La virtuosité est une esthétique: A concert of piano masterworks
I have been to several piano recitals in my life and I can say without a doubt that this was the best I have ever heard. Professor Claude Bessmann really impressed us all with her talent as a marvelous pianist when she visited campus. She is a prize-winning performer and professor of piano at the Paris National School of Music and the National Conservatoire of Music and Dance in Paris, France.
Professor Bessmann has traveled across Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Last year, she displayed her talents for an American audience for the first time with an excellent concert at Florida Tech. She returned to the Gleason Performing Arts Center with her repertoire and enthusiasm for classical music. Not only did Professor Bessmann play at the Gleason auditorium, she instructed a Piano Master Class! She played a number of exquisite pieces for us, including two by Emmanuel Dubois who we also had the pleasure of meeting. The pieces she played include:
Pavane pour une infant defunte (1899) – Maurice Ravel
Sonatine (1905) – Maurice Ravel
Les valses nobles et sentimentales (1911) – Maurice Ravel
Le tombeau de Couperin (1918) – Maurice Ravel
Caprices, opus 23 (2009) – Emmanuel Dubois
A Reveler’s Rag, opus 22 (2005) Emmanuel Dubois
Sonate en si mineur (1854) – Franz Liszt
Many events take place at Gleason Performing Arts Center every academic year. Each Florida Tech student is admitted free, which provides a great outlet for students. You never know what Gleason will bring, it may be Professor Bessmann or even Bill Nye the Science Guy – anything is possible at Florida Tech. Those interested in music will be delighted to know that numerous events are coming up, including:
The Florida Tech Concert Choir – Choral Soup for the Soul: An Evening of Vocal Inspiration
Saturday, April 13th, 2013, 7p.m., Florida Tech Hartley Room
The Florida Tech Panther Jazz Big Band – April in Paris: A Tribute to Count Basie
Tuesday, April 16th, 2013, 7p.m., Gleason Performing Arts Center
The Florida Tech Wind Ensemble – A Celebration of Music for the Stage and Screen
Friday, April 19th, 2013, 7p.m., Gleason Performing Arts Center
The Florida Tech Wind Ensemble – Adventure on the High Seas: Strings for the Ultimate Explorer. Saturday, April 20th, 2013, 7p.m., Florida Tech Hartley Room
The Florida Tech Jazz Syndicate – Jazz at the Hartley Room: An Evening of Jazz with Special Guests. Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013, 7p.m., Florida Tech Hartley Room
So, while Florida Tech is all about science and engineering, it is also about connecting the right brain with the left by providing students with these unique opportunities to tap into their creative side with these unique cultural experiences.
