The Italian Premiere

Acclaimed Italian classical pianist and composer Antonio Pompa-Baldi premieres new work March 15 at Beall Concert Hall on the University of Oregon campus. Pompa-Baldi comes to Eugene as part of the inaugural Murdock International Piano Series presented by the Oregon Piano Institute (OPI), a new volunteer-led organization dedicated to highlighting piano in education and performance settings. UO professor of piano and chair of keyboard Alexandre Dossin, OPI’s artistic director and co-founder, says Pompa-Baldi, a Cleveland Institute of Music faculty member, is “one of the top pianists in the world today,” who will perform a new piece in Eugene by Italian composer Roberto Piana, called “Ravel En Reve.” “Piana is a famous composer, and having one of his works premiered in Eugene is a rare honor and a great opportunity for the community,” Dossin says. According to Dossin, OPI and the Murdock International Piano series — named after Dr. James Murdock and Marilyn Murdock, noted supporters of arts and music education at UO — “fills an important gap” for Eugene music fans who once had to travel to other nearby cities to hear piano performed at such high levels, but “not anymore.” The three award-winning pianists in the Murdock’s first season, Dossin adds — Jon Nakamatsu, who performed at Beall Hall in November; Pompa-Baldi, who performs March 15; and Valery Kuleshov, who comes to Eugene in May — are all medalists in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, considered the “Olympics of Piano.” “Winning a Cliburn medal is one of the highest possible honors a pianist can achieve,” Dossin says.

Antonio Pompa-Baldi premieres “Ravel En Reve”by Italian composer Robert Piana along with performances of Ravel’s “Gaspar de la Nuit,” Liszt’s “Dante Sonata,” Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” and more, 7:30 pm Friday, March 15, at Beall Concert Hall on the UO campus, 961 East 18th Avenue. Tickets are $10, $5 for students and free for UO students with valid student ID.

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