April 9, 2009
Pianist Boris Berman to perform April 16
Boris Berman, professor of piano at Yale University, will perform works by Chopin and Debussy in a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16, in Brechemin Auditorium. Berman will perform Chopin’s Barcarolle, Polonaise-Fantaisie, and Debussy’s Images (Books 1 and 2), and Estampes.
Berman’s appearance is the final event in the Donald E. Petersen and Ruth Sutton Waters Guest Piano Series, organized by UW faculty artists Craig Sheppard and Robin McCabe to bring world-class artists to the University for master classes and recitals.
Born in Moscow, Berman studied at Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with the distinguished pianist Lev Oborin and graduated with distinction as both pianist and harpsichordist. He performed extensively throughout the Soviet Union as a recitalist and appeared as guest soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Moscow Philharmonic and the Moscow Chamber orchestras.
In 1973, Berman left a flourishing career in the Soviet Union to immigrate to Israel. He quickly established himself as one of the most sought-after keyboard performers, as well as one of this country’s more influential musical personalities. At present, he lives in the United States, where he heads the piano department at Yale School of Music. He also conducts master classes throughout the world. Berman has been the founding director of the Music Spectrum concert series in Israel (1975-84) and of the Yale Music Spectrum series in the United States (1984-1997). These concert series were hailed by the critics for the inventiveness of their programming.
In addition to the concert, Berman will lead a master class with UW piano students at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, in Brechemin Auditorium. Admission to the master class is free and open to the public for observation.
Tickets for the concert are $10, cash or check at the door. For more information, go to www.music.washington.edu.
