Ravel: His Life in Art Song

Featuring:
Kristina Cook | soprano
Kessa Mefford | pianist

16 Nov. 2024 | 6-8pm

Join Ravel specialists Kristina Cook, soprano, and Kessa Mefford, pianist, in a musical tour through the history of the art songs of Maurice Ravel! They are the only duo in the world to ever perform and make an album of the entirety of these songs. Come for an evening of entertaining backstory on one of the most famous French composers, robust stage interactions between the musicians, and a fully memorized performance, by both singer and pianist.

Kristina Cook originally hails from Vernon Hills, Illinois. She received a MM in vocal performance from New England Conservatory and a BM in vocal and viola performance from Texas Christian University. Currently serving as a resident artist with the Taconic Opera and its sister organization, the New York Opera Conservatory, she has performed title roles including Tosca, Suor Angelica, Norma, Ariadne auf Naxos and Manon Lescaut, as well as Il Trovatore (Leonora), Carmen (Michaëla), Il Tabarro (Giorgetta), La Traviata (Violetta), Don Giovanni (Donna Anna), La Bohème (Mimì), Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza), Così fan Tutte (Fiordiligi), Un Ballo in Maschera (Amelia), and Die Fledermaus (Rosalinde). Concert appearances include soloist for the Requiems of Verdi, Duruflé, Mozart and Fauré with the Taconic Opera, Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio with the Hudson Chorale and Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 by Heitor Villa-Lobos with the Chappaqua Orchestra.

Kessa Mefford is an award-winning pianist specializing in the music of Maurice Ravel. Kessa gave her Carnegie Hall debut in December 2022 with a historic program; Ravel: All of It, the complete art songs of Ravel with soprano Kristina Cook. Kessa has founded two concert series: Whimsical Birdsong, based out of New York in which she presents the complete works of Ravel that include piano, and Piano at Noon, based in her hometown of Peekskill as an effort to bring more classical music to the community. In 2023, Kessa gave her radio debut with Cook performing Ravel on New York’s WQXR.

When Kessa Mefford approached her with the idea to perform all 32 of Ravel’s art songs, a program which had never before been performed live by a single singer and pianist, Kristina’s response was, “Why not? Let’s go for it!” This led to the duo’s Carnegie Hall debut performing the program in December, 2022, aptly titled Ravel: All of It. They subsequently released their first album of the same name, were featured on WQXR’s radio show, Young Artists Showcase, and have since toured the program nationally as well as led university masterclasses on the interpretation of art song for vocal and piano majors.

Kessa has performed Ravel: All of It in venues all around the United States with Cook. She has given masterclasses and lectures at universities on the interpretation of art song, pianist/singer collaboration, and Ravel. She is also a performing artist with the Piatigorsky Foundation, whose mission is to bring classical music to underserved communities all around the USA.

At the end of 2019, Kessa released her debut album with Whole Note Publishing featuring works performed live by Beethoven, Scriabin, Bach, Menotti, and Scarlatti. Her second album, Ravel: All of It was released in 2022 with Kristina Cook. Piano concerto credits include Mozart No. 23, Beethoven No. 2, Ravel in G Major, and the premiere of Dan Montez's concerto in C Minor, all performed with the Taconic Opera Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Jun Nakabayashi.