Tri-C Classical Piano Series Brings International Performers to the Cleveland Stage

Free concerts feature eclectic artists with unique styles

The echo of international applause follows five dynamic performers to the 2015-2016 Tri-C Classical Piano Series, a lineup of free concerts at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium.

The series — now in its ninth year — will introduce Northeast Ohio audiences to artists who have traveled the globe bringing a fresh approach to classical repertoire.

Pianists taking the stage this season include the South African duo of Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhães; Italy’s Orazio Maione; Cleveland Institute of Music alumnus Zsolt Bognár; and Ukranian-born Stanislav Khristenko.

“They stand out for their interpretation of the music,” said Emanuela Friscioni, director of the series for Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). “These pianists are artists first, and their eclectic interests can be heard in every note they play.

All concerts are at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoons in the Gartner Auditorium at the Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.

Here is the performance schedule:

Oct. 18: Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhães
Schumann and Magalhães perform both as solo artists and together as TwoPianists. Their CDs have received rave reviews from International Record Review, Allmusic.com and other sources. They are the founders of TwoPianists Records, which won the South African Music Award for Best Popular Classical Album two consecutive years. Their program in Cleveland will include selections from Franck, Saint-Saens, Poulenc and Ravel.

Nov. 22: Orazio Maione
Maione gained professional recognition at an early age after winning competitions at national and international levels. He made his debut at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples and has played for some of the most important Italian musical institutions as a soloist, chamber player and symphonic performer. His Cleveland performance will include Chopin’s preludes and suites from Prokofiev’s Cinderella.

Feb. 7: Zsolt Bognár
Rooted in Cleveland, Bognár has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. His style has been described as “overwhelmingly visceral.” He has frequently performed chamber music with members of the Cleveland Orchestra and former Cleveland Quartet, and has been involved in premieres of new music.

March 6: Stanislav Khristenko
The Ukrainian-born Khristenko has drawn praise for his emotional intensity and charismatic expression while growing into one of America’s most thought-provoking young pianists. He has appeared as a recitalist and soloist with orchestras across the United States, as well as South Korea, Spain, Belgium and Bulgaria. In 2013, he won First Prize at the Cleveland International Piano Competition. His performance will include music by Bach, Schumann and Tchaikovsky, among others.

October 01, 2015

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu