Paul Smith, acclaimed pianist and COM faculty for over 35 years, performs four works written during a period of the most radical upheaval in compositional thought. Both Debussy and Busoni, nearing the end of their lives, concerned themselves with the direction of music into the new century while the brilliant upstart, Stravinsky, was laying the groundwork that would make him the most important composer of the first half of the 20th century. The program also includes the last, and greatest of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas.
Chaconne in D minor after JS Bach (1891/1916) - Ferruccio Busoni
Sonata in C minor, opus 111 (1822) - Ludwig van Beethoven
Two selections from 12 Etudes (1915) - Claude Debussy
Chamber Fantasy after Carmen (1920) - Ferruccio Busoni
Three movements from Petrushka (1921) - Igor Stravinsky
Friday, March 31, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 2, 3 p.m.
Lefort Recital Hall / PA72
Performing Arts Building
Kentfield Campus
Saturday, April 1, 7 p.m.
The Dance Palace, 503 B Street
Point Reyes Station
All donations from these performances benefit Contemporary Opera Marin. A suggested donation of $10 for general admission; $5 for COM students, alumni, staff, retirees, and seniors is highly appreciated.
About Paul Smith
Paul Smith received his education at the Royal College of Music in London, studying with John Lill and Bernard Roberts and at the Vienna Academy, and his master’s degree from Dominican College, studying with Julian White. A winner of national and international piano competitions and a participant in the US State Department’s Artistic Ambassador program, Paul was recently awarded the Sali Lieberman Award for contributions to the cultural life of Marin County. He has devoted himself to the cultural life of Marin County through piano and chamber music performances, directs several new music ensembles, and was music director of the Mountain Play for 27 years. He has soloed with the Marin Symphony on three occasions and is artistic director of COM’s Contemporary Opera Marin, which has received international acclaim for its production of contemporary works and rediscovered gems of past centuries. He is the director of classical music for KWMR Point Reyes Station, and the founder and artistic director of the non-profit organization Music from Marin, bringing free world-class musical performances to communities throughout Marin County.