Washington Times: 'Mr. Barto obliged by offering as a solo encore an unusually accented version of a Scott Joplin rag'

[Scott Joplin, Black Heritage USA]

At the Kennedy Center, Pianist Tzimon Barto gave a distinctive interpretation of a Ragtime work of Scott Joplin (1868-1917), who is profiled at AfriClassical.com:

Washington Times

National Symphony Orchestra shines in JFK tribute

Monday, January 24, 2011 – Curtain Up! by Terry Ponick

“WASHINGTON – Upon entering the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall Saturday evening, National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) patrons noticed a large movie screen lowered over the vacant chorister seats at stage rear. The message it carried was a familiar one: turn off those cell phones, iPhones, and Blackberrys. But the reason for the added emphasis was a good one: Saturday’s concert was being recorded live. It’s slated to become part of a new NSO CD to be released this spring—the orchestra’s first after ten years in the recording wilderness.

”Saturday’s concert—an unusual opening night for regular season concertgoers—was part of the Kennedy Center’s celebration this month of the president who, posthumously alas, gave the Center its name. Why this weekend? It’s the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration and a fitting moment to pause and celebrate his memory.”

“After the concerto’s dramatic, concluding trills, the audience erupted once again in an enthusiastic, appreciative ovation. Mr. Barto obliged by offering as a solo encore an unusually accented version of a Scott Joplin rag—a symbolically and musically fitting conclusion to this rousing, all-American memorial to the president who put America’s performing arts back into the country’s consciousness some fifty years ago.”

American Foundation, U. of West Indies: Jamaican Pianist Orrett Rhoden at Kennedy Center Oct. 8

[Pianist Orrett Rhoden in Concert (AFUWI)]

AlumniOnline.UWI.edu

AFUWI presents Orrett Rhoden in Concert

The American Foundation for The University of the West Indies (AFUWI)

and

The University of the West Indies Alumni Association

of Washington, D.C. (UWI AA-DC)

Under the distinguished patronage of Sir George Alleyene, Chancellor of

The University of the West Indies (UWI)

Presents

The renowned Jamaican pianist

Orrett Rhoden in Concert

at the Terrace Theater

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC

Friday, October 8, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $60 per person

“Orrett Rhoden, a former child prodigy, took Jamaican audiences by storm at the age of eight and since then has been delighting audiences worldwide with his tremendous talent and genius. One of the high points of Rhoden’s career was his meeting Artur Rubenstein. Rhoden played Chopin for Mr. Rubenstein, the great master who declared unreservedly, 'You have a rare talent. Some pianists are not musicians, and some musicians are not pianists, but you, young man are both.

“He subsequently received a coveted invitation to perform at an all Chopin recital in the composer’s birthplace in Zelazowa Wola, Poland in 1985. Rhoden’s mentors and teachers include Jamaicans Rita Coote and Maxine Franklin, as well as noted composer Dr. Virginia-Gene Rittenhouse; Andrew Esterhazy, Rosalyn Tureck, one of the world’s greatest Bach interpreters and Russian Nina Svettanova. Orrett Rhoden is also the recipient of the award for outstanding achievement in music, presented in 2005 by then Prime Minister of Jamaica, P.J. Patterson.

“Tickets are on sale online at: http://www.kennedy-center.org/tickets/, and at The John F. Kennedy Center Box office located at: 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20566 or by phone from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, the toll-free number is (800) 444-1324.”