APPLETON, WIS. — Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Jon Kimura Parker brings his keyboard virtuosity to the Lawrence Memorial Chapel, 510 E. College Ave., Appleton, Friday, March 7 at 8 p.m. as part of the 2007-08 Lawrence University Artist Series.
Tickets for the concert, at $22-20 for adults, $19-17 for seniors, and $17-15 for students, are available through the Lawrence University Box Office, 920-832-6749. The program will include Alexina Louie’s “Scenes From a Jade Terrace,” Schumann’s “Carnaval” and Parker’s own arrangement of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring.”
Prior to his Friday evening concert, Parker will conduct a master class from 9:30 – 11:15 a.m. in the Lawrence Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.
Praised by the San Antonio Express-News for his “gargantuan technique, awesome timing, oceanic depth (and) volcanic fire,” Parker has performed as a guest soloist with every major orchestra in Canada and most of the major U.S. orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
He has presented concerts internationally from Australia to Zimbabwe and his audiences have included Queen Elizabeth II, the U.S. Supreme Court and the prime ministers of Canada and Japan.
With a solo repertoire spanning a variety of genres, Parker has played with Bobby McFerrin and collaborates regularly with the Tokyo Quartet. As a member of the outreach project “PianoPlus,” Parker has toured remote areas of the world, including the Canadian Arctic, performing music from Beethoven to Alanis Morissette on everything from upright pianos to electronic keyboards.
A graduate of The Julliard School, Parker made his first public appearance at the age of five, performing with the Vancouver Youth Orchestra. He first drew international attention in 1982 by winning the International Piano Competition in Chile. Two years later he won the Leeds International Piano Competition and the following year earned “Performer of the Year” honors from the Canadian Music Council.
