Pianist Milton Schlosser will perform Friday, February 12, 2010, at 7 pm in the Marie Fleming Hall at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre. Born and raised in Vernon, BC, this internationally recognized musician will perform selections from three major, popular piano works: Robert Schumann's Carnaval, Maurice Ravel's Le tombeau de Couperin, and Johannes Brahms' Opus 118 collection. Admittance will be through donation at the door (suggested: adults, $15; students/seniors, $10). With seating limited to 80 persons, concert goers are encouraged to arrive soon after the doors open at 6:30 pm.

Carnaval is one of the most popular works within piano music, and its performance in Vernon in February is timely given Vernon's Winter Carnival that occurs then. It is known for its beautiful melodies, romantic qualities, and the sheer athleticism it demands of the performer. Composed in 1834, Schumann gave each piece a title that imaginatively represents himself, people in his life, and characters from improvised Italian comedy (commedia dell'arte). Collectively, these pieces are intended to provide the listener with the experience of a masked ball during carnival season.

Maurice Ravel was inspired to compose Le Tombeau de Couperin by the lively dance suites from the French Baroque period. Each of the work's pieces bears the title of a historic dance and is dedicated to the memory of friends who died fighting in World War I (Ravel himself was a driver for the French army). Given these dedications, it is understandable that Ravel was criticized by some for composing pieces marked by light humour, lush sonorities, and dazzling playing. In response, Ravel underlined his celebratory intent, noting that "The dead are sad enough, in their eternal silence."

Johannes Brahms composed the six pieces of Opus 118 in 1893, a time when the grand piano in its construction had achieved much of the sound qualities of today's best pianos. Given that most pianos did not consistently have 88 keys until the latter part of the nineteenth century, Brahms's use of the low A in the first piece of immediately distinguishes this work as written for a larger, more complex instrument. In this respect, he is different than Schumann, Chopin, and other composers who lived in the early part of the nineteenth century. The pieces are dedicated to Clara Schumann, the love of Brahms's life. Because of their rich sound qualities and exquisite construction, the pieces are some of the composer's most popular.

PERFORMER'S BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Milton Schlosser is an award-winning professor and pianist at the University of Alberta. As recording artist, he has been described as a pianist who "proves himself to be as sympathetic an accompanist as he is a stylish and feeling soloist" (The Vancouver Sun). Receiving university-wide recognition in 2007, he was awarded a prestigious McCalla Professorship for his significant contributions to research, teaching, and learning. From the university's Augustana Campus where he is based, he has received awards for excellence in teaching, service to the community, and for his support of information literacy education.

Schlosser performs in live and CBC-broadcast performances as solo and chamber recitalist, as vocal and choral accompanist, and in concerts as soloist with orchestra. He has recorded four CD recordings, including the 2010 iTunes release "Frederic Rzewski's Nanosonatas and Song" which features a series of world premieres. He holds degrees in piano performance from the University of Alberta, where he studied piano with Robert Stangeland and Stéphane Lemelin. He has won scholarships and awards which have facilitated further studies in Salzburg, Banff, Brussels, and New York with pianists Hans Graf, Claude Frank, and Madeline Bruser, and composer Frederic Rzewski . He is also an organist and published composer.
Currently, Schlosser is engaged in two innovative, university-funded research projects related to piano teaching. Drawing on perspectives from neuroscience, sport psychology, and the experiences of Canada's Olympic swim team, he has developed strategies for teachers and pianists related to the use of video recordings. Secondly, in support of experience-based learning, he has spearheaded development of an "online music practice log" for use by students and professional musicians. A novel feature of this research is the placement of computers, digital video cameras, and internet connections within Augustana Campus music practice facilities.




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