Grand Piano Series | Podcast

Paul Williamson is featured in this podcast, performing excerpts from Beethoven's Piano Sonatas 22-28. Named one of CBC Music's “30 under 30” Canadian classical musicians, Paul Williamson is a first prize winner of the piano category of the Canadian national music festival (2014), the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Association national piano competition (2017), and a prizewinner of the WMC McLellan Competition (2020) and the Shean Piano Competition (2022). As a soloist, he has appeared with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra, and the Fraser Valley Symphony Orchestra. He has performed alongside Julian Pellicano, Alexander Mickelthwate, Aiyun Huang, Orli Shaham, and Jim Walker. He has appeared at Morningside Music Bridge, Orford, Kneisel Hall, Aspen, Hornby, Scotia, Agassiz, and has held residency at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute. Paul holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Manitoba and a Master of Music degree from the Colburn Conservatory of Music, where he continues to study with Fabio Bidini in the Artist Diploma program. Most recently, Paul returned to the University of Manitoba to serve on the faculty as a piano instructor for the 2022 Winter term. His other musical influences include David Moroz and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Paul is grateful for the support of the BC Arts Council. Over more than two decades, Mark Travis has served as a writer, producer, broadcaster, lecturer, podcaster, voiceover artist, multi-cam director, video editor, and audio engineer. Currently Director of Media Production for the New York Philharmonic, he has directed the Orchestra's broadcasts, hosted by Alec Baldwin, since 2003. The concert was recorded on October 26, 2022, at St Leo Auditorium in Bonita Springs, FL.

Dominic Cheli is featured in this podcast, performing excerpts from Beethoven's Piano Sonatas 27-29. Dominic Cheli's playing has been described as “spontaneous yet perfect, the best of how a young person can play.” (Symphony Magazine). His rapidly advancing career included his Walt Disney Concert Hall Debut where Dominic was described as “mesmerizing, (he) transfixed the audience…his fingers were one with each key.” (LA Times). Over more than two decades, Mark Travis has served as a writer, producer, broadcaster, lecturer, podcaster, voiceover artist, multi-cam director, video editor, and audio engineer. Currently Director of Media Production for the New York Philharmonic, he has directed the Orchestra's broadcasts, hosted by Alec Baldwin, since 2003. The concert was recorded on October 27, 2022, at St Leo Auditorium in Bonita Springs, FL.

We feature part of a recital Chelsea Guo gave in Bonita Springs, FL featuring the music of Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Bach. Mark Travis is your host, with commentary by Chelsea Guo.

Minhye Choi and Nadia Azzi are featured in this podcast performing excerpts from two Beethoven Piano Sonatas, including the "Tempest" and "Waldstein" Sonatas. Mark Travis is the host. The concert was recorded on February 16, 2022, at the St Leo Auditorium in Bonita Springs, FL.

We feature part of a recital Schaghajegh Nosrati gave in Bonita Springs, FL featuring the music of Bach, Schumann, Haydn, and Bartok. Mark Travis is your host, with commentary by Schaghajegh Nosrati.

Vijay Venkatesh is featured in this podcast performing excerpts from two Beethoven Piano Sonatas, including the "Moonlight" Sonata. Mark Travis is the host. The concert was recorded on October 20, 2021, at the St Leo Auditorium in Bonita Springs, FL.

U.S. born pianist Reed Tetzloff performs music of Scriabin as well as two transcriptions of music from the opera as adapted by Franz Liszt. He and Mark Travis discuss Scriabin's famously eclectic personality as well as how both Scriabin and Liszt can be misunderstood and underestimated as composers. Mark Travis is your host.

We visit Robert Plano's recital from March 2020 which explores the music of Europe and the Americas. Mr. Plano discusses how Respighi's piano music is of a much different variety than his orchestral works and he also discusses the challenges of the keyboard works Villa-Lobos wrote. Mark Travis is your host.

We feature the final episode in a 3-part mini-series dedicated to Chopin International Competition Bronze Medalist Kate Liu. She performs Beethoven's penultimate piano sonata (No. 31, Op. 110) and discusses the vocal qualities and sense of "acceptance" she hears in this work. The recital was recorded in May 2019 for the Grand Piano Series. Mark Travis is your host.

Indiana University Professor and international prize-winning pianist Roberto Plano traces his personal journey through music as he performs music from Europe and the Americas on this podcast. Featured are two opera transcriptions, including a very rarely heard adaptation by Chopin of Bellini's beloved aria, "Casta diva," from Norma. Also on the program: two works of Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera. The performances were originally given on March 2, 2020 at the Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church in Naples, Florida. Mark Travis is your host.

In this second installment in a three-part series, we hear Kate Liu in the Piano Sonata No. 8 from 1944--the last of his three War Time sonatas. We'll hear Kate discuss what she loves about this piece and how this work differs from Prokofiev's other works in the genre. Mark Travis is your host.

In this third installment from the Beethoven 2020 project, we hear highlights of Tony Bai performing Beethoven's sonatas 9-12. He also speaks with our producer, Mark Travis, on Beethoven's innovations in these works and both the joys and challenges of interpreting them.

Shai Wosner alternates sonatas by Rzewski and Scarlatti in a brilliant and colorful sequence as recorded in January 2020 for the Grand Piano Series. He discussed his programming with our producer, Mark Travis, who hosts the podcast. You'll also hear a brief excerpt of Schubert's B-flat major sonata, which Mr. Wosner has recently recorded and released commercially.

We feature part of a recital Roman Rabinovich gave that is inspired by the artwork of Pablo Picasso. You'll hear works by Zipoli, Debussy, Satie, and Gershwin as well as one of Mr. Rabinovich's own compositions. Mark Travis is your host with commentary by Roman Rabinovich.

Prize-winning pianist Jongyun Kim continues our survey of the Beethoven piano sonatas, as recorded at the Grand Piano Series in Naples, Florida in November 2019. Our producer, Mark Travis, hosts this podcast, which features excerpts from Beethoven's Op. 10 and Op. 13.

Dominic Cheli is featured in this podcast performing excerpts from the first four Beethoven Piano Sonatas. Mark is the host. The concert was recorded on October 22, 2019 at the Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church.

This episode is the first in a series of three featuring Kate Liu, bronze medal winner in the 17th International Chopin Competition. Ms. Liu performs the 4 Ballades by Brahms and discusses her life and art with our producer, Mark Travis.

Internationally renown St. Petersburg native Ilya Yakushev performs a program of works by Haydn, Gershwin, and Mussorgsky as recorded on the Fazioli F38 at the Grand Piano Series in Naples, Florida. Mark Travis, Associate Director of Media, Production for the New York Philharmonic is your host.