Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Jon Kimura Parker is hosted by the College of Charleston International Piano Series (IPS) for a performance at the Sottile Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, at 8 p.m. General admission is $20, and College of Charleston students and those under 18 may attend for free. PRE-ORDER TICKETS and get more info ONLINE or by calling (843) 953-6575.
Parker will perform his own solo piano transcriptions of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” that celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. [Watch his video “Doing Rite by Stravinsky”] His dynamic program also will include pieces by Rachmaninoff and Schubert. It will conclude with Beethoven’s “Appassionata.”
A veteran of the international concert stage, Parker has performed as guest soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Wolfgang Sawallisch in Carnegie Hall, toured Europe with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Andre Previn, and shared the stage with Jessye Norman at Berlin’s Philharmonie.
Some highlights of his extensive list of accomplishments include recitals in London, New York, Chicago, Munich, Budapest, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Tokyo; performance with the Tokyo Quartet and Joshua Bell; and performance in war-torn Sarajevo in 1995 at the 50th Anniversary of AmeriCares. Parker was awarded his country’s highest honor, the Order of Canada, in 1999.
Parker received his doctorate at The Juilliard School in 1988 under Adele Marcus and he is currently Professor of Piano at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
The International Piano Series (IPS) at the College of Charleston School of the Arts 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.