On February 27th, Moscow piano virtuoso Ilya Vanichkin wowed an intimate group of concertgoers from all over Sullivan County. He exhibited complete mastery of the school's new grand piano. Indeed, Vanichkin performed with subtle shadings and a musical sensibility that is extremely rare.
"We had the audience sit in a close-knit semicircle around the keyboard. When Ilya first came in and saw how close to the piano I had put the chairs, he told me to back them up a bit," says Simeon Morrow, Mount Royal's Music Director and producer of the Concert Spirituel series for which Vanichkin performed; "You just can't imagine the energy flowing between the pianist, the piano and audience. As he finished playing we were already on our feet applauding, as if it was the most natural reaction in the world."
The next concert of the series will take place on Saturday, March 19 at 7:30pm in the Saint Joseph Center at Mount Royal Academy (26 Seven Hearths Lane, Sunapee), when pianist Joseph Henderson explores the Folkloric and Tango musical traditions of Argentina and Uruguay. His program will include music by Carlos Gardel, Ariel Rodriguez, Astor Piazzolla, and other composers. A complimentary dessert reception will be provided. This concert is an opportunity to honor the school's patron St Joseph, on his feast day. Thus, admission is free and no tickets are required.
