Encores

American violinist Hilary Hahn is renowned for her probing interpretations of the classic violin repertoire, from Mendelssohn and Mozart to Bach and Beethoven. But at age 31, she has also done much to promote the music of our time, including her premieres of two concertos written for her by American composers.

The two-time Grammy Award winner is now in the midst of a project of encores that she is commissioning for acoustic violin and piano. Cincinnati is the first stop on her tour of “In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores.” Hahn and pianist Valentina Lisitsa will perform 13 of those short – two- to five-minute – pieces to open the Constella Festival on Thursday in Memorial Hall.

Question: How did you manage to squeeze Cincinnati into your very busy schedule?

Answer: I have some wonderful memories of concerts in Cincy. I was asked if I might be available to play in the Constella Festival this fall, and Oct. 13 just happened to fit into my schedule. As a result, my recital tour will begin that day, in your city, and we all get to experience 13 world premieres together on one evening!

Q: How many cities will you tour with your “27 Pieces” project?

A: This season, the tour of this half of the project takes me to 10 North American cities in nine states, with an additional 11 in six more countries. The second half of the project will tour next season, then I will release a recording of all of the pieces in the 2013-14 season.

Q: As you began commissioning these encores, how did you select the composers?

A: I spent three to four hours every night with a bar of chocolate and a pot of tea in front of my computer, combing lists of names of living composers and listening to what I could find of each composers’ work. I wound up with numerous people I wanted to ask to participate in this project. I got their contact information and cold-called them. That part was nerve wracking. Almost all said yes, which was thrilling and unexpected. Organizing a commissioned set of encores has been a goal for me for nearly a decade, so I can’t quite believe it’s really happening now. Sometimes I look at the pieces in front of me and get chills.

Q: What surprised or thrilled you about the submissions you received?

A: What surprised me most is the way each piece represents its composer’s specific musical language. I find myself working very hard to get into each composer’s way of writing, so that I understand on an innate level how they have structured every aspect of their pieces, from phrases to harmonies and even violinistic techniques. In that sense, this project has been much bigger than I anticipated. But I like challenges.

Q: What can the listener expect from the 13 you will play here?

A: I have no doubt that each listener will leave the hall with at least one or two favorite new encores. I find several of the works very moving to listen to, others quirky, some scintillating, some flashy and exciting. Each has its own personality.

Q: I read your “Postcard from the Road” (hilaryhahn.com) about how difficult it was to get on a plane to Paris and back into a grueling schedule. How would you describe the life of a touring artist?

A: What people don’t see much is the administrative life behind the scenes. Everything that happens in the public eye needs to be set up and planned, and every idea that comes to life takes a team of people to turn it into reality. There is much more to this kind of a career than practicing and performing. One thing I can say for sure is that, every single day, I do something I have never done before. I don’t know how that is possible, but I really enjoy it.