06/18/2026
Maestro Garrick Ohlsson, the honorary chair of the Chopin Foundation, gave the Miami community an unforgettable concert as part of the Frost Chopin Academy & Festival at UM’s Gusman Concert Hall on Tuesday evening (6/16). He opened with Shostakovich’s Prelude and Fugue in E minor, op. 87, followed by Brahms’ Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, op. 24. Although Shostakovich penned his 24 Preludes and Fugues in 1950-51, and Brahms composed the 25 variations in 1860, nearly a century earlier, both works sounded utterly timeless. Maestro Ohlsson effortlessly took the audience on an ever-evolving journey through “Visions in Counterpoint,” as the program was aptly named. The final piece on the program was Chopin’s Ballade in A-flat major, op. 47. MC, Ben Laude, prefaced the performance by describing Garrick’s rendering of the Ballade as one single phrase from start to finish, rather than a composite of vignettes. An apt description because as the final four chords rang out, it was hard to believe the piece had ended; it felt like it had just begun. Thunderous applause and a standing ovation brought Maestro Ohlsson back to send us home with a lilting Waltz in A-flat Major. The Frost Chopin Academy & Festival continues through Sunday. Don't miss a beat! https://piano.frost.miami.edu/frost-chopin-festival/schedule/index.html
