GLORIA CHENG & RALPH VAN RAAT – “Resonant Encounters”

“A meaningful combination of Boulez’s music with that of others..., brilliantly performed... casts new light on the Frenchman’s music.” Opusklassiek (Amsterdam)

On Friday, November 20, 2026 at the Nimoy Theater, Piano Spheres is pleased to present Gloria Cheng and Ralph van Raat performing an evening of works for two pianos: “RESONANT ENCOUNTERS: Boulez, Feldman, Cage, and Beyond.” This concert is presented in partnership with CAP UCLA.

Cheng and Van Raat pay homage to the legacy of Pierre Boulez, the unparalleled French composer, conductor, and cultural visionary who transformed postwar contemporary music and left an indelible mark on the sound of the 20th century. The performers take brief solo turns in two unpublished Boulez works that are exclusive to them: a selection from the early Trois Psalmodies, for which Van Raat was granted sole permission by the Boulez heirs to perform and record; and Courtes dérives à partir d’Éclat, a whimsical, open-form work that Boulez composed for Cheng as a wedding present. Quietly cherished for decades as a private gift, Cheng began performing the piece after its appearance in Boulez’s official catalogue drew inquiries from performers and scholars. It is a rare instance of Mr. Boulez supplying a pièce d’occasion, of which Cheng has so far been the only performer.

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Since its founding in 1994 by legendary pianist Leonard Stein, Piano Spheres has become one of America’s most unique and important presenters of new and unusual concert music for the piano. Over these 30 seasons, Piano Spheres’ artists have presented over one thousand contemporary classical works for piano, many of which were premieres, to dedicated audiences throughout Southern California.

Season highlights this year include a rare appearance by Charlemagne Palestine, the US premiere of Enno Poppe’s “Rundfunk” for nine keyboards, an afternoon of music and conversation with Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and solo programs including new commissions by the artists of Piano Spheres.