Slovenian pianist Dubravka Tomsic will return to the Schenectady Museum – Union College Concert Series for her second appearance on Friday, February 6, at 8 p.m. in Union College's Memorial Chapel.
The program is to include Sonata No. 16 in G, Op. 31, No. 1 by Beethoven; Images, Book II and L'isle Joyeuse by Debussy; Fantasies, Op. 116, and Paganini Variations, Book II by Brahms.
Born in Dubrovnik, Tomsic gave her first public recital at age five. After playing for Claudio Arrau in London, she came to New York with her family where she studied with Katherine Bacon at the Juilliard School. In 1954, she presented a Carnegie Hall recital attended by Artur Rubinstein, who included a glowing account of the occasion in his memoirs. Tomsic subsequently studied with Rubinstein for two years before returning home to Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Regarded as a pianist of legendary stature in the former Yugoslavia and Eastern Europe, American audiences have only in recent years been reacquainted with Tomsic's playing since her triumphant return with recitals at the Newport Music Festival in 1989 and 1990. Also known as an exceptional orchestral collaborator, Tomsic has performed with the Boston Symphony, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, New Hampshire Symphony, Monterey County Symphony, and the Louisville Symphony.
She has released over 40 recordings that have brought her world-wide acclaim and renewed attention from American audiences. In addition to “The Art of Dubravka Tomsic” and the “Favorite Encores” recordings, she has recorded concerti by Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg, Liszt, Mozart, Rachmaninov, Saint-Saens, and Schumann, and recital works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Mozart and Scarlatti.
Dubravka Tomsic continues to live in Ljubljana and teaches at the Ljubljana Academy of Music.
Memorial Chapel is located near the center of the Union campus. Parking is available on campus and on nearby sidestreets.
Tickets, at $20 ($8 for students), are available in advance at the Schenectady Museum (518)382-7890 and at the door at 7 p.m. For more information, call 372-3651.