The Performing Arts at Hamilton presents the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra with guest pianist Kirill Gerstein on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 3 p.m., at Wellin Hall, Schambach Center for the Performing Arts. It will be preceded by a special pre-concert talk by Syracuse Symphony musical director Daniel Hege and Gerstein at 2 p.m. in Café Opus. Featured on the program will be Diamond's "Music for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet," Ravel's "Piano Concerto in G Major" with guest Kirill Gerstein, and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, "Italian."
Gerstein was born in 1979 in Voronezh, Russia, where he attended one of the country's special music schools for gifted children. He won his first competition at the age of 11 and over the next several years, attended jazz workshops after having taught himself to play jazz by listening to his parents' extensive record collection. While participating at a jazz festival in Poland a faculty member of the Berklee College of Music in Boston noticed his precocious affinity for playing jazz piano. In 1993, Gerstein attended Berklee's summer program and the following fall was invited to attend the college on a full scholarship. He accepted the offer and in May 1994 moved to Boston with his mother and at the age of 14 became the youngest college student in the school's history.
Among his awards, Gerstein was chosen to receive a 2002 Gilmore Young Artist Award and was selected as Carnegie Hall's "Rising Star" for the 2005-06 season. Furthering his commitment and passion to educational, musical and intellectual exchange he accepted a professorship at the prestigious Stuttgart Musikhochschule in 2007.
Directed by Daniel Hege, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra quickly evolved from its beginning in 1961 as a community orchestra into a fully professional resident orchestra serving the entire central and northern New York State region. Today a performing ensemble of national acclaim, the orchestra boasts 76 musicians, a conducting staff of international caliber, and more than 100 full-time orchestra concerts, reaching more than 150,000 audience members during its 38-week season.
Tickets for the Syracuse Symphony performance are $18 adult, $12 senior citizen, and $5 student. All seating is general admission. The pre-concert talk is free of charge. For reservations or for more information, call the Hamilton College Performing Arts ticket office at (315) 859-4331. Tickets are also available online at www.hamiltonpa.org
Gerstein was born in 1979 in Voronezh, Russia, where he attended one of the country's special music schools for gifted children. He won his first competition at the age of 11 and over the next several years, attended jazz workshops after having taught himself to play jazz by listening to his parents' extensive record collection. While participating at a jazz festival in Poland a faculty member of the Berklee College of Music in Boston noticed his precocious affinity for playing jazz piano. In 1993, Gerstein attended Berklee's summer program and the following fall was invited to attend the college on a full scholarship. He accepted the offer and in May 1994 moved to Boston with his mother and at the age of 14 became the youngest college student in the school's history.
Among his awards, Gerstein was chosen to receive a 2002 Gilmore Young Artist Award and was selected as Carnegie Hall's "Rising Star" for the 2005-06 season. Furthering his commitment and passion to educational, musical and intellectual exchange he accepted a professorship at the prestigious Stuttgart Musikhochschule in 2007.
Directed by Daniel Hege, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra quickly evolved from its beginning in 1961 as a community orchestra into a fully professional resident orchestra serving the entire central and northern New York State region. Today a performing ensemble of national acclaim, the orchestra boasts 76 musicians, a conducting staff of international caliber, and more than 100 full-time orchestra concerts, reaching more than 150,000 audience members during its 38-week season.
Tickets for the Syracuse Symphony performance are $18 adult, $12 senior citizen, and $5 student. All seating is general admission. The pre-concert talk is free of charge. For reservations or for more information, call the Hamilton College Performing Arts ticket office at (315) 859-4331. Tickets are also available online at www.hamiltonpa.org
