Int Piano Series 11-12
Ilana Vered Showcases Her Musicality
IN THE MUSICAL DOCUMENTARY “From Mao To Mozart,” violinist Isaac Stern implores a young student: “You don’t use music to play the violin; you use the violin to play music.” At the final concert of this year’s College of Charleston International Piano Series at the Sottile Theatre last Tuesday, we had an excellent demonstration... Read »
Ilana Vered to Conclude 2011-12 Piano Series
Israeli-born pianist Ilana Vered will perform next Tuesday, the 17th, in the final concert of this season’s College of Charleston’s International Piano Series at the Sottile Theatre. From age 13 to 15 Ilana attended the Paris Conservatoire which awarded her first prize in piano upon her graduation. Among her teachers there were Vlado Perlemuter... Read »
Piano Series Recital Delivers Mixed Results
WELL RESPECTED German pianist Sebastian Knauer appeared before a substantial Sottile Theatre audience at last Tuesday’s International Piano Series recital. Being personally familiar with several of Knauer’s excellent recordings, my expectations were very high. While his performances here were mostly well executed and enjoyable, I fear that his playing sometimes fell short of the... Read »
Sebastian Knauer Coming to the Sottile
SEBASTIAN KNAUER, from Germany, will perform next Tuesday at the College of Charleston’s International Piano Series at the Sottile Theatre. Last February, Mr. Knauer appeared at the Charleston Concert Association’s Gaillard performance of Mozart’s Two Piano concerto with Philippe Entremont (read our review here). He now tours extensively with violinist Daniel Hope, and their... Read »
A Cherished “Elder Statesman” of the Piano
YOU CAN ALWAYS count on the College of Charleston’s International Piano Series (IPS) to bring the Holy City a complete and varied cross-section of the pianist’s art. From brilliant young sensations, through mid-career masters, to legendary “elder statesmen” of their instrument—Charleston audiences are blessed to hear some of the very finest of each. But—at... Read »
Menahem Pressler at the Sottile
THE BEAUX ARTS TRIO, perhaps the most heralded trio in the world, was cofounded by pianist Menahem Pressler who will grace the Sottile stage as a soloist next Wednesday, December 14 in the third concert of this year’s International Piano Series. With Mr. Pressler as the Trio’s only pianist for nearly 55 years, the... Read »
Double Triumph for Sean Kennard
WHEN I GOT TO the Sottile Theatre last Tuesday evening for Sean Kennard’s recital in the College of Charleston’s International Piano Series, I already knew something of what to expect. For starters, I’ve been thrilling to his frequent performances in Charleston surrounding his years of study with series director and C of C Artist-in-Residence... Read »
A Noteworthy New Recording
PIANIST SEAN KENNARD’s new CD, released under the College of Charleston’s Cougar Classics label, showcases a combination of remarkable technical skills and refreshing interpretive style. The recording was done on a restored 1940 Steinway-D over three days at the College of Charleston Simons Center Recital Hall—a venue not intended as a sound studio, but... Read »
Sean Kennard Returns to Charleston
THREE SONATAS by Domenico Scarlatti, 24 preludes by Frederic Chopin, three etudes by Claude Debussy, and Samuel Barber’s Sonata for Piano—all played by the sterling young pianist, Sean Kennard. That’s what’s on the slate next Tuesday night at the Sottile in the second concert of this year’s International Piano Series, and I assure you:... Read »
Piano Siblings Impress at Sottile
PIANO DUO RECITALS being relatively rare beasts, it was a particular pleasure to attend last Tuesday evening’s International Piano Series recital at the Sottile Theatre, featuring the widely-acclaimed Long Duo. Sisters Beatrice and Christina Long have established themselves as one of the world’s leading duo-piano teams, while also enjoying distinguished individual solo careers. Our... Read »
