Sincerity & Drama: Mozart and Prokofiev Duos

What: Conscious Listening™, + Performance + Talkback

Compare the 2 mvmts of Mozart 304 sonata with the first 2 mvmts of Prokofiev's D major sonata in a guided, immersive musical experience that will shift the way you listen.

Join Juilliard alumnae and renowned performers Hsing-ay Hsu and Anna Elashvili as they reunite onstage to guide you through Hsing-ay's orginal Conscious Listening™, a 4-step method that reveals the emotional interplay and storytelling behind two powerful violin-piano sonatas.

Feel the underlying turbulence of Mozart’s E minor sonata (K.304)—written during his mother’s death in Paris and the anxiety of not being able to find a steady job (yes, even Mozart!)
Navigate the bold, striking characters of Prokofiev’s D major—excerpts from a modern era
Discover the power of conscious listening to elevate your musical perception and everyday interactions

Why This Event Matters:

• Whole-brain Interactive Approach —using the Conscious Listening 4-steps, musical vocab, live demos, and games to understand the composer's intentions
• See and Hear Award-winning Interpretations Up Close in the intimate Kaufman Center Library
• Real-time Conversation between two lifelong artists and YOU, the audience

• It’s not just a performance — it’s a guided musical dialogue where you’ll explore emotional storytelling in two powerful violin-piano sonatas in a larger context.
• You’ll leave with listening tools that deepen your experience of musical details — and even everyday communication.
• This is the only live Classical Music Exploration session in NYC this fall.
  

Reserve Tickets now and be part of something unforgettable.

Who: Integrating over 30 years experience as an award-winning performer, 15 years as university faculty, Hsu partners with organizations such as the Aspen Music Festival, Kaufman Center NYC and the Yale-China Institute.

Anna and Hsing-ay were schoolmates at Juilliard, and years later have connected again as colleagues at the Kaufman Music Center in NYC. They share a passion for musical dialogue and conversations with audiences.

Where: Enter the Kaufman Center through the revolving doors and take the elevator 2 flights up to "2nd FL". Go straight down the hall to the Library on your left.

Artistic Vision:

Amid the noise of daily life, listening is a vital skill that fosters deeper communication and connection. But how can we truly attune ourselves to the music around us, and how might these skills transform our everyday interactions? Join us for an extraordinary journey of aural discovery through Conscious Listening™.

https://www.hsingayhsu.com/explorations

Format:

• PART I. 30' Conscious Listening: Vocab, Prompts, Listening Exercises
• Interactive deep dive: Explore, compare, contrast melody, harmony, rhythm, dynamics, and how they combine to create emotional expression.
• Listen to a phrase multiple times to hear more details and ideas.
• PART II. World-class live performance on a Steinway Concert B.
• PART III. Discussions and Q&A: Share perspectives to enrich your understanding.
  

New Skills Checklist

• Musical Growth: Gain insight into musical elements and styles.
• Emotional Intelligence: Enhance your capacity to listen with mindfulness and empathy.
• Critical Thinking: Develop tools for asking questions, exploring nuance, and diving deeper.
• Lifelong Learning: Cultivate curiosity and connect with a vibrant learning community.

Rediscover mindfulness, musical models, and personal meaning in this one-of-a-kind experience. We can’t wait to see you there!

*Latecomers - the door will be locked - please wait until manager lets you in during a break. Eventbrite reservations will only be valid until 1:59pm, after which the manager may reassign your seat.

About the Artists

Hsing-ay Hsu, pianist/creator/producer

A Steinway Artist, Hsing-ay Hsu is focused on the art of listening. Since her stage debut at age 4, Steinway Artist Hsing-ay Hsu (“Sing-I Shoo”) has been performing at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center NYC, and in Europe & Asia. International prizewinner, concert producer, teacher/educator, studio owner, adjudicator, she hosts a YouTube channel and Café webinars to help music- lovers process life through music. Born in Beijing, Ms. Hsu trained at Juilliard, and Yale University. A former faculty member at the University of Colorado, she teaches at her Nutmeg Studio, at Kaufman Center, Rocky Ridge in CO, and Chautauqua Institution adult programs, and is Artist-in-Residence at Klavierhaus NYC. Bio at hsingayhsu.com.

Anna Elashvili, guest violinist

Violinist Anna Elashvili, hailed as "riveting" by the New York Times, has appeared as a soloist, chamber musician and concertmaster around the world. Anna is a violinist of Decoda - an Affiliate of Carnegie Hall and also performs with the East Coast and Orpheus Chamber Orchestras, NOVUS NY, Musicians of Lenox Hill and the Mark Morris Orchestra. She also served as Co-Artistic Director of Decoda, first violinist of the Bryant Park Quartet, an Ensemble Connect Carnegie Hall fellow. Her international travels include concerts in England, Mexico, Germany, Canada, Israel, Iceland and Abu Dhabi. Ms. Elashvili received her Bachelors and Masters Degrees from The Juilliard School. www.annaviolin.com

Related Article: How Music Can Help Us Perceive Sincerity and Drama in Others
Related Class: Kaufman Lucy Moses School - every other TUE 12:40pm Register Now

Testimonials

"Conscious Listening™ is about how we relate to music, how it is meaningful and expressive to me. This week I NOTICED music on the street - all the other noise faded into the background."

"Great vibe - we’re invited to ask and share and compare experiences."

"I love how you pull in different ideas, memories, stories, impressions, and layers of meaning."

"Wonderful tools not only to enhance their experience of music but also to help them have an experience of themselves."

"When you invite people to join you in taking time to breathe with mindfulness, you are helping them get back into their body with more curiosity and wonder."

"I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed YOU - and your course! How grateful I am that I have participated with you! You really are a delightful, engaging teacher!"

"Fascinating and engaging: creative programming, generous sharing of skills /colors /philosophic communications, all done with your unique & graceful style..."

"Hsing-ay took my appreciation of the classics to another level! I learned much from this change with Anna. As always, Hsing-ay's playing and her body of knowledge are unsurpassed!" -Francisco

"I had such an amazing time yesterday and there's been this wonderful residual effect of listening deeper and seeing more of the colors in the world." - Lisa

Media Permission
By attending, you may be captured on the video / audio recording that will be edited and shared later on YouTube for educational purposes. If you wish to be excluded, please talk to the artists before the start of the event.