Jeremy Denk Named Artist-in-Residence At The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space
Denk to Curate and Perform in “Bach’s Well-Tempered Lens”
Three Evenings of Performance and Conversation Centered Around the Music
of J.S. Bach and his Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1,
Beginning Friday, March 20
(New York, NY – March 3, 2020) – The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, the live event space and broadcast studio from WNYC and WQXR, has announced that acclaimed classical pianist Jeremy Denk has been named Artist-in-Residence for Spring 2020.
During the span of the three-month residency, Denk—who was hailed by the New York Times as “an artist you want to hear no matter what he performs”—will curate “Bach’s Well-Tempered Lens,” a three-part event series featuring performances and conversations exploring J.S. Bach’s life and his most iconic work, Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1. Denk will invite audiences into the technical, musicological, cultural and philosophical elements involved in his own approach to this deeply personal work, and will look at how Bach’s timeless themes and shared aspects of the human experience can help to unite us in these divided times.
“Bach’s Well-Tempered Lens” kicks off on Friday, March 20 at 7pm with “The Well-Tempered Clavier’s Greatest Hits” an evening featuring a deep dive into four of the most fascinating moments from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1, with Denk at the piano doing analysis and interpretation. The event will also be a celebration of Bach’s upcoming 335th birthday on March 31.
The series will continue with “The Mysterious Life of J.S. Bach” (April 7), where biographers and musicians will discuss a life that was almost as mysterious as Shakespeare’s, and “How to Think Like Bach” (May 11), part discussion, part listening session, with musicians, scientists, philosophers and theologians, taking turns explaining what our minds do when we hear Bach.
“What you find here is completely new, rejuvenating, alive,” remarked Denk on Well-Tempered Clavier. “It doesn’t bother tugging at your heartstrings, it just enters your bloodstream.”
“The Greene Space’s residency program gives New Yorkers the opportunity to see world-class artists perform their work in an intimate space and hear the story behind their creations,” said Jennifer Sendrow, Executive Producer, The Greene Space. “Listening to Jeremy Denk play Bach in The Greene Space is a powerful antidote to life’s chaos, bringing people together to revel in music that transcends time and continues to inspire joy and provoke our curiosity.”
Jeremy Denk is one of America’s foremost pianists. Winner of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and the Avery Fisher Prize, Denk was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Denk performs frequently at Carnegie Hall and in recent seasons has appeared with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and Cleveland Orchestra. Abroad, he has appeared frequently at the BBC Proms, and has been presented in multiple performances by the Barbican, and the Wigmore Hall, and performed at major venues such as the Philharmonie in Cologne, the Boulez Saal in Berlin, and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. His recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations reached No. 1 on the Classical Billboard Charts. In 2020, Denk will tour Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1 throughout the U.S., UK and Europe.
The Greene Space’s Artist-in-Residence program supports artists, curators, and collectives who are remaking culture in New York by commissioning and presenting world premiere works, live performances, and insights into their passions and processes through enriching conversations. Past Artists-in-Residence include musician and author Dessa, composer and pianist Arturo O’Farrill, critic and author Hilton Als, photographer June Canedo, and singer and songwriter Madison McFerrin.
WHAT: Bach’s Well-Tempered Lens with Jeremy Denk
WHEN: Friday, March 20, 2020; Tuesday, April 7, 2020; Monday, May 11, 2020
All performances begin at 7pm and will be available for live streaming at thegreenespace.org
WHERE: The Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street, New York, NY (corner of Varick Street)
HOW: Tickets are $30 per event; available here. Premium $50 tickets include reserved seating in the front rows.
Lead philanthropic support for The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space is provided by The Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Additional support for the Greene Space comes from the Howard Gilman Foundation, MetLife Foundation, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
ABOUT THE JEROME L. GREENE PERFORMANCE SPACE
The Greene Space is the street-level broadcast studio and performance venue of WNYC and WQXR, channeling the collective genius in New York City to create forward-looking live art, theater, and journalism that sparks change. It brings audiences to the intersection of art and politics by leading courageous conversations and curating performances of intense beauty that are deeply rooted locally but relevant to audiences globally. For more information, visit www.thegreenespace.org
ABOUT THE JEROME L. GREENE FOUNDATION
The Jerome L. Greene Foundation supports select programs that make a significant impact on the lives of all New Yorkers in the areas of the arts, education, medicine and social justice. Its 40-year history is grounded in the vision of its founder, Jerry Greene, to give back to the city he loved. Today the Foundation honors his commitment by continuing to fund quality institutions and programs, and by identifying new ways to increase access to the arts and education, create opportunity for ground-breaking medical research, and help ensure social justice for all.