By Suzanne Korey
Last year the theme of our very successful Keyboard Marathon was Water Music, and one may wonder if all that beautiful music – from the Tempest Sonata to the Rains of Oregon – helped bring us all the rain, hail, and snow that we’ve received this year!
Our theme this year is Night Music, possibly a quieter, yet equally beautiful offering of music for our audience. We have a wide range of performers playing solo pieces, duets, and even a two piano, eight hands performance that will cap off the concert. The selections of music ranges from classical to jazz to original compositions.
The Keyboard Marathon is a beloved CMC institution, now in its 14th year. It is one of the few opportunities we have to gather members of the piano faculty and listen to the richness of the music, the diversity of taste and styles, and the quality of performance. It is a special afternoon that brings friends and family together in the CMC auditorium for music and celebration.
The Keyboard Marathon takes place on Sunday, April 23 at 3:00 pm in the CMC recital hall, at 544 Capp Street in San Francisco. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, with tickets available at the door. A champagne reception follows the performance – we are fortunate to have a courtyard and often beautiful weather, that allows us to take the reception outside and celebrate the day.
This year’s performers are faculty members Lauren Cony, John Kyrk, Juliet McComas, Jennifer Peringer, Lilia Zheltova, Paul Dab, Erik Ian Walker, Betty Wong, Shirley Wong Frentzel, Jacqueline Chew, Allison Lovejoy, Christian Bonvin, Joe Willcockson, Paula Dreyer, and guest artists Grace Huenemann, Esther Chan and Annie Nalezny. Suzanne Korey, CMC piano student of Lauren Cony, is producing the performance.
Community Music Center’s new Yamaha CFX concert grand has been donated by the estate of Donald Oestreicher and by Piedmont Piano Company, with additional gifts from Denny Abrams, Robert Dell, Lawrence Dillon, and Larry Russo.