On March 28, 2013, Hancher presented Christopher O'Riley and Matt Haimovitz and their program Shuffle. Play. Listen. Here are the comments we received from folks in the audience.
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I thought it was wonderful. I do have concerns about the
accessibility in that hall, though. We need to have our auditorium back.
Barbara
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The program offered by Christopher O'Riley and Matt
Haimovitz was splendid!
I've long been a fan of the radio program, 'From the Top.' The young musical artists are amazing and Chris does such a fine job introducing and interviewing them and making them feel comfortable.
As one who plays quite a bit of classical and non-classical piano myself (doing more now that I'm retired and be have a baby grand piano in our apt. at Oaknoll), I was delighted that from our assigned seats my wife Ruth and me, we could see Chris' hands fly across the keyboard.
I googled Christopher O'Riley after returning home and learned that he was born in 1956 and grew up in Evanston. At age 56 he's trim and fit. I hope he enjoys a lengthy career.
I hadn't heard Matt Haimovitz before. He's obviously very accomplished with the cello. I'm pleased that both Chris and Matt made remarks from the stage.
We were fascinated at seeing the i-pad music score apparatus. That was a first for us, but why not.
When Chris O'Riley played at Hancher perhaps a dozen years ago, we were there, and we had no intention of missing last night. It was truly a treat, though I wouldn't have minded piano solo from Chris, perhaps in a classical vein.
And it was a bonus having our friend Chuck Swanson sitting right in front of us.
I truly hope that early in the new Hancher, Chris O'Riley will be invited to return to Iowa City.
Ken
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I thoroughly enjoyed "Shuffle, Play, Listen". The artistry of O'Riley on piano and
Haimovitz on cello is incomparable.
The selections they played were entrhalling and beautiful.
I made my decision to go at the last minute and, as a result, I was sitting in the very last row of the Coralville Performing Arts Center. It didn't matter. I could see and hear everything that was going on.
Definitely time well spent.
Mike
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I liked the program. Many new interesting pieces. Haimovitz is outstanding and O’Riley is always a pleasure.
Cheers, Gene
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i thought this was an outstanding evening very talented musicians. i love to listen to the cello whatever type of music they select.
bill olin
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More more!
Sherwood
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It was a great concert. Talented musicians. Thank you for
inviting them to Iowa City.The new Center is really nice.
Marina
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I was impressed. Haimowitz' fingering was incredible. I
appreciated the musical selections and the performers' reasons for why they
wanted to perform them.
Joe
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We really enjoyed this performance. Wish you had more like it. We liked the amazing cello and piano
playing, the repertoire that was mostly modern but very appealing and upbeat,
and the fact that the performers' personalities also came through as they
talked about the pieces they would be playing. With the large string-playing
community in Iowa City, in part related to the Preucil School, I would think
that string performances of any kind could be popular audience draws. I would certainly go to more like the
Haimovitz/O'Riley concert.
Thanks for this wonderful concert!
M
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What a fabulous combination of talent.
Melvin
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It was nice to leave the theater rocking to a Cellist and
Piano man. I am not a classical
music enthusiast, but this event looked interesting so I stretched the
comfort
zone. The theater seating
was so intimate, lending the passion of the artist to permeate the
space. It was great to see the young people
excited at the abilities of a classical instrument. The mixing of
genera’s and instrumental use was amazing. This would be a great
performance
to expand music to younger people.
Classic guitar runs on a cello; WOW. Thank you ofr the ability to
experience O’Riley and
Haimovitz.
Katherine Konz
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My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the O'Riley and Haimovitz,
and the Coralville Performing Arts Center provided an intimate size and good
acoustic for the event. We are
regular listeners of O'Riley's syndicated show "From the Top" and had
attended a live broadcast of the show from Clapp several years ago. On a recent "From the Top"
show, Haimovitz was a guest performer, and the two of them talked about their new
album, which was the foundation of the current tour. So, attentive listeners should have been well-prepared for
what was in store.
The Hancher recital was very eclectic and uniformly well done. Haimovitz is a stunning cellist, and the program was well suited to his gifts.
As much as I miss the old Hancher and look forward to the new one, the reality is that the space was too big for many of the things that it was used for. One of the positives of the diaspora is seeing "Hancher-events" in lots of smaller and more diverse spaces like City and West High, churches, the dance department auditorium at the UI, etc.. Several of the events that I have attended in the post-flood years I thought worked better in the alternative spaces that they would have at Hancher. Said another way, it's been nice to see many of the Hancher events tilting to a more intimate scale.
Even with a new large hall and a new small hall, I hope there will still be occasion to program in locations around town. No one space, however well designed, is going to provide exactly the right acoustics for Group X, but there is a strong chance that someplace in town will.
Michael Hovland