Wassermann Piano Series

Welcome to another great year of the Wassermann Piano Series. We hope you'll join us!

Sergei Babayan in Recital

International prize-winning pianist Sergei Babayan presented a program of music. 

The meditative focus and rare stillness of Armenian-American pianist Sergei Babayan’s keyboard artistry prompted the Hamburger Abendblatt to liken him to “one of those Japanese calligraphers who contemplate the white page before them in silence until, at the exact right moment, their brush makes its instinctive, perfect sweep across the paper”. Babayan himself has observed that making music should be open to surprises and spontaneous insights, allowing unexpected emotions to emerge and subtle shadings to evolve naturally.

His program included the following:

• Franz Liszt | Ballade No. 2 in B minor
• Vladimir Ryabov | Fantasia in memory of Maria Yudina
• Sergei Rachmaninov | Etude-Tableau in E-flat minor Op.39 No. 5, Etude-Tableau in C minor Op.39 No. 1, Moment Musical in E-flat minor Op.16 No.2, Moment Musical in C Major Op.16 No.6
• Schubert-Liszt | Der Muller und der Bach and Erlkönig
• Franz Schubert | Sonata in G Major Op.78 D.894 or Schubert B-flat Sonata

Born in Armenia into a musical family, Sergei Babayan began his studies there with Georgy Saradjev and continued at the Moscow Conservatory with Mikhail Pletnev, Vera Gornostayeva and Lev Naumov. Following his first trip outside of the USSR in 1989, he won consecutive first prizes in several major international competitions including the Cleveland International Piano Competition, the Hamamatsu Piano Competition, and the Scottish International Piano Competition. An American citizen, he lives in New York City.

We would like to thank Dean Nicholas Morrison of the Caine College of the Arts, Music Department Head Cindy Dewey, and all our individual supporters, without whom this series would not be possible. If you would like to contribute to the Wassermann series in any amount, we enthusiastically welcome your support to bring these memorable events to Logan. To make a tax-deductible donation, or for more details about the series, please email Dr. Cahill Smith or use our online donation portal.

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