In England, they confer knighthood upon their great artists and entertainers. In the U.S., they receive Kennedy Center Honors. One of last year's five recipients was pianist Leon Fleisher, and he's coming to the Twin Cities to perform a Sept. 14 concert that will kick off the Chamber Music Society of Minnesota's 2008-09 season.
As pop culture goes, Fleisher may have been the least familiar of December's honorees — the others were Steve Martin, Diana Ross, Martin Scorsese and Brian Wilson — but his story has proven an inspiring one to those who follow classical music. In 1965, Fleisher lost the use of his right hand to focal dystonia, but became a great interpreter of piano music for the left hand before regaining the use of his right hand in the mid-'90s.
In addition to Fleisher's Sept. 14 recital at Minneapolis' Ted Mann Concert Hall, the Chamber Music Society of Minnesota will also present Sunday afternoon concerts that feature clarinetist Charles Neidich at the Minnesota History Center (Nov. 2), a program with guest narrator Lou Bellamy at Columbia Heights' First Lutheran Church (Feb. 15), and a May 3 Minnesota History Center concert featuring composer and pianist Paul Schoenfield.
All concerts are at 4 p.m. Season tickets are available by calling 651-450-0527.
— Rob Hubbard