3 shows to prove Las Vegas has classical chops
A Juilliard-educated pianist, Raja Rahman knows the score. Classical musicians and composers often react with a quizzical look when he mentions “Las Vegas” and “chamber music” in the same sentence.
But the president and CEO of Nevada School of the Arts is persistent. He has been working throughout the year to organize a chamber music festival in Las Vegas, to compete with other major metropolitan arts destinations. His work has paid off with “Las Vegas ChamberFest.”
Three shows are set this month, featuring the best in Vegas talent and top musicians from around the world. The series is a partnership with UNLV College of Fine Arts and Dean Nancy Uscher.
The schedule:
— Tuesday, 7:30-9 p.m., the Horszowski Trio, at the vacated Via Tivoli, Seven Hills estate at 1299 Via Tivoli in Henderson. (This is the former home of eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, who now lives in Hawaii). The American piano trio features violinist Jesse Mills, cellist Ole Akahoshi, and pianist Rieko Aizawa. The act formed in 2011 and is named after Aizawa’s teacher and renowned pianist Mieczysław Horszowski
— Sept. 15, 7-9 p.m. The string quartet Ethel, with Clint Holmes, Troesh Studio Theater at The Smith Center. Established in New York City in 1998, the band features composer/performer Ralph Farris (viola), Kip Jones (violin), Dorothy Lawson (cello) and Corin Lee (violin). Rahman and Harris were roommates at Juilliard, in another lifetime.
— Sept. 17, 7:30-9 p.m., “Vegas Classical Superstars,” at Southern Nevada Music in Henderson. As the name forecasts, the show spotlights the best best classical musicians in Las Vegas, as handpicked by Rahman. Most are Las Vegas Philharmonic musicians and/or teach at NSA.
NSA’s current home is Historic Fifth Street School, renovated for use as a cultural center in 2008. Rahman and his team are planning a new, 70,000-square-foot fortress in Symphony Park, with RW Architects on board to design the building.
Rahman became well-known in Las Vegas in the music-magic-comedy act “Jarrett and Raja,” with his partner, Jarrett Parker. His piano virtuosity was juxtaposed against Parker’s mirth and magic.
In his NSA role, Rahman attended the Chamber Music America conference in Houston in February, as an ambassador of sorts for the Vegas arts scene. The organization enlisted Rahman to write for their spring magazine.
The artist and exec related to his national readership, “Las Vegas will always be home to magic, circus arts, popular entertainment, and world-class cuisine, but the addition of orchestral and chamber music provides an added dimension to a city truly like no other. Now, with Leonard Slatkin named as artistic consultant for the Las Vegas Philharmonic and a massive redevelopment project underway in Symphony Park (our equivalent of Lincoln Center), this city, however improbably, is finally poised to join the ranks of other major cities in the classical performing arts.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.