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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
3/31/2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES- Pianist Nikita Fitenko will present a concert Friday, April 4 at 6 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public. The performance is part of the Louisiana Federation of Music Clubs' 75th Anniversary meeting.
The program will include "Elegy" by Rachmaninov,
Sonata #28, Op. 101 by Beethoven, five characteristic pictures
(May, June, October, November, and December) from "The Seasons"
by Tchaikovsky and Sonata #6, Op. 82 by Prokofiev
"The program is a combination of more serious works by Beethoven
and Prokofiev with 'easy listening' by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky,"
said Fitenko. "As part of the concert, I will be talking
about Beethoven and his late piano sonatas to explain what is
so unique about their compositional style, design and harmonic
language. The works by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky that I will
play are among the absolute favorites of most music lovers."
Fitenko said Prokofiev's sonata was influenced by World War II and is considered to be one of the most difficult piano sonatas composed in the 20th century. He will also speak about this work, its design and the history of its composition.
An internationally acclaimed Russian pianist, Fitenko has performed recitals and with orchestras in the former Soviet Union, Europe, and South and North America. He has appeared as a soloist with the St. Petersburg Capella Symphony, Belarus National Philharmonic, St. Petersburg State Conservatory Orchestra, Lewisville Symphony, Rapides Symphony, State Hermitage Orchestra and the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra. The International Piano and Fanfare Music Review said in reviewing his performances "Fitenko's dazzling playing has to be heard to be believed!" His future engagements include concerts throughout the U.S. and in China, Russia, Finland and the Czech Republic.
A native of St. Petersburg, Russia, Fitenko graduated from the St. Petersburg State Conservatory with a citation for excellence given to only five other graduates in the last fifty years. After receiving the Anton Rubinstein Memorial Award he came to study to the U.S. pursuing his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of North Texas. His principal teachers included Roman Lebedev, Igor Lebedev and Joseph Banowetz.
Fitenko is a winner of numerous competitions including the Byelorussian International Piano Competition, the Beethoven International Piano Competition, and the Houston Symphony National Young Artist Competition.
He is artistic director of the Louisiana Piano Series International one of the most interesting and diverse classical piano series in the US. For the 2003-2004 season internationally acclaimed pianists from Finland, Byelorussia, Spain, China, Russia and the United States are scheduled to perform solo recitals as a part of the series.