CCM's 'Pianopaloozalists' plan to rock the house
By Mary Ellyn Hutton
Post music writer
©
Cincinatti Post You've heard of Lollapalooza, the American music festival featuring alternative rock, rap, punk, etc.
Now there's Pianopalooza.
Described as "faster, louder and more foolish," Pianopalooza is a joint concert by the applied piano faculty of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. The event, a near sell-out at its 2006 inaugural, returns for a second year at 4 p.m. Sunday in Corbett Auditorium.
That's six pianists, performing individually and together, on three pianos and a celesta. Participating will be Michael Chertock, Awadagin Pratt, Eugene and Elizabeth Pridonoff, James Tocco and department chairman Frank Weinstock. Jack Atherton, of Channel 19 television, returns as emcee. The concert is a fund-raiser for the CCM piano department.
A "lollapalooza," according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "something outstanding of its kind." The suffix "-palooza" implies packing a punch, since the original word is thought to have referred to a knockout in boxing.
Last year's concert - which ended with a combined performance of Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" - was certainly that. This year's 12-hand finale will be "Rakoczy March" from Berlioz' "The Damnation of Faust" and Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance."
So what do six pianists on three pianos (all at once) sound like in Corbett Auditorium?
"It feels like a heavy metal band on stage," said Chertock, "but the acoustics of Corbett give the sound a beautiful sheen."
This year has "a strong emphasis on romanticism and color," he said. Here's the cast of characters for this year's Pianopalooza, with comments by Chertock:
Awadagin Pratt. "Not the typical suit-and-tie kind of gentleman. Rather athletic. Also conducts and plays the violin and is an accomplished chess player. Although he looks very serious, he enjoys playing tricks on the rest of us." Pratt will perform several small pieces. Composers include 19th-century French virtuoso Charles-Valentin Alkan.
Elizabeth Pridonoff. "Approaches the instrument with a decidedly romantic flair and a huge orchestral sound. Very beloved of her students. Gives many public master classes." Chopin, Ballade in F Minor. "One of the most extraordinary 11 or 12 minutes in music," said Chertock.
Eugene Pridonoff (husband of Elizabeth). "Very dramatic performer with atomic fingers. Often laces his teaching with illustrations and metaphors. The Pridonoffs have an enormous international studio and were recently featured on the cover of Clavier magazine." Selection to be announced.
James Tocco. "Fluent in several languages. Recorded the complete solo works of Copland and Bernstein. Although he performs a lot of American music of the 20th-century, his sound and approach to the keyboard is very romantic and lyrical." Ravel, "Alborada del Gracioso." Rachmaninoff, "Vocalise" (transcribed by Tocco). "The 'Alborada' is one of James' signature pieces, full of treacherous technical challenges, including repeated notes that must sound with the speed of a hummingbird's wings and an actual glissando in fourths done with one hand."
Frank Weinstock. "Computer genius who has designed commercial music software. Has a very deep knowledge of chess. Favorite repertoire is definitely the German/Austrian core of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, etc." Beethoven, "Moonlight" Sonata.
Michael Chertock. "I once played Weinstock and Pratt a chess match blindfolded and beat them both in 11 moves" ("not true," Chertock admitted, "but it would serve them right if you wrote it"). Gao Ping, "Dance Fury," a tribute to the Argentinean tango for piano/jazz percussion.
The joint concert was Chertock's idea. Pratt chose the name. Weinstock worked with the CCM development department. All six of the applied piano faculty adjusted their schedules to be there for the same program.
Pratt intends to demonstrate the piano's continuing relevance in today's society, he said.
"Part of my program will reflect a fusion of the 17th and 21st centuries. The program will include references to culture older than the history of classical music, which will invite participation from the audience quite similar to what happens in churches today."
Chertock acknowledges that the piano recital has lost some of its "iconic status."
"There are historic videos of Rubenstein and Horowitz performing to enormous houses of rapt fans. It is a Pianopalooza goal to restore the excitement and drama of the recital of old by adding an element of variety with multiple performers...."
Admission: $15, $10 non-UC students, UC students free. At the door, or call (513) 556-4183.
