Barry brings international performers together for first-time piano festival

 

Miami Shores, Fla. – The Department of Fine Arts at Barry University will be hosting a first-time piano festival April 17-19, 2009. The Ivory Palms Barry University Piano Festival will bring together world-renowned pianists from the South Florida region to perform and teach. Included in the lineup is a preview concert for the June 5th Carnegie Hall concert of two of Barry’s faculty members, Mexican pianists Martin and Dionisio Camacho.

Other performers include Marina Radiushina, winner of the prestigious Vladimir Horowitz International Piano Competition and numerous other competitions, Brazilian pianist Simone Leitao and Barry faculty members Alan Mason and Martin and Dionisio Camacho. Martin Camacho has won 18 national and local competitions in Mexico, Cuba and the United States, including a grant from Mexico’s National Endowment for the Arts for his dissemination of Mexican music. He is considered one of the most important Mexican pianists of his generation. His brother, Dionisio, has also received international acclaim, earning first prize in the Interamerican Piano Competition, as well as numerous other awards in Mexico and the United States.

Despite the prestigious lineup (a full schedule is below), the goal of the event is to provide opportunities for local pianists and students to perform, interact and learn together. Mixed in with the schedule of concerts and performances is a Masterclass that will be presented by Marina Radiushina, as well as a Children’s Concert, with piano students aged 5 to 13 years old performing.

The festival is part of a series of 12 concerts, recitals and appearances that Martin and Dionisio Camacho will be presenting in the U.S. and Mexico leading up to their performance at Carnegie Hall June 5, 2009. Saturday, April 18 they will perform a preview concert for this event, which will include the world premiere of a work by Puerto Rican composer Antonio Gil, as well as works by Chopin, Liszt, Wagner, Prokofiev and Ruiz Armengol’s “Cuban Dances.” The festival has been organized with the collaboration of the Miami Piano Circle and its director, Mia Vassilev.

A schedule of activities is included below:

Friday, April 17

Lecture by Dr. Lori Werner
10 a.m.
Andy Gato Gallery

A lecture centered on the presentation and discussion of current issues concerning piano teaching. Dr. Lori Werner is the Director of the Keyboard Pedagogy Program at the University of Miami and is a local authority in piano pedagogy and other piano-related issues.

Competition Preview Recital (Marina Radiushina)
12 p.m.
Andy Gato Gallery

A concert with Miami-based pianist, Marina Radiushina. Radiushina has won several international and national piano competitions, including the prestigious Vladimir Horowitz International Piano Competition, and has recently begun a concert career. She will be performing works by Rachmaninoff, and Bach-Busoni.

Masterclass with Marina Radiushina
1:30 p.m.
Andy Gato Gallery

Two of the most talented piano students from Barry University will receive master suggestions, insights and comments on their performance by artist Marina Radiushina. The selections will include works by Bach and Mendelssohn.

Saturday, April 18

Children’s Concert
10 a.m.
Cor Jesu Chapel

During the first half of the concert, talented pre-college students (ages 5-13) will perform selections. These student-pianists come from different teachers and studios, including those of Courtney McLean, Wei Wang, Marina Radiushina and Mia Vassilev.

In the second half, Dr. Alan Mason will accompany the Barry University Tara Singers who will perform solo selections of well-known songs for children, including Disney themes. Children of all ages are welcome. Cookies and apple juice will be served after the concert.

Carnegie Hall Preview Recital (Dionisio and Martin Camacho)
7 p.m.
Andy Gato Gallery

Dionisio and Martin Camacho will present an exciting Miami preview of their upcoming Carnegie Hall debut. Martin Camacho has won eighteen national and local competitions in Mexico, Cuba, and the United States, and he is considered today as one of the most important Mexican pianists of his generation. Dionisio Camacho is the first prize winner of the “Interamerican Piano Competition” and the winner of the “Klatzkin” competition. Both pianists will present 12 concerts, recitals and appearances in Mexico and the U.S. that will end with their presentation at Carnegie’s Hall Weill Recital Hall June 5, 2009. The program includes works by Chopin, Liszt, Wagner/Liszt, Prokofiev, and Ruiz Armengol’s “Cuban Dances” and the world premiere of a work by Puerto Rican composer Antonio Gil.

Sunday, April 19

Music from Brazil (Simone Leitao)
4 p.m.
Andy Gato Gallery

Brazilian pianist Simone Leitao performs frequently across the U.S., Europe and in Brazil’s most prestigious concert halls. She has been described as having intense vitality, ample technical means, strong rhythmic drive and fire in her performances. This recital will include music from Brazil and Argentina, including works by Alberto Ginastera and Heitor Villa-Lobos.

For more information, please contact assistant professor of music, Martin Camacho at (305) 899-4923