“With fine backing from the winds, Golka gave a performance that was both subtle and true to the spirit of Gershwin.” – Olin Chism, Star-Telegram, December 31, 2016
On New Year’s Eve, Adam Golka returned to his home state of Texas to perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Fort Worth Symphony. A favorite and frequent guest of the orchestra, Adam was chosen by the symphony to celebrate the breaking of their strike in a festive performance. To further welcome in the new year on a playful note, Adam and Music Director, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, performed a Victor Borge-esque comedic music routine at the closing of the concert.
“… on New Year’s Eve, I was extremely humbled to be asked as a guest artist for Rhapsody in Blue with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by their Music Director, Miguel Harth-Bedoya. This was their first concert after a four-month silence; the orchestra had declared a strike when their salaries received a devastating cut. It is wonderful news for the Fort Worth community and the musicians that they have re-started their season, and I am crossing my fingers that the electric atmosphere of the New Year’s concert is a promise of great things to come. This was my ninth concerto performance with Miguel and the FWSO; this group of musicians has been an instrumental part of my growth.” – Adam Golka
Last August, following a recital at the Duszniki International Chopin Festival, Adam reconnected with Alfred Brendel, in a return to the Krzyzowa Festival in Poland. This collaboration was documented in a short film.
This year, Adam continues solo and chamber performances in New York at Merkin Hall and at Barge Music in Brooklyn, and performed last week at (Le) Poisson Rouge and 11th Street Arts. A frequent guest at the Cliburn, Adam returns to give a repeat performance of the program, An American Hero, in the upcoming 55th anniversary of the international piano competition this June.
Adam launched his newsletter at the end of the year, in which he delves into the process of recording his new album of Schubert and Schumann with his friends, pianists Michael Brown and Roman Rabinovich, at the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Read the entire story of his recording adventure with other updates in his newsletter and watch it in action in this video!