Piano Artistry Series, 2005-06 Season

Thursday September 29, 2005, at 8 p.m.

Philip Thomson with UA Orchestra

Under the new director Guy Bordo, the UA Orchestra will open the first concert of the season with the Mozart Piano Concerto, K. 488 with Philip Thomson. Thomson has been on the music faculty at The University of Akron since 1994. He has played with all of Canada’s major orchestras and concertized in the United States, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, and China. Currently, he is the Director of the Keyboard Studies at the University of Akron.

Sunday October 30, 2005, at 3 p.m.

(master class on October 29, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

Sergio Gallo

Winner of the Concerto Competition of the Sao Paulo Symphony, Brazilian pianist, Sergio Gallo has performed in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He will be performing this season with the Anadolu University Symphony in Turkey, the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony, and the Greater Grand Forks Symphony in North Dakota. He studied with Souza Lima, a former pupil of Marguerite Long and Isidor Philipp.  He received the Diplome d'Excellence at the Paris Conservatoire, a post graduate certificate at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, both Artist Diploma and Masters in Piano Performance at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory, and the DMA from the University of California, Santa Barbara.  Dr. Gallo is currently Associate Professor of Piano at the University of North Dakota. He will be performing works by Beethoven, Schumann, Liszt and Muczynski.

Friday, February 10, 2006, at 8 p.m.

(Master class on February 11, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

Jay Gottlieb

Guest pianist Jay Gottlieb has appeared as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony of China, the Orchestra della RAI, the Hessicher Rundfunk Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique of Radio-France, working with such conductors as Pierre Boulez, Seiji Ozawa, Kent Nagano, Michael Tilson Thomas, Aaron Copland, Gunther Schuller, and Robert Craft. A native of New York, Gottlieb studied with such noted musicians as Nadia Boulanger, Olivier Messiaen, Yvonne Loriod, Robert Casadesus, Aloys Kontarsky, and Lukas Foss. He is Laureat of the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation, and recipient of the Martha Baird Rockefeller Foundation Grant, National Endowment for the Arts, French Government Grant, First Prize in the International Improvisation Competition in Lyons, Lili Boulanger Prize, Grand Prix du Disque of the French Recording Academy, the Diapason d'Or, the "Choc" in LE MONDE DE LA MUSIQUE, Festival Estival de Paris Prize, and Master Award at the Berkshire Music Festival, Tanglewood. The program includes works by Ives, Scelsi, Donatoni, Wolpe, Messaien, Koechlin, Dutilleux, Berio, Crumb, and Adams.

Wednesday March 8, 2006, at 8 p.m.

Laura Silverman, Piano

An Evening of Viennese Piano Trios

works to include Haydn G Major Piano Trio, Brahms C Major Piano Trio, and Schubert Nocturne

with guests:

Annie Fullard, Violin (1st violinist with The Cavani String Quartet)

Alison Wells, Cello (cello faculty at The Cleveland Institute of

Music)

Saturday March 18, 2006, at 8 p.m.

Evening for Cello and Piano

Michael Haber, ‘cello Mayumi Kikuchi, Piano

This all-20th century cello sonata program will include Barber’s op. 6, Britten’s op. 65, Kodaly’s op. 4, Shostakovich’s op. 40, and a piece by UA faculty member Ralph Turek. Michael Haber joined the University of Akron in 1983. A former member of Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell, he has performed with such noted ensembles as the Casals Festival Orchestra under Pablo Casals, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center. His chamber music activities include numerous performances at the Marlboro Festival in Vermont and recording as cellist for both The Composers Quartet and of The Gabrielli Trio. Mayumi Kikuchi has been on the music faculty at the University of Akron since 2000. She has performed as both soloist and as a chamber recitalist in the United States, Japan and Italy, and is the pianist for the Akropolis vocal ensemble.

Sunday April 9, 2006, at 3 p.m.

Pianosaurus!

By University Piano Faculty, Students and Friends

University of Akron piano faculty members, students, and many pianos combine (yes, all at once) to shake up Guzzetta Recital Hall with a program of overwhelming opulence and lots of fun. Works by an array of composers including Rossini, Saint-Saens, Grainger, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Gounod, Wagner, Sousa, and Christina Tan. Reception in the atrium to follow; all audience members who are still able to stand are cordially invited.