Pianist Murray Perahia to perform at the Phillips Center on Oct. 25

October 8, 2007

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Murray Perahia will perform at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 25. There will be a pre-performance discussion with Kevin Orr, UF professor of music, at 6:45 p.m.

If fate had gone another way, pianist Murray Perahia might not be performing at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts this season. Or any other season for that matter.

In the early 1990s, Perahia experienced a hand injury that forced him to take a two-year break from the concert stage. For a pianist of his caliber, such an event could have been devastating. But Perahia used the time to immerse himself in a study of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, listening to Bach’s complete repertoire. By the time he emerged from his sabbatical, he was so well-versed in Bach’s music that he is now considered to be something of a latter-day Bach specialist and his recording of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” is considered a “cornerstone rendition.”

Born in New York City, Perahia began playing the piano at age four, but wasn’t a serious student until his teenage years. He attended Mannes College, studying keyboard, conducting and composition with Miecyslaw Horszowski. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1968 and, in 1972, he won the fourth Leeds Piano Competition. In a story recounted by Dr. Fanny Waterman, Horszowski told Waterman that he was going to enter that year’s winner and several other American pianists, hearing that Perahia had entered the competition, dropped out. Perahia was the first American to take top honors at the Leeds competition which led to his London recital debut at Queen Elizabeth Hall the following year. That same year, he gave his first concert at the Aldeburgh Festival, where he worked closely with Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, and in 1975, he made history again when he was a co-recipient with cellist Lynn Harrell of the first Avery Fisher prize.

In the 30 years since his auspicious debut, Perahia has performed at concert halls around the world and with every leading orchestra. He is the principal guest conductor of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, with whom he has toured as pianist and conductor throughout the U.S., Europe, Japan and Southeast Asia. He recently embarked on an ambitious project to edit the complete Beethoven Sonatas for the Henle Urtext Edition. Perahia has also produced and edited numerous hours of recordings of recently discovered master classes by the legendary pianist, Alfred Cortot, which resulted in the highly acclaimed Sony CD release, “Alfred Cortot: The Master Classes.”

Perahia signed with CBS Masterworks — now Sony Classics — in 1973. He has recorded an enormous body of work. In addition to the previously mentioned “Goldberg Variations” recording, he has recorded works by Mozart, Schuman, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Chopin, among many others. His recording of Franz Schubert’s complete Etudes, op. 10 and op. 25, garnered Perahia a Grammy award in 2003 for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance. The album also received Gramophone’s award for Best Instrumental Recording. A 25-year retrospective of Perahia’s work was released as a four-disc set by Sony Classical in 1998. Perahia, who currently lives in London, was made an honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994.

Looking over his planned program for his UF appearance, one would never know that Perahia had ever suffered such a grievous hand injury.

“This is an exceptional program,” UFPA Director Michael Blachly says. “It’s rare to get a program of this caliber from an artist on tour who is as renowned as Murray Perahia is. This will be one of those rare recitals that leave people gasping at his exceptional talent and capability.”

Perahia’s upcoming program includes Bach’s Partita no. 4 in D Major BWV 828; Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, op. 28 , “Pastoral;” Brahms’ 6 Piano Pieces, op. 118; and Chopin’s Etude No. 1 in A Flat Major, op. 25, “Aeolian Harp,” Etude No. 4 in C Sharp Minor, op. 10 and Polonaise No. 6 in A Flat major, op. 53, “Heroic”.

For Murray Perahia’s Oct. 25 performance, tickets are: $50, front orchestra and mezzanine; $45, mid-orchestra; $40, rear orchestra; and $30, balcony. The performance is sponsored by the Alan and Carol Squitieri Bequest.

Tickets are available by calling the Phillips Center Box Office at 352-392-ARTS (2787) or 800-905-ARTS (toll-free within Florida) or by calling Ticketmaster at 904-353-3309 or toll free at 800-277-1700. Orders may also be faxed to 352-846-1562. Tickets are also available in person at the Phillips Center Box Office, University Box Office at the University of Florida Reitz Union and all Ticketmaster outlets; and on the web at www.ticketmaster.com. Cash, checks, Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Group tickets are also available.

The Phillips Center Box Office is open Monday – Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. and two hours prior to the performance. Performance dates, times and programs are subject to change.