Chinese Culture University and the Central Conservatory in Beijing. An active soloist and chamber musician, Dr. Li‑Bleuel has toured China, performed in Argentina, and premiered works with saxophonist-conductor John Bleuel, commissioning contemporary compositions. Her academic achievements include a DMA from the University of Georgia, and she remains deeply engaged as a Steinway advocate, adjudicator, and recording artist.
De Ann LeTourneau is a powerhouse violinist best known as the Concertmaster of the Las Vegas Philharmonic—a role she has held for over two decades, making her one of the few female principal violinists in major U.S. orchestras. Born in Superior, Wisconsin, she began studying violin at 14 and, by 16, became the youngest full-time member of the Duluth–Superior Symphony. Her playing—described as “powerfully warm and emotionally charged”—has not only earned accolades from regional critics but also led her to perform alongside global stars like Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Adele, Carrie Underwood, and Metallica. Beyond the concert stage, De Ann is deeply invested in arts leadership, serving on boards such as the Nevada School of the Arts, spearheading fundraising initiatives, supporting musicians through union work, and mentoring young artists through master classes and private coaching.
