March 4, 2004

A celebration of the piano

School of Music presents ‘From Vienna to Harlem’

By Judy Moore

The School of Music will present the piano festival “From Vienna to Harlem” April 3 to 10 at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall and Lutkin Hall.

The festival will comprise 19 events during seven days, featuring the piano in a broad range of repertoire from classical to jazz. Programming will include recitals and chamber music with artists Leon Fleisher, Menahem Pressler, Sergei Babayan and Margo Garrett; two jazz evenings with Jean-Michel Pilc and the Marcus Roberts Trio; a “monster” piano concert; and educational events consisting of master classes and a children’s concert.

The centerpiece of “From Vienna to Harlem” will be concerts by four of today’s most noted pianists. Fleisher’s April 3 recital, with works by Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Kirchner, Koston and Sessions, will include a rare-two handed performance. Pressler will collaborate April 4 with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34 and also will perform as a soloist. The “Goldberg Variations” by Bach will be featured during Babayan’s April 6 solo recital. Pilc on April 7 will perform his original compositions and improvisations on works by Chopin, Ellington, Gershwin and Edith Piaf. Each program, except for that of Pilc, will be preceded by a mini-concert of piano preludes performed by School of Music students.

Other festival highlights include an April 8 “monster concert” featuring eight pianos and repertoire for up to 16 hands; the April 10 Marcus Roberts Jazz Trio in “New Orleans Meets Harlem” with music by and improvisations on Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, Scott Joplin, and others; and the April 10 Kids Fare concert “All Keyed Up,” hosted by pianist/harmonica player Howard Levy.

Artists for the April 8 “monster concert” will be School of Music faculty members Marcia Bosits, Elizabeth Buccheri, Alan Chow, James Giles, School of Music Dean Toni-Marie Montgomery, Ursula Oppens and Sylvia Wang, with guest performers to be announced at a later date.

Several special events, all of which are free and open to the public, will be offered in conjunction with the festival. Master classes, with students of the School of Music, will be presented by each of the four featured pianists and by noted pedagogue Marvin Blickenstaff and collaborative pianist Margo Garrett. A program of chamber music will feature Garrett, horn player Gail Williams, and violinist Joseph Genualdi. Piano students of the Interlochen Arts Academy, a performing arts high school in Interlochen, Mich., will be featured in a recital.

“We are very proud to present a festival of this caliber and breadth,” said School of Music Dean Toni-Marie Montgomery. “The Winter Chamber Music Festival and the new piano festival offer students and the community access to some of today’s finest musicians.”

“From Vienna to Harlem” is made possible, in part, by the support from Betty A. Van Gorkom, the Schroeder Foundation, and the Dorothy Fox Johnson Visiting Artists Fund.

Festival ($10 to $25) and Kids Fare tickets ($3 to $5) are available at the Pick-Staiger Box Office or by calling (847) 467-4000. Educational events are free and open to the public.

Festival Schedule
April 3 to 10

This series of solo recitals and concerts will be held on the Evanston campus at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, and Lutkin Hall, 700 University Place.

Prices are listed for the general public; faculty/staff/senior citizens; and students.

Saturday, April 3

• 2 to 5 p.m.
Marvin Blickenstaff workshop, Lutkin Hall, Free

• 6:45 p.m.
Student preludes, Pick-Staiger, Free

• 7:30 p.m.
Leon Fleisher recital, Pick-Staiger, $25/20/10

Sunday, April 4

• 2 to 4 p.m.
Leon Fleisher master class, Lutkin Hall, Free

• 6:45 p.m.
Student preludes, Pick-Staiger, Free

• 7:30 p.m.
Menahem Pressler recital, Pick-Staiger, $25/20/10

Monday, April 5

• 10 a.m. to noon
Menahem Pressler master class, Lutkin Hall, Free

• 5:30 p.m.
Interlochen student recital, Lutkin Hall, Free

Tuesday, April 6

• 2 to 4 p.m.
Jean-Michel Pilc master class, Lutkin Hall, Free

• 6:45 p.m.
Student preludes, Pick-Staiger, Free

• 7:30 p.m.
Sergei Babayan recital, Pick-Staiger, $21/17/10

Wednesday, April 7

• 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Sergei Babayan master class, Lutkin Hall, Free

• Noon
Margo Garrett chamber music recital, Pick-Staiger, Free

• 2 p.m.
Margo Garrett master class, Lutkin Hall, Free

• 7:30 p.m.
Jean-Michel Pilc recital, Pick-Staiger, $12/8.50/5.50

Thursday, April 8

• 7:30 p.m. Monster Piano Concert, Pick-Staiger, $12/8.50/5.50

Saturday, April 10

• 10:30 a.m.
Kids Fare: “ All Keyed Up,” Pick-Staiger, $5/4/3

• 7:30 p.m.
Marcus Roberts Trio: “ New Orleans Meets Harlem,” Pick-Staiger (followed by cabaret reception), $15/10/5