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The end of this season will see me completing 20 years as President and Artistic Director. During that time there’s been a phenomenal increase in the standard of professional playing across the board in classical music. So much so that some of the star musicians of a quarter of a century ago would today be hard pushed even to get into Juilliard or the Royal College of Music. But this rise in standards has come at a cost. Like so much else in the world, individual musicianship has tended to be sacrificed to an all pervading, homogenous sound. The music schools, particularly in Asia, are producing first rate musicians, but very few of them have what I call a unique “voice” – something special about their playing which transcends technical ability and can touch the heart of their listeners.
When I engage artists I look for musicians who have that voice and will bring a richly rewarding experience to our audiences. For example, this season you’ll hear pianist Alexander Pashkov with his incomparable playing in the style of the classic Russian tradition in which he was trained. Similarly, cellist Alexander Hersh is a one of a kind musician with a unique 1690 instrument who thrills with every note. The Dali String Quartet, returning after an absence of six years, also have this special quality with their explosive mixture of classical romantic and Latin American music which earned them The Chamber Music of America 2024 Ensemble of the Year Award.
Look through the calendar of concerts in this brochure and you’ll see details of their coming performances and a host of other world class artists. I want to emphasize “world class,” because only at Pro Musica in San Miguel will you hear, week in and week out, the finest playing and the best artists, as you would experience at Carnegie Hall or the Kennedy Center. Add to that the splendid acoustic of our venue, St Paul’s church, and the magnificent sound of our fabulous nine foot Steinway concert grand, and you will have a truly unforgettable, world class experience.
Classical music at this level is extremely expensive to stage, not least because our musicians come from the US, Canada, Europe and Asia to play for us. Ticket sales only ever cover a fraction of the cost of artists’ fees, venue hire, program production, marketing and publicity and overheads. We rely on our generous Patrons to make up the difference with their membership subscriptions. You can contribute to the flourishing of our world class offerings by becoming a Patron for anything between US$100 and US$10,000 a year or, if you are already one, by upgrading. The more you donate, the more benefits you receive. Take a look at the pages in this brochure detailing the levels of donation and benefits and come join the Pro Musica family.
