Awadagin Pratt Closes the 2007 Gilbert Concert Series

March 30, 2007

Pianist Awadagin Pratt gives a public performance April 3 at 7:00 p.m.

With vibrant interpretations of Bach, Beethoven, Grieg, Liszt, Rachmaninoff and others, internationally acclaimed pianist and recording artist Awadagin Pratt generates excitement wherever he goes. Next week, his destination is Exeter, where he will appear as part of the Gilbert Concert Series. Pratt will give a public concert on Tuesday, April 3 at 7:00 p.m. in Phillips Church, performing Franck: Prelude, Fugue and Variation, op.18; Brahms: Variations and Fugue in B flat on a Theme by Handel, op. 24; and Liszt: Sonata in B minor. During his visit, he will also conduct a master class for piano students and present an all-school Assembly. 

The adjectives describing Pratt abound—"electrifying," "jet-propelled," "riveting," "arresting". They all paint a portrait of a dynamo, a pianist of unconventional musical flair. Reviewers commend his ability to bring audiences to a new understanding of familiar pieces. Pratt forges his interpretation of a work by studying its history and the life of the composer and says, "If one does completely play—internalize the music and come to terms with it, without concern for how it will be perceived—it's bound to sound different. I want to leave an audience with a sense of what these pieces of music are all about, why the composers were so moved they had to write it down on paper."

"This visit will generate a lot of interest from students to pursue their music more passionately and appreciate the life-changing effects of artistic work," says George Lopez, concert pianist and member of Exeter's music faculty. "It's a great opportunity to see the transformative effects of music on the life of a young artist."

Jon Sakata, music instructor and concert pianist, agrees that the upcoming visit will have a lasting and inspiring impact on Exeter students. "I imagine that Mr. Pratt's visit will be quite a spectacle," he says. "I hope the students will take away from it the critical experience of engaging and re-engaging over days, months, even years, with their perceptions and memories of the event."

Pratt has performed across the United States and worldwide, appearing at Lincoln Center in New York City; the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, and many other major symphony orchestras. He has appeared in many summer festivals including Ravinia, Blossom, Wolf Trap, Caramoor and Aspen. He has performed internationally in Japan, Germany, South Africa, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Poland and throughout the Caribbean. His orchestral performances include appearances with the New York Philharmonic; Orchestra of St. Luke’s; Minnesota Orchestra; and the Pittsburgh, St. Louis, National, Detroit and New Jersey symphonies. In 1995, Ebony magazine named Pratt one of the "50 Leaders of Tomorrow" in their 50th anniversary issue.

Pratt is sure to captivate the Exeter audiences with his astonishing technique and masterful channeling of a composer's intent.

Interested in learning more?
Read about Exeter's music department…
View the press release on Pratt…
Learn about the Gilbert Concert Series…
See the schedule of musical performances at Exeter…