Many Eugeneans probably haven’t heard about the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, described by University of Oregon piano professor Alexandre Dossin as the “Olympics of the piano world.” While every four years the top track athletes in the country come to Tracktown USA to run, jump and throw, the piano equivalent of an Olympian will be performing in Eugene Thursday, Nov. 14. Jon Nakamatsu, the winner of the ’97 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition will perform at the University of Oregon’s Beall Concert Hall at 7:30 pm. He is hosted by the newly formed Oregon Piano Institute, an organization that aims to bring attention to Oregon’s piano scene as well as bring talent, like Nakamatsu, to the state to perform. Dossin, who serves as its artistic director, co-founded OPI. In 1997, Dossin competed alongside Nakamatsu at Van Cliburn. “We basically have an Olympian on campus,” Dossin says of Nakamatsu’s piano skills. Unlike most of the competitors in 1997, Nakamatsu didn’t hail from a conservatory and instead worked as a German teacher with an unconventional path to top-caliber piano. “Jon came and really took everyone by surprise,” Dossin says of Nakamatsu’s tradition-defying win at Van Cliburn. In the years since his win, Nakamatsu has toured the world with his piano skills, and for a night, Eugene can enjoy the gold he makes with those black and white keys.

Jon Nakamatsu’s recital is 7:30 pm Thursday, Nov. 14, at University of Oregon’s Beall Hall, 961 East 18th Avenue. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for students and FREE for UO students with a valid ID. Learn about future events at OregonPianoInstitute.org.