Thursday, November 6, 2008

NIC welcomes piano virtuoso

2005 Van Cliburn Piano Competition finalist Davide Cabassi will perform at Casper's Nicolaysen Art Museum & Discovery Center on Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Director Holly Turner says, "This is the last stop on his tour of Wyoming, so this will be your last chance to see him. He is boarding a flight for Italy the next day."

He made his orchestral debut at the age of thirteen with the RAI Symphony Orchestra in Milan. He has since performed with symphonies in Austria, China, France, Germany, Japan, Portugal, Russia, Scandinavia, and Switzerland, highlighted by appearances in Salzburg's Mozarteum, the Gasteig in Munich, and Rachmaninoff Hall in Moscow.

Known and appreciated for the warmth and sincerity he brings to his performances, Cabassi has become very popular with presenters in the U.S. and audience since he was named a winner of the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2005. In 2006, Cabassi was selected by the Association of Performing Arts Managers (APAP) to showcase at its annual conference in New York attracting over 4000 industry professionals. During the 2006-2007 concert season he made his debut with the Amarillo and Hartford Symphony Orchestras. He has also been engaged for recitals and educational programs by Purdue University; the University of Wyoming in Laramie; the Portland Piano International Festival in Oregon; and the Louvre Museum series in Paris.

Cabassi’s debut disc for Sony-BMG records, Dancing with the Orchestra, featuring works by Bartok, De Falla, Ravel, and Stravinsky, was released worldwide in the spring of 2006. He was featured prominently in the film documentary about the Twelfth Cliburn Competition, In the Heart of Music, which began airing on PBS stations in October 2005.

Since 1962, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition has been the most visible expression of the Van Cliburn Foundation's commitment to the highest standards of musical achievement. The Foundation disseminates classical music worldwide, as well as launches and nurtures young artists' careers through the quadrennial Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, ensuing international concert tours of its medalists, award-winning television documentaries, and internationally syndicated radio series dedicated to the Competition and its most memorable performances.

For his performance at the NIC, Cabassi is scheduled to play Franz Schubert’s " Impromptus op.142 n. 2 + op.90 n.4" as well as Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

Admission to this special performance is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and guests can enjoy dessert available from Market and More and a cash bar operated by Bi Rite.