Celebrated Italian pianist Roberto Plano will perform for the College of Charleston International Piano Series (IPS) on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014.
At his Charleston debut, IPS audiences will delight in music by Scarlatti and Liszt, both studied in depth by Plano. The program also will include Sonatas by Italian baroque and pre-classical period composers, notably Luchesi, a composer about whom Plano recently made a tantalizing discovery: a lost cadenza written by Mozart for Luchesi’s Concerto in F Major.
Individual tickets are $20. College of Charleston students and those under 18 years old are admitted free of charge. All IPS concerts will take place at 8 p.m. in the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. For information and to pre-order tickets call (843) 953-6575 or visit go.cofc.edu/ips. A free masterclass, open to the public, will take place on Wednesday, January 22 at the College of Charleston.
Watch a video of Plano in concert.
An audience favorite on and off the stage, Plano performs regularly throughout North America and Europe – notably at Lincoln Center and Sala Verdi – and has appeared with orchestras all over the world under the direction of renowned conductors Sir Neville Marriner and Pinchas Zuckerman. He has been featured recitalist at the internationally acclaimed Chopin Festival, the Portland Piano Festival, and while the list of his awards is quite extensive, some of the highlights include Honens Prize Laureate, 2003; the Cleveland International Piano Competition (first prize winner), 2001; and the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (finalist), 2005.
Roberto Plano, “the Pavarotti of piano” (The Chronicle, Glens Falls, NY) has also been described as “…musical beyond belief and so beautifully sensitive, yet filled with great strength and fortitude” (Marty W. Merkley, Chautauqua Institution).
The rest of the IPS season includes:Jon Kimura Parker – Canada • Tuesday, February 18, 2014Konstantinos Papadakis – Greece • Tuesday, March 18, 2014
The International Piano Series (IPS) is Charleston’s longest running, year-round program with a pure focus on piano. Consistent with the School’s mission, IPS plays a distinctive role in the lives of students and the community by implementing excellence in the arts and education and cultivating piano music appreciation.
Each year, IPS stages concerts for pianists hailing from the United States and around the world. While on campus, the guest artists offer masterclasses in which students perform and receive critique. These masterclasses are open to the public. The performers range from young professionals emerging onto the world stage to seasoned performers with long-established careers.
Proceeds from ticket sales and donations ensure the longevity of the program and support educational opportunities for music students.