Canadian pianist Ian Parker has performances in Kelowna on Monday, February 3 and Tuesday, February 4.
Vancouver-born pianist provides an interactive Q and A session at Kelowna events
What: Interactive classical music event
Who: Ian Parker, world-renowned pianist and teacher
When: Monday, February 3, 7 p.m.
Where: Rotary Centre for the Arts’ Mary Irwin Theatre, 421 Cawston Ave., Kelowna, BC
When: Tuesday, February 4, 12:30 p.m.
Where: University Centre ballroom, 3272 University Way, UBC’s Okanagan campus, Kelowna
Admission: Tickets for the Monday show are $17.50, available through the Rotary Centre box office.
One of Canada’s favorite, and most engaging pianists, Ian Parker, is hosting two events where he will perform a number of classical music arrangements, and then open the floor for questions from the audience.
Parker, born in Vancouver to a musical family, has been playing piano since he was a toddler and has earned bachelor and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School. While at Juilliard, the Canada Council for the Arts awarded him the Sylva Gelber Career Grant, which is given annually to the most talented Canadian artist. His career has since skyrocketed and he now plays to international audiences around the world.
The engaging musician will be in Kelowna the first week of February for two performances. His first event, Fantasies of High (-tech) Culture and…the Piano, takes place on Monday, February 3 at the Rotary Centre for the Arts’ Mary Irwin Theatre. At this event, Parker will perform Beethoven’s Sonata quasi una Fantasia op.27 no.1, Liszt’s Sonata in B minor, Ravel’s Ondine and his own transcription for the piano of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
Tickets for the Monday show are $17.50 each and available through the Rotary Centre box office.
On Tuesday, February 4, at 12:30 p.m. Parker will present a similar performance called High (-tech) Culture, Philosophy and…the Piano at UBC’s Okanagan campus University Centre ballroom.
At this event, the pianist will perform Beethoven’s Sonata quasi una Fantasia op.27 no.2 — Moonlight, Schubert /Liszt Auf dem Wasser zu singen, Ravel’s Ondine, and Gershwin/Parker Rhapsody in Blue. While this event is free and open to the public, pay parking is in effect, and donations will be accepted at the door.
Both performances include an interactive period where he will answer questions. At the UBC event, professors David Boutillier and Manuela Ungureanu, and their students will facilitate the questions. The public is encouraged to email questions concerning Parker’s selected repertoire ahead of time and he will answer as many as time permits. To submit a question to either show, please send them in advance to manuela.ungureanu@ubc.ca with the subject line: QUESTION FOR IAN.
Parker’s appearance at UBC’s Okanagan campus is part of the Minds and Music concert series which is made possible through the Irving K. Barber Endowment fund.
More information about Parker’s visit to UBC can be found at: www.ubc.ca/okanagan/mindsandmusic/2014/parker
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