Stravinsky was one of the great orchestral composers, a virtuoso practitioner who learned the tricks of the trade from his teacher Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. But many of his musical ideas — particularly his ferocious rhythmic techniques and nuanced harmonies — can register to great effect on the piano keyboard.
Duo pianists Maki Namekawa and Dennis Russell Davies have made a practice of transplanting orchestral music by Stravinsky and others, and they come to Berkeley with their arrangement of “The Firebird.” Also on the program is music by Kurt Schwertsik, Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass and more, accompanied by real-time interactive projections by Cori O’Lan.