This preview has been provided by Duke Performances.

Duke Performances presents acclaimed and award-winning pianist Garrick Ohlsson in a solo recital on Friday, March 16, at 8 pm in Reynolds Theater in the Bryan Center on Duke’s West Campus. 

Garrick Ohlsson has won praise during his career for a style that is “gossamer and athletic” (New York Times).  Ohlsson quickly drew attention early in his career when, in 1970, he became the first US citizen to win the Chopin Prize.  Since then he has won the Avery Fisher Prize and in 2008 a Grammy Award for his solo recording of Beethoven’s sonatas. 

An acclaimed interpreter of Chopin, Ohlsson has nevertheless also established himself as a performer of unparalleled range.  Along with his Grammy for Beethoven’s sonatas and his claim on the Chopin Prize, Ohlsson has performed his Liszt program to widespread praise.  In a review of a recent Liszt performance, the New York Times praised his performance for “the passion and force of his interpretation, enhanced by his clear voicing of inner lines and the dramatic juxtaposition of contrasting elements.”

At Duke, Ohlsson will present a program dedicated to composer Franz Liszt whose bicentenary was celebrated in 2011. 

PROGRAM:

BACH/LISZT: Fantasy and Fugue in G Minor
LISZT: Fantasia and Fugue on “Ad Nos, Ad Salutarem Undam” (transcribed by Busoni)
LISZT: Benediction de Dieu dans la Solitude
LISZT: Feux Follets (Transcendental Etude No. 5)
LISZT: Valse Oubliee No. 1
LISZT: Nuages Gris
LISZT: Mephisto Waltz No. 1

Also, on Saturday, March 17, at noon in the Nelson Music Room, Ohlsson will discuss his career and composer Franz Liszt with Duke music professor R. Larry Todd. This conversation is free and open to the public.

In addition to his solo performance, Ohlsson will perform with the celebrated Takács Quartet on Saturday, March 17, 8 pm in Reynolds Theater as part of the Chamber Arts Society series.

PROGRAM:

BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131
SHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op. 57 (with Garrick Ohlsson, piano)

Tickets available by contacting the University Box Office by phone at 919-684-4444 or in person in the top level of Duke’s Bryan Center on West Campus, Monday to Friday, 11 am to 6 pm.  Tickets also available online at www.dukeperformances.org.

WHO:              Garrick Ohlsson, piano
WHAT:             All-Liszt
WHEN:            Friday, March 16, 8 pm
WHERE:          Reynolds Theater, Bryan Center, Duke University, Durham, NC
HOW MUCH:   $30 • $5 Duke Students

WHO:              Takács Quartet with Garrick Ohlsson, piano
WHAT:             Beethoven & Shostakovich
WHEN:            Saturday, March 17, 8 pm
WHERE:          Reynolds Theater, Bryan Center, Duke University, Durham, NC
HOW MUCH:   $30 • $5 Duke Students