By Coral Gables Gazette staff
Classical music often evolves at the edges, where familiar forms meet unexpected voices. On Saturday, January 10, Friends of Chamber Music Miami will present The Dazzling Classical Saxophone, a concert that places one of the repertoire’s most flexible instruments at the center of a program built on virtuosity, lyricism, and stylistic range. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Miami Knight Center for Music Innovation.
A modern virtuoso with classical roots
The evening features saxophonist Valentin Kovalev, joined by pianist Yoni Levyatov. Kovalev has emerged as one of the most compelling advocates for the classical saxophone, an instrument more commonly associated with jazz and popular music than concert halls. His performances emphasize the saxophone’s expressive breadth, revealing its capacity for color, agility, and emotional nuance within classical forms.
From Romantic intimacy to modern fire
The program spans more than a century of musical language, opening with Claude Debussy’s Rhapsody, a work that highlights fluid phrasing and tonal shimmer. Robert Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 follows, offering compact Romantic miniatures that balance introspection with urgency. Hector Villa-Lobos’ Fantasia adds rhythmic vitality and Latin-inflected energy, while Barry Cockcroft’s KuKu pushes the instrument into contemporary territory with sharp contrasts and technical fireworks.
Gershwin reimagined
At the center of the program is a showstopping arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, arranged by Jun Nagao. Originally written for piano and jazz band, the piece bridges classical and popular traditions with sweeping melodies and syncopated drive. In its saxophone incarnation, the work takes on a new vocal quality, reinforcing the instrument’s natural affinity for Gershwin’s blend of elegance and exuberance.
The tango’s dramatic arc
The concert closes with two works by Astor Piazzolla, whose music reshaped the tango for concert audiences worldwide. History of Tango traces the genre’s evolution across time and place, while La Muerte del Angel, arranged by Kovalev himself, delivers a dramatic finale rooted in rhythm, tension, and release. Together, the pieces underscore the saxophone’s ability to move seamlessly between classical discipline and dance-driven intensity.
A collaborative cultural effort
The performance is presented by Friends of Chamber Music Miami in collaboration with the University of Miami Frost School of Music and with the support of the City of Coral Gables. That partnership reflects a broader commitment to expanding the city’s classical music offerings while introducing audiences to artists who challenge expectations about repertoire and instrumentation.
Tickets and venue details
The concert takes place at the UM Knight Center for Music Innovation, located at 5513 San Amaro Drive. With its blend of familiar masterpieces and bold reinterpretations, The Dazzling Classical Saxophone promises an evening that reconsiders what classical performance can sound like in the 21st century.
