Critic’s Pick: Igudesman & Joo

When Russian violinist Aleksey Igudesman walks on stage and says, “And now Mozart,” look out. Anything can happen. But it won’t be good, at least not for Mozart. His partner in Mozart crime, Korean pianist Hyung-Ki Joo might let in a little James Bond or make the violinist turn minor into major, klezmerize a Turkish rondo, or heaven knows what.

Igudesman & Joo promise NO MOZART in their new show “And Now Mozart” that will reach the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at Cal State Long Beach on Sunday afternoon. Maybe no Mozart, but maybe not. The point is that with the two most brilliantly outrageous characters in classical music since P.D.Q Bach, you can’t trust them with Mozart or anyone else for a second.

They’re not letting on what they’re up to in their latest anti-Mozartean antics, although you can finds clips from “And Now Mozart” on YouTube. You can also find clips of Igudesman & Joo hilariously clowning around with pianist Emanuel Ax and violinist Gidon Kremer, to mention two of the greats who are among the team’s biggest fans.

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