The President’s Piano Series was founded in 2011 with the mission of providing access to acclaimed pianists for both the Southern California community and the students of Chapman University. Under the artistic direction of Grace Fong, each year the President’s Piano Series presents internationally acclaimed pianists and ensembles from throughout the world that perform both solo and chamber music recitals. In addition to evening performances, the series is committed to providing educational master class opportunities open to the public.

Internationally renowned pianists will present three concerts on select Thursday evenings during the Spring semester. All concerts take place at 7:30pm in Salmon Recital Hall located on Chapman University campus. Public master classes will be scheduled for selected Chapman student participation.

Spring 2014 Dates & Artist Information:

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Alexander Toradze



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Vakhtang Kodanashvili

  • FEBRUARY 6, 2014: Alexander Toradze and Vakhtang Kodanashvili

Alexander Toradze
is universally recognized as a masterful virtuoso in the grand Romantic tradition. He has enriched the Great Russian pianistic heritage with his own unorthodox interpretative conceptions, deeply poetic lyricism, and intensely emotional excitement. The native of Tbilisi, Georgia,
Vakhtang Kodanashvili
began his musical education at The Georgian Special School of Music, studying under Marina Gelashvili and had his orchestral debut at the age of nine. While in school he actively performed in numerous recitals in the former Soviet Union, as a soloist with national orchestras, and in performances on national television and radio.

  • MARCH 6, 2014: Jeffrey Siegel

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Internationally acclaimed pianist
Jeffrey Siegel
has been soloist with the world’s great orchestras. Abroad, these have included the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, Philharmonic and Philharmonia, Moscow State Symphony, Munich’s Bayerischer Rundfunk, the Amsterdam, Oslo and Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestras, Orchestra of La Scala and NHK Symphony of Japan. In the United States, engagements have included the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Siegel has collaborated with many of the pre-eminent conductors of our time: Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Neeme Järvi, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Leonard Slatkin, Michael Tilson Thomas and David Zinman, as well as legendary maestros of the past, including Eugene Ormandy, Sir George Solti, William Steinberg, Klaus Tennstedt and Yevgeny Svetlanov.
 

  • APRIL 3, 2014: Christina and Michelle Naughton: christina-and-michelle-naughton-headshot-1

Christina and Michelle Naughton
have been hailed by the San Francisco Examiner for their “stellar musicianship, technical mastery, and awe-inspiring artistry.” The Naughtons made their European debut at Herkulesaal in Munich, where the Sueddeutsche Zeitung proclaimed them “an outstanding piano duo”. They made their Asian debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, where the Sing Tao Daily said of their performance “Joining two hearts and four hands at two grand pianos, the Naughton sisters created an electrifying and moving musical performance.” Born in Princeton, New Jersey to parents of European and Chinese descent, Christina and Michelle are graduates of the Curtis Institute of Music, where they were each awarded the Festorazzi Prize. They are Steinway Artists and currently reside in New York City.

This season’s President’s Piano Series is sponsored by Law & Lewis LLP & Kawai America Corporation


These concerts are presented as part of a “Subscription Series”. The $60 series subscription includes preferred reserved event seating and an invitation to the opening reception.  Individual tickets are also available for $25 general admission seating.  Look for ticket information this spring:  www.chapman.edu/copa.