The Program

Mendelssohn: Four Songs Without Words TBD
Brahms: Sonata in F Minor, Op. 5
Liszt: Ballade in B Minor
Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22
Kabalevsky: Sonata No. 3, Op. 46

Pre-concert Lecture at 6:45 pm by David Dubal

The Artist

Born in Brazil, Nelson Freire began piano studies at the age of three with Nise Obino and Lucia Branco, who had worked with a pupil of Liszt.  He made his first public appearance at the age of five with Mozart Sonata in A K.331.  In 1957, after winning a grant at the Rio de Janeiro International Piano Competition with his performance of Beethoven's "Emperor" concerto, he went to Vienna to study with Bruno Seidlhofer.  Seven years later he won the Dinu Lipatti Medal in London and the first prize at the International Vianna da Motta Competition in Lisbon.  He began his international career in 1959.  

Nelson Freire was nominated "Soloist of the Year 2002" by French Victoires de la Musique and received in 2005 a special "Honours Award" for his career.  His Chopin recording was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006.  His Brahms Concertos with Riccardo Chailly were nominated for Grammy Awards in 2007 and were named "Records of the Year" and "Winner of the Concerto Category" by Classic FM Gramophone Awards 2007.  His most recent recording, with Martha Argerich, features live performances of Ravel, Schubert, Brahms and Rachmaninoff from the 2009 Salzburg Festival.  Freire's engagements last season included a tour in North America with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, concerts with the Deutsches Symphony Orchester, TonKünstler Orchester and London Symphony Orchestra, and recitals in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain and Germany.  For more information on Nelson Freire visit www.nelsonfreire.com.