Master pianist gives classes, concert

Her name may not be as easily recognized as Tanya Stephens but Teresa McCollough is no less qualified to bring a crowd alive. And that’s just what she plans to do this weekend at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. That is, if you’re into classical music. The Institute of Creative Arts in conjunction with the Belize Association of Music Educators will be hosting the international concert pianist for a special master class for piano students on Sunday. Director of the Institute of Creative Arts, William Neal, says the goal of this weekend’s lecture and concert is to broaden the scope of exposure available to local artists.

William Neal, Director, ICA
?The master class is a quite simple concept. It?s really for this world renowned musician to instruct students on ways to improve their playing of the piano. At the same time there is also an opportunity for a few students to be critiqued by her eon ways to improve their playing skills. It can take a number of formats where you can have her playing and lecturing or she will use different techniques and then explain how those techniques can enhance your performance and improve the relationship between the pianist and the audience. So it?s really an educational tool that is used with music.

Patrick Jones
?Who gets to have access to this visiting pianist??

William Neal
?Well through the Belize Association of Music educators that?s one route that we are taking. But it?s generally open to everybody. The master classes are free, between two and four. The concert itself is a different matter. We are trying again to expose, just to provide a stage and expose Belizeans in general to a different type of performance here at the Bliss.?

?The concert will take place on Sunday the thirteenth at six and it should run for about an hour and a half. It should be really interesting because she is kind of avant-garde and she plays a lot of the living composers. So you?re not going to hear some of the people like Beethoven or Mozart or anything like that. It?s more contemporary music and to see where it?s taking off.?

Neal says McCollough is the first in a series of international artists covering various genres that ICA plans to bring in every three months to lecture and perform at the Bliss.