Program
Partita in E Minor, No. 6, BWV 830 (1731) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Toccata
Allemanda
Corrente
Air
Sarabande
Tempo di Gavotta
Gigue
Intermission
Fantasie in D minor KV 397 (385g) (1782) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Andante—Adagio—Allegretto
Sonata in F Major, K. 332 (1784) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro assai
Notturno (1903–5) Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936)
From Six Pieces, P. 44
Barcarolle in F Sharp Major, Op. 60 (1845–6) Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)
BIOGRAPHY
Enrico Elisi regularly performs to acclaim in Europe, America, and Asia. Recent North American engagements included recitals in Canada, at the Banff Centre for the Arts, a TV broadcast for WPSU, a radio show for KGCS, performances at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, the New York Public Library, as well as in various other venues in the USA. In Asia, he performed in South Korea (Seoul, Busan, Daegu), Taiwan (Taipei), and China (Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xiamen, Fouzhou). He also returned to Europe for recitals in Germany and Italy. During this season Elisi will perform Beethoven fourth and fifth piano concertos. A new CD, featuring the music of Mozart, will be released this summer.
Elisi joined the piano faculty of the Eastman School of Music as an associate professor beginning in the fall of 2011.
Elisi has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras, including the Florence Symphony, Italy; Orchestra Classica do Porto, Portugal; Bay Atlantic Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic, Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra, Penn State Philharmonic, and Music at Penn's Woods Festival Orchestra, UNLV Chamber Orchestra and Johns Hopkins Symphony Orchestra, USA. In 2007, Elisi debuted as soloist/conductor, performing Mozart piano concerto K. 414 with the Green Valley Festival Chamber Orchestra.
In 2008, Via Classica (TIDE), a German radio station, offered a broadcast of Elisi’s latest recital in Hamburg (recorded live), as well as an interview. He was also featured in radio broadcasts in Italy, and the USA respectively, including Radio Montebeni, WCLV Cleveland, UNC, KCNV Nevada Public Radio.
In Italy, Elisi has won a number of first prizes in several competitions. With his versatility he has garnered top awards at such diverse venues as the Venice Competition—which brought him a performance at the famous La Fenice theatre, in Italy—and the Oporto International Competition—which led to a broadcast with the Orchestra Classica de Porto for Portuguese national television.
An active chamber musician, Elisi has collaborated with many renowned artists, including principal players from the Chicago, Baltimore and American Symphony Orchestras. He has also taken part in and performed at the Taos and Ravinia Festivals, and has given duo recitals in China. Elisi has been instrumental in commissioning new compositions for the newly founded Chihara Trio, including Paul Chihara’s Images—a work which received a premiere at Weill Hall. The trio “played every note with affection and devotion” (The New York Concert Review). On that occasion, “Mozart was given a splendid performance by the trio” (Anthony Aibel).
Elisi is also a champion of new music and enjoys collaborating with composers from whom he has commissioned and premiered several works at debut recitals in France; Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, as a recipient of the La Gesse Foundation Fellowship; as well as other U.S. venues. Elisi was invited to perform music by Wolfgang Rihm, in Germany. He has presented several premieres of composers from different nationalities including V. Baley, J. Grossmann and C. G. Lecca (4th International Festival of Contemporary Music in Lima, Peru); and K. R. Park (Nevada Encounters of New Music). Elisi also paid tribute to award-winner, composer Paul Chihara, by creating a program of chamber works in his honor, including his viola sonata, which was revised and extended for that occasion, as well as a newly commissioned trio that will be featured on an upcoming CD for Albany Records.
Elisi is presently on the piano faculty at Penn State University. He is a frequent guest teacher at the Accademia delle Marche, in Italy, and has often traveled to China were he taught at the China Academy of Arts, in Hangzhou. He has given master classes and presented performances in many universities in the USA, and, internationally, at the University of British Columbia, Canada; National Conservatory of Lima, Peru; Taipei National University of the Arts, Taiwan; Pusan National, Kyungsung, Catholic and Keimyung Universities, South Korea. In 2007 Elisi was a featured soloist at the World Piano Pedagogy Conference, performing a joint program with Leon Fleisher.
Elisi directed the Piano Institute of the Las Vegas Music Festival and he is the co-founder and former director of the Green Valley Chamber Music Festival. He recently established the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Liszt Society, which he presides, and has performed at the 2011 Bicentennial Liszt Anniversary (ALS) in Athens, Georgia. His vision on behalf of contemporary music resulted in the creation of an international composition competition—Arioso Musica Domani 2010—with support from Richard Danielpour and Paul Chihara. Elisi is also active as an adjudicator of piano competitions (Tremplin International, and Concours de Musique du Canada, the Iowa Piano Competition, the Yale Gordon Competition at Peabody, NMTA and VMTA).
In Italy, the press lauded Elisi’s debut praising the “enduring respect in his approach to the great masters." The prophetic words of this critic—about Elisi's humility and respect for the work and its composer—foresaw the development of a stylistic path that legendary pianist and conductor Leon Fleisher further nurtured. Fleisher described Elisi’s playing as "aware of those elements that distinguish the great artist from the pedestrian performer" and invited Elisi to study with him at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University on a full scholarship, where he earned both master’s and doctoral degrees with distinction. The learning experience gained with Artur Schnabel’s disciple (who traced his teaching lineage to Beethoven) over six years represented a profound and inspiring adventure for Elisi. Prior to coming to the USA, he studied in Bologna, and Florence, Italy and gathered diplomas from the Conservatory of Florence (cum laude) and the world-renowned “Incontri col Maestro” International Piano Academy of Imola where he worked extensively with Lazar Berman, Boris Petrushansky, Alexander Lonquich and Franco Scala. Elisi also benefitted from master classes with Jörg Demus, Murray Perahia, Maurizio Pollini, and the mentorship of Boris Slutsky.
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Music Center, 6605 5th Ave N, St.
Petersburg
Admission: $10, free for SPC students and staff with ID.
Phone: 727-341-7984
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