Pianist Rochelle Sennet Performs at Mills Breast Cancer Institute Feb. 10 & UI Krannert Center Feb. 13

[Dr. Rochelle Sennet]

AfriClassical first wrote about pianist Rochelle Sennet on Jan. 5, 2009. The Mills Breast Cancer Institute in Urbana, Illinois will present a recital called The Piano & the Romantic Era on Feb. 10 featuring Rochelle Sennet on piano and Igor Kalnin on violin. Rochelle Sennet's concert on Feb. 13 will feature works of Liszt and Beethoven. She has also completed a new recording of the Piano Concerto of George Walker (b. 1922), who is featured at AfriClassical.com. The Piano Concerto is presently available on CD only on the rare 2-CD set Sony DSO-1111 (2002):

The217.com

Artist on the rise

Feb 1 - by Jeff Nelson – buzz Writer

“Every once in a while in the life of a journalist who covers a beat there is that 'Eureka!' moment. In the performing arts, those 'sure thing' discoveries are rare. But, I would stake a three and half decade reputation on what I heard the night of Nov. 30, 2006, at Urbana's Krannert Center. That was the night I heard Rochelle Sennet at the piano, and on Feb. 13, the rest of east central Illinois can confirm my opinion.

“It was a strangely unpublicized event with the University of Illinois Wind Symphony, the UI Brass Quintet and UI Graduate Brass Quintet and the UI Concert Choir. It was that evening that the world renowned, John Corigliano, one of the world's greatest living composers, whose works have won everything from the Pulitzer Prize to the Academy Award, was here showcasing his compositions. Our School of Music was honored to showcase several of his compositions and one of them showcased a young pianist. It was his 1976 composition, 'Etude Fantasy' and the pianist was Rochelle Sennet.”

“Since that evening, Rochelle Sennet has gone on to earn her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois, taken various teaching positions and a concert schedule. The good news is that home is still here, as she holds the position of Assistant Professor of Piano at our own School of Music and much of her work is directed locally, not the least of which is a concert at the Krannert Center on Feb. 13. This concert will not be in her specialty of African American piano music, but a tribute to the great composers of the 19th century. She will join the musical world in celebrating the 200th anniversary of Franz Liszt's birth, with a couple of his splendid works for the keyboard. A second portion will pay tribute to Beethoven, with a performance of one of his sonatas for violin and piano. Igor Kalin, the current concert master of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, will join her for the violin portion.

“This somewhat traditional concert does not put her interest in modern American and African American music on hold. In the bin is a recording of the George Walker Piano concerto, a marvelous 1975 work, long in need of a new recording as the original Hinderas/Freeman performance is very difficult to obtain. This upcoming CD is a long way from a moment at age 7 in Beaumont, Texas, when she heard a pianist on television, and wanted to play like that. A year of begging parents for lessons led to lessons and a rented piano. Since then degrees from Texas Christian University, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the University of Michigan, accumulated in her portfolio before coming here to study with Ian Hobson.

“With an interest in American music, a specialty in the piano concerto of the African American composer, and a love of all the repertoire written for the piano, it is no mystery why such talent is already in bloom. As she continues her promising career, you can be present at what might be one of those breakout moments on Feb. 13.”