Solo

Although the bulk of my work these days is in a collaborative capacity, I still enjoy performing solo and concerto repertoire when I can.

Recitals

I used to frustrate Mr. Pressler a bit by bringing in obscure music for my lessons, but my belief – which I still hold – was that the world does not need yet another mediocre performance of the Appassionata, especially when there is so much beautiful music out there that almost never gets heard. So my recital programs always include a good bit of off-the-beaten-path repertoire, as well as more familiar pieces.

A partial list of repertoire recently performed and in-preparation:

Bach-Busoni – Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C major
Bach, J. C. – Sonata in A major, Op. 17 No. 5
Beethoven – Polonaise, Op, 89
Beethoven – Rondo in G, Op, 51 No. 2
Beethoven – Sonata in C minor, Op. 111
Copland-Bernstein – El Salón México
Czerny – Variations, Op. 33 “La Ricordanza”
Czerny – Valses di bravura, Op. 35
Godowsky – selections from Renaissance
Granados – selections from Goyescas
Haydn – Sonata in A major, Hob. XVI:26
Kosenko – Passacaglia
Liszt – Fantasy on motives from Beethoven’s “Ruins of Athens”
Piazzolla – Adiós, Nonino
Raff – Rigaudon, Op. 204
Ravel – Sonatine
Schubert – 3 Klavierstücke, D. 946
Schumann – Phantasie, Op. 17
Schumann – Sonata in G minor, Op. 22

Concertos

I have long held the opinion that, to quote an old joke, playing a piano concerto with orchestra is about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. Well, that and eating and drinking in Asturias, but I digress… There is absolutely nothing like it – the interplay, the colors, the textures. It’s like chamber music on steroids. And there is so much magnificent repertoire! Actually getting the opportunity to play a concerto with orchestra is no easy task, but I have been fortunate to have a few opportunities… and hope to have many more.

Concertos I have performed with orchestra include:

Bach – Concerto in A major, BWV 1055
Bach – Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052
Beethoven – Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15
Beethoven – Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19
Beethoven – Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
Beethoven – Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
Beethoven – Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73
Brahms – Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83
Franck – Symphonic Variations
Grieg – Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
Hummel – Concerto in A-flat major. Op. 113
MacDowell – Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 23
Mozart – Concerto in E-flat major, K. 482
Mozart – Concerto in C major, K. 503
Saint-Saëns – Concert No. 4 in C minor, Op. 44
Schumann – Concerto in A minor, Op. 54

I also have a sizable wish-list of concertos I would like very much to perform some day. It includes:

Beethoven – Choral Fantasy, Op. 80
Czerny – Variations on “Gott, erhalte Franz den Kaiser” (Haydn), Op. 73
Dvořák – Concerto in G minor, Op. 33
Goetz – Concerto in B-flat major, Op. 18
Hummel – any, particularly Introduction & Rondo on a Russian Theme, Op. 98
Stenhammar – Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 23