By Robert Croan Classical recitals are all too scarce in Broward County. A recital of the caliber of Emanuel Ax’s all-Beethoven program, in Broward Center’s Amaturo Theater on March 22, would be rare anywhere, anytime. Professionally, the Polish-born pianist, 67 this year, is at the top of his field, and as the present concert demonstrated, he is in top form technically and … [Read more...]
Twelve-year-old jazz pianist plays far beyond his years, peers
Most people who watched the venerable CBS program 60 Minutes on Jan. 3 probably weren’t blind, and didn’t tune in right in the middle of a playing segment by jazz pianist Joey Alexander. But if those possibilities aligned, anyone listening would’ve heard a musician playing with the creativity, dexterity and improvisational skills of jazz keyboard legends from Art Tatum and … [Read more...]
Pianist Moutouzkine stellar at Symphonia
Alexandre Moutouzkine. (Photo by E. Appel) Sunday afternoon’s concert by The Symphonia Boca Raton had a loose and handmade feel to it, with decent performances by the group of some unusual repertoire, and a standout appearance by a guest soloist. Alexandre Moutouzkine, a Russian-born pianist, was the soloist for two works, the rarely heard Ballade (in F-sharp, Op. 19) of … [Read more...]
Pianist Korepanova shines in Schubert at Steinway Gallery
It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, just before rain and cool air finally gave our overheated state a gentle winter benediction, and inside at the Boca Steinway Gallery, an overflow crowd heard a fine recital of core piano repertory by a young Russian pianist. Asiya Korepanova, a native of Russia’s Udmurtia republic, earned her doctorate under Santiago Rodriguez at the University … [Read more...]
Pianist Dinnerstein to open Festival Miami with Lasser concerto
The American pianist Simone Dinnerstein made her mark on the concert scene with her peerless readings of the music of J.S. Bach, and the Goldberg Variations in particular. But her career has also brought attention to the music of a living composer, Philip Lasser, a Juilliard professor whose Twelve Variations on a Chorale by J.S. Bach was featured on Dinnerstein’s recording of … [Read more...]
U.S. pianist’s Chopin survey impresses as she heads to Warsaw
The music of Frédéric Chopin remains unique in music history in that most of what the Polish composer wrote is in the active repertory. Chopin is critical to the repertoire of pianists everywhere, and next month, Rachel Naomi Kudo, a 28-year-old American pianist from the Chicago suburbs, heads to Warsaw to take part in the 17th International Chopin Competition, having won a … [Read more...]
Pianist Hersch dazzles in Arts Garage solo show
Pianists who play solo concerts, even ones who have made their names in jazz, realize that they're best-served to have some classical acumen because of the inherent recital expectations of an unaccompanied atmosphere. In that regard, New York City-based Fred Hersch arrived at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach well-armed Friday night. The Cincinnati native, who turns 59 on … [Read more...]
Pianist Dong makes thrilling, important Florida debut
The art of recital programming is an elusive one given that there’s so much repertory to choose from, but in solo performances, pianists generally follow a chronological order, going from the Baroque or Classical periods to the present. The terrific young Chinese pianist Fei-Fei Dong, a medalist at the last Van Cliburn competition last year, followed this norm only in the … [Read more...]
Pianist Licad to offer powerful program of rarities
There isn’t much precedent, except maybe on a college seminar evening somewhere, for the kind of program the Filipina pianist Cecile Licad is playing Sunday afternoon at Festival Miami. Here’s the lineup: Pieces by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Edward MacDowell, William Mason, Leo Ornstein, Ferruccio Busoni and Cecile Chaminade. No Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms or Chopin in sight. … [Read more...]
Pianist Rabinovich makes impressive South Florida debut
By Donald Waxman Last Saturday afternoon (April 27) at the Steinway Gallery in Boca Raton, the much-acclaimed young Israeli pianist Roman Rabinovich performed for the first time in South Florida. The 28-year-old pianist, born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, began studies in Israel at the famed Rubin Academy, “the Juilliard of Tel Aviv,” then went on to Curtis and Juilliard. Since … [Read more...]