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Elizabeth Sombart puts to bed any notion that modern classical musicians are removed from society, distant, or icy academics. The French-born classical pianist has a rare connection with classical music that helps bring the form to life for listeners who otherwise might be resistant to its charms and benefits.
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She intuitively understands, I believe, that much of it is a matter of presentation. Recognizing a need in French society, and later global society at large, Sombart founded Fondation Résonnance in 1998 to provide free musical education. Their mission added a welcome new wrinkle when they began devoting efforts toward making music available in institutions whose residents may not ordinarily have access. The healing effects of music on damaged psyches, minds, and even bodies are documented science, so the imprisoned and incapacitated, among others, are well served by the Fondation’s work.
She did not seek fame and accolades, but the French public awarded her accordingly. 2006 saw Sombart rise to the rank of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite for Lifetime Achievement and, two years later, she received the title Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. There’s are among the highest civilian honors France can bestow, particularly for an artist, and the nation’s recognition of Sombart’s profound contributions to public life is evidence that sanity occasionally prevails in the corridors of power.
Make no mistake, however, she is first and foremost an artist. She’s traveled that road since her single digits when she first studied piano at seven years old and soon transitioned into formal study at the Strasbourg Conservatory. Further study with several acknowledged modern classical masters in far-flung foreign capitals such as Vienna, Austria and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
She moved on from that to tenures working alongside Sergiu Celibidache at the Hochschule für Musik Mainz and teaching at the Conservatoire Serge Rachmaninoff de Paris. The latter is a logical step for someone who has labored hard and long to perfect her craft. It has set the table, as well, for successful collaborations with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Elizabeth Sombart’s list of credits sparkles.
It sparkles even brighter, however, thanks to her recent release Singing the Nocturnes. Sombart’s move from the passions of Beethoven on her previous release and into the comparatively more lyrical and certainly more modern terrain of Chopin’s compositions is notable for the contrast alone. The pianist dials into the wide-ranging mood of Chopin’s structure in both individual movements and the overall scheme.
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You can expect that Sombart will continue building that legacy for listeners from various walks of life. Her art stresses accessibility, and inclusivity, and prioritizes the light melodic touch over heavy-handed dramatics. This flexibility keeps her future wide-open – there isn’t any work she can’t tackle. This sort of all-encompassing creativity is a rarity in modern art of any stripe and underlines one of the key ingredients that sets her apart from her peers. For Elizabeth Sombart, this is everything and she holds nothing of herself back. We are better off for it.
Jennifer Munoz
