Events
(All in Switzerland)September 20, 2011 Zürich
Ragtime concert for ResOrtho Foundation for the advancement of orthopaedics in the guildhouse Waag.
The wonderful historical guildhall in the guild-house Waag (guild of traders), the festive dinner and the outstanding wines of Hess wineries – the setting for ragtime cannot be any better. And no better program for such kind of an event than ragtime by Jeff & Anne Barnhart!
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The renewed cooperation between Ragtime-Emotion and ResOrtho led to another exhilarating experience. After hearing Brian Holland in 2009 the patrons and friends of the foundation this time marveled at the astonishing virtuosity and sensitivity of the Barnharts. They equally enjoyed Jeff’s entertainment talent, who gallantly led through the musical parts of the evening. Thanks to the combination of this event with the Swiss Youth Ragtime Piano Competition (below) a sympathetic synergy between research and culture could be achieved!
September 16, 2011 Zürich
Swiss Youth Ragtime Piano Competition, public concert in the auditorium of the state highschool Enge.
"Ragtime is a good time" - with this motto the first Youth Ragtime Piano Competition in Switzerland ended. Five young students aged 15-18 years were playing for the first prize, a trip to the West Coast Ragtime Festival in November 2011. After excellent performances, victory went to 16 year old Valerie Kazik; the audience award went to the youngest participant, 15 year old Maurice Imhof.
The competition was related to the corresponding Youth Ragtime Piano Competition of the West Coast Ragtime Society.
After the intermission, Jeff Barnhart (piano) and Anne Barnhart (flute) presented, as usual, a musical program of the extra class. Besides ragtime we also heard breathtaking stride of Fats Waller and a special version of Gershwin's "Summertime", with Anne's flute in the resonant space of the grand piano.
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The grand finale was joined by the student choir of the high school, its conductor Martin Jäger also as a pianist, by the "Sullivan & Drivons Vintage Music Band" of the West Coast Ragtime Society and by the Barnharts, cumulating into an exhilarating musical Ragtime – show, which the enthusiastic audience acknowledged with a long applause.
While Ragtime – Emotion was not the organizer of this event, with the engagement of Jeff & Anne Barnhart and with the sponsorship of the first price (trip to Sacramento) we could make an important contribution. The event served not only to promote the youth, but once again brought Ragtime to a wider audience.
August 26, 2009, Zurich
Ragtime Concert at the Orthopedic University Hospital Balgrist (www.balgrist.ch/en)
In celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Swiss Balgrist association, a number of cultural events (all related to body movement) where organized in a special pavilion built for the purpose. Ragtime was one of the events chosen.
This time, we had the great pleasure to invite Brian Holland over the Atlantic to play a lunch concert for doctors, nurses and patients and an evening concert for invited guests.
As this time the audience did not specifically come to hear Ragtime, but followed the invitation of the hospital and of the ResOrtho research foundation, Brian started with a fantastic introduction into the various styles of piano music somehow related to Ragtime. So we learned the differences of Rag versus Blues, Boogie and Stride. During a 1.5 hour solo concert through all what this music has to offer, Brian as one of the eminent global Ragtime and Stride specialists captured the audience totally. The encore ended in a finale that left deep impressions with everybody. The evening was a smashing success – not the least to serve its one purpose as a fundraiser for research!
Check ResOrtho Report (in German)
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September 12/13, 2008, Zurich
Ragtime Dinners at the Miller’s Studio in Zürich (www.millers-studio.ch)
What two magic evenings these were! The combination of ragtime with the classic flute, two pianos and a silent movie allowed to play out the whole range that ragtime can offer, crossing the line into classic music, entertainment, sentimentality, rock, boogie, jazz...
Jeff and Anne Barnhart had their first in Switzerland, and what a first it was! All present will certainly never forget the fine sound of Anne’s flute played in the sound room of the piano; and the heartwarming charm that Jeff and Anne got across on top of their musical excellence. Martin Jäger showed us another of his silent movies with live ragtime piano, and was a great third playing with our guests from the USA!
The evening was topped with a fantastic room at the Miller’s Studio, simple, rectangular and totally black. The white table cloths and flowers looked magic in the dimed limelight, the light effects on stage made the music even more special and last but not least the dinner by the Restaurant Sternen (Albisrieden) and the vine selection from Divo rounded the evening off in a superb way for everybody.
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June 26, 2007, Bern
Concert in the Embassy of the United States
During his presence in Switzerland in connection with public and private Ragtime Emotion concerts the American Ragtime virtuoso Bob Milne had the honor to perform in concert in the residence of he US Embassy, in the presence of four ambassadors (next to the US ambassador also those from UK, Argentina and Peru) an ex ambassador of the US and further guests. Bob delighted those present not only with his virtuosity and improvisation gifts, but also with the charms of a former bar pianist. During cocktails there was a good opportunity to discuss the influence of the USA on modern world culture! Everybody thanked ambassador Peter Coneway for a fantastic and inspiring evening.
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June 15/16, 2007, Winterthur
Casinotheater Ragtime Dinner (www.casinotheater.ch)
The Ragtime-Emotion gala dinner was a journey into the good old times of silent movies and of ragtime. 100 years ago ragtime was the favorite popular music style in the USA. The first silent movies were also produced in those days, which were regularly accompanied by ragtime piano music. Bob Milne, the famous US ragtime pianist and his Swiss counterpart Martin Jäger took the audience to a journey into the worlds of Scott Joplin, Charlie Chaplin and George Gershwin. Rita Jäger completed the program with lively and funny ragtime songs. An excellent three course dinner was served by the kitchen of the Casinotheater.
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