SCOTT WATKINS: NEWS

BEETHOVEN Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor"
CHOPIN Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11
GERSHWIN "Rhapsody in Blue"
GRIEG Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
LISZT Concerto No. 2 in A major
MOZART Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414
MOZART Concerto No. 17 in G major, K. 453
MOZART Concerto No. 27 in B-flat major, K. 595
RACHMANINOFF Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
TCHAIKOVSKY Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23

... a time for reflection, review, revision. Looking forward to preparing next season's repertoire (Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1, Liszt Piano Concerto No. 2, Liszt Sonata in B minor, Schumann Fantasie in C major - and lots of other works which are humbling).

My students are asking me: "why are having all these birthday celebrations?" - finally they are understanding the importance of Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, and Mendelssohn - iconic figures of music's great Romantic period.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Liszt (2011) I'll perform two of the greatest solo piano works ever composed in one program: Liszt's Sonata in B minor (dedicated to Robert Schumann), and Schumann's powerful Fantasie in C major, Op. 17 (dedicated to Franz Liszt). Look for this recital to take place in the Spring of 2011.

In March, I'll join the Brevard Symphony Orchestra for performances of Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major.

Celebrating Chopin's 200th birthday in Warsaw and Paris with students from Jacksonville University. We leave Friday, March 12.

Recital at Jacksonville University to debut the new concert piano which was originally scheduled for March 26 (Friday evening at 7:30)has been moved ahead one day to Thursday evening, March 25, at 7:30.

Program:
BEETHOVEN Sonata in A major, Op. 101
HE JIAN-JUN Piano Sonata No. 1 (2009)
CHOPIN 14 Waltzes

The Chopin Waltzes are performed in observance of the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth.

A reception will follow.

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Fabio Mechetti presents Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte." I've been enjoying the staging rehearsals as pianist, and I'm looking forward to the continuo work at the performance, February 13.

February 7, Jacksonville University, 3pm, annual ComposerFest Concert (music by Harrison, Schirmer, Steve, and the Florida premiere of Jian-jun He's Piano Sonata).

March 2, Jacksonville University Orchestra, music by Watkins (Two Poems by Walt Whitman for baritone and orchestra with Robert Tudor, bariton soloist), Steve (Piano Concerto, Scott Watkins, piano soloist).

March 12-21, France and Poland to celebrate Chopin's 200th anniversary.

DATE CHANGE!
March 25, Jacksonville University... Watkins' solo recital (preview of his Carnegie Hall recital April 10), includes Beethoven Sonata in A major, Op. 101, He Piano Sonata (2009), Chopin Fourteen Waltzes, and features JU's new concert grand piano, Shigeru-Kawai.

April 10, solo recital, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, 5:30pm. Tickets available starting February 15, $25.00 each.

April 12, Studio Class Recital, Jacksonville University. Featuring Alfred Meneses, Katherine Adams, John Shannon, Mallory Bray, Grace Han, Elizabeth Janiak, Tyler Bechtle, Ben Clark, Victor Huls, Austin Clark, Kate Sobelman.

I'm building a database of Chopin performances during 2010 (the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth). Please send me an e-mail with your repertoire, date, time, location, and any other details. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

I'm playing Chopin's Fourteen Waltzes at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, April 10, 2010, 5:30pm.

Please send your information to:
info@scottwatkinspianist.com

February 7, New Music Festival at Jacksonville University
CLIFTON CALLENDER "Point and Line to Plane" (for solo piano)
JIAN-JUN HE Sonata for French Horn and Piano
SCOTT WATKINS Music from the original motion picture "Soul in the Machine"

February 13, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
MOZART Cosi fan tutte (continuo)

March 12 - 21
BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101
HE Piano Sonata (European Premiere)
CHOPIN Fourteen Waltzes
(Warsaw, Paris) (dates, locations TBA)

March 26 (JU)
BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata, No. 28 in A major, Op. 101
HE Piano Sonata (Florida Premiere)
CHOPIN Fourteen Waltzes

April 10 (NYC)
BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata, No. 28 in A major, Op. 101
HE Piano Sonata (New York Premiere)
CHOPIN Fourteen Waltzes
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall
(tickets are $25 and available starting February 15)

This web-site has been visited from Norway, The Slovak Republic, France, Sweden, The Netherlands, israel, Russian Federation, Singapore, Argentina, Canada, Seychelles, and the United Kingdom.

Thanks, and welcome!

The great Cuban pianist, Jorge Bolet, has a living legacy in Jacksonville! His name is Nico Bolet, and today, Nico visited with the piano students and faculty at Jacksonville University.

After viewing a video of Jorge Bolet performing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, from a broadcast in 1961 (the Bell Telephone Hour Orchestra was conducted by Paul Whiteman, who gave, with Gershwin himself, the first ever performance of Rhapsody in Blue in 1925), we were treated to stories and memories of "Uncle Jorge."

I'll be posting photos soon.

REVIEW:
SRI LANKAN PIANIST AT JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY

Pianist HARSHA ABEYARATNE stunned the audience at Jacksonville University's Terry Concert Hall, Saturday Evening, April 9th. His ambitions program included the chilling Sonata in A minor by Franz Schubert, and other works by Brahms, Debussy, Liszt, and Prokofiev.

The hightlight of the recital has to have been his masterfully compelling reading of the Third Piano Sonata of American composer Robert Muczynski. His total command of the work, with all of its intracacies and complexities, made for a stunned and appreciative response. His handling of the extreme sonorities was exact and scientific in a way which made this work easy to hear and comprehend. His playing was clear, and the work's monumental technical challenges proved to be child's play under the skillful hands of this musical craftsman.

Abeyaratne also showed musicianship and taste in his reading of Schubert's Sonata in A minor, a work with a tragic and emotional core. His care in the Sonata's first movement was heartfelt. His second movement was graceful and lyrical, and the third movement's often treacherous technical challenges proved no match for Abeyaratne's pianism. He handled all of Schubert's pianistic challenges with ease, especially the closing octaves which were as fast and clear as they deserve to be heard.

Abeyaratne opened his sophisticated program with three of Debussy's Preludes which were performed with charm and wit. While his reading of General Lavine was perhaps over-romanticized in its use of rubato, the message of the quirky clown was unmistakably clear. Liszt's Sonetto 123 del Petrarca, as well as Brahms Fantasy (Op. 116) got a warm, romantic, full-bodied performance.

Abeyaratne capped his recital with Prokofiev's Toccata. A thrilling conclusion to a wonderfully presented performance.

Harsha Abeyaratne offered one of his own compositions as an encore to a greatful audience which did not want him to end his performance ... his simple work base on a Sri Lankan folksong. The piece was charming and delightful.

Abeyaratne is on the faculty of Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio - they are lucky to have him, and those who attended his recital at Jacksonville University know precisely why.

Just follow the link to MSN music in LINKS at left to hear and download music from Watkins' debut solo disc.