Beethoven's 32 Piano Sonatas have had a very special place in my life ever since I started immersing myself in music. One of the most memorable experiences of my student days was performing the "Hammerklavier" Sonata as part of a one-day marathon concert of the complete 32 Sonatas presented by my teacher Leon Fleisher's studio. From there I went on to work with another great Beethoven interpreter, Richard Goode, and was always in awe of Beethoven’s ability to explore the biggest questions and uncover human commonalities through music.

As the universal qualities of Beethoven's music became an important part of my musical journeys, it also became very important to bring the works to the stage in a context that is current, relevant and valuable for today's environment.