In a move they may regret, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association recently announced that the comedy duo of Igudesman & Joo will return to Symphony Center to present "BIG Nightmare Music" with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on October 18.
The duo will present a show that is bigger, with more lurid details than "A Little Nightmare Music," the show they presented at Symphony Center in 2012. It features bits like Alla Molto Turca, which shows the fun that can be had by changing just one note in a famous piece, and Cleaning vs. Riverdancing, which demonstrates how Igudesman & Joo set the world record for the most dancing violinists performing on stage at one time.
The duo consists of Aleksey Igudesman on violin and Hyung-ki Joo on piano, except for when they switch instruments. Call them ambidexterous, bi-instrumental or worse, the duo has performed in concert halls and stadiums around the world since 2005, presenting their unique blend of comedy, pop culture and classical music. Many well-known classical soloists, including Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Janine Jansen and Gidon Kremer, have joined Igudesman & Joo in their musical sketches.
Although they acknowledge Victor Borge and Dudley Moore as their spiritual fathers, Igudesman & Joo bring a decidedly more pop-culture-oriented spin to their musical comedy. For instance, the endlessly parodied disco anthem "I Will Survive" receives fresh treatment in their hands, to the delight of over 6 million YouTube fans.
Igudesman & Joo's biography states that "their collective dream is to make classical music accessible to a wider and younger audience." Collectively, they have received over 28 million hits on YouTube, with amusing mashups of piano and karate lessons, for instance, or Mozart and movie themes. The duo seems well on their way to achieving their dream. To witness Igudesman & Joo performing live in Chicago, visit cso.org for tickets to their October 18 show.
