Hilary Hahn, violin Cory Smythe, piano

Beethoven: Sonata No. 4 in a, Op. 23

Bach: Sonata No. 2 in a for solo violin

Selected shorts, drawn from "27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores," commissioned by the artist from 27 European and American composers

The American violinist Hilary Hahn has had “it” – and fearlessly – since she burst on the scene as a talented teenager in the 1990s. Her first recording, at 17, featured the unaccompanied violin works of J.S. Bach – which many violinists wait to attempt – and it identified her not only as an instrumental virtuoso but as an artist of uncommon depth and intelligence. Her NJPAC recital will bring the audience up to date on what has become a great career in an age of great young violinists. Not surprisingly, unaccompanied Bach will be on the program – the Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003 – as well as Beethoven’s (accompanied) Sonata No. 4, also in A Minor. Excerpts from 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores will add some surprise to the program. Hahn commissioned this series of short encore pieces from composers, well-known and just emerging, of our time. They include Lera Auerbach, Soren Nils Eichberg, Jennifer Higdon, Bun-Ching Lam, Nico Muhly, Einojuhani Rautavaara and Somei Satoh. It sounds like a genius idea.