College of Charleston International Piano Series Debuts Spring Season at Memminger Auditorium
The International Piano Series at the College of Charleston School of the Arts will present Frederic Chiu on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011 at 8:00 p.m., at Memminger Auditorium, 56 Beaufain St. The Series is momentarily away from its home at the College’s Sottile Theatre, which is being refurbished.
Chiu will play Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 arranged by Liszt and other works by Chopin, Debussy, Ravel and Prokofiev. Tickets are $20. College of Charleston students and those under 18 years old are admitted free of charge. Reservations and information are available online or by calling (843) 953-6575.
Chiu, a Yamaha Artist, will premiere the Yamaha 9’ CFX full concert grand, which replaces their acclaimed CFIIIS concert grand piano, and it was launched in 2010. The College of Charleston becomes the first institution in the world to obtain one thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor from Charleston.
Born and raised in America by Chinese immigrant parents, resident of Paris for 12 years, Frederic Chiu’s cosmopolitan background brings a unique approach to his music-making. A master of the recording studio, Chiu has released more than 20 CDs for the Harmonia Mundi label including the complete piano works by Prokofiev, a 10-CD recording project that has elicited enthusiasm from Fanfare to the Wall Street Journal. His release of Mendelssohn sonatas was chosen as “Record of the Year” by Stereo Review and his Liszt CD was reviewed on BBC Radio 3: “As for the playing, my strongest impression is one of reverence”.
After studies at Indiana University and at the Juilliard School, Chiu began his career in Europe: his recital debut at the Wigmore Hall prompted the Evening Standard’s headline “Call of the Wild Genius.” He has since performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Cité de la Musique in Paris and the Philharmonie in Berlin. In North America, Chiu has performed extensively at the Lincoln Center, Newport Music Festival, the Mostly Mozart Festival, the Ambassador Theatre in Pasadena and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
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