Master musician piano concert scheduled for Sunday
As part of it’s ongoing campaign to expose Belizeans to “master musicians”, this Sunday the Institute of Creative Arts will be hosting its fourth concert at the Bliss. The featured artist is renowned pianist Dr. Christine Kefferstan. Dr. Kefferstan has been playing since she was eight years old and is a piano professor at West Virginia University. This morning Kefferstan gave us a preview of the show.
Dr. Christine Kefferstan, Pianist
?I have a wonderful student named Joyce Wang who is from Belize and we were talking about opportunities for expanding communication and arts throughout the world and she said, why don?t you come to Belize.?
Joyce Wang, Student of West Virginia Univ.
?I was very glad that I know Mr. William Neal and he helps us so much and have this wonderful hall. And so we decided to come back, just take a little break, travel a little bit and in the meantime show Dr. Kefferstan how beautiful Belize is.?
Dr. Christine Kefferstan
?My programme on Sunday will have a short piece by Bach and a portion of a sonata by Beethoven, because as pianists we have to play Bach and Beethoven. And then there?s a wonderful barcarole by Chopin, which is barcarole, is like a boat song.?
?The last half of my programme are two short pieces by Debussy, a French composer that revolutionised music and the final piece is by Henestera, an Argentine composer, who?s very rhythmic and vital and has a great love off life.?
Kendra Griffith, Reporting
?Classical music isn?t everybody?s cup of tea, for some people it?s an acquired taste. How would you encourage people to try to develop a sort of understanding of classical music and an appreciation for it??
Dr. Christine Kefferstan
?I think that?s what all of us classical musicians are trying to do. If we don?t do a good job of that we?re putting ourselves out of business. I hope that my recital will be a step in the right direction. I think playing too many minutes of classical music can be boring even for people who love classical music, so the recital won?t be terribly long. I think if people began to understand what they are listening to, they will grow to love it. It?s hard to love something that you don?t understand, so I will be talking before each piece and after each piece that I play. I hope people will come to the concert and just have a good time. I want to meet as many people in Belize as I can. It?s a beautiful country and I am very happy to be here.?
Wang is a junior at West Virginia University studying music education. Her family migrated to Belize from Taiwan ten years ago. On Saturday, Dr. Kefferstan will be conducting a class for interested piano students. Sunday’s concert begins at six p.m. at the Bliss.