Pianist melds music and impressionist art
Sept. 12, 2001
KALAMAZOO -- Drawing on family connections, the keyboard area in WMU's School of Music will present a multi-sensory experience of sound, sight and imagination featuring guest pianist Margaret Baxtresser on Wednesday, Sept. 19, beginning at 8 p.m. in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. Admission is free and the public is invited.
Ms. Baxtresser's performance at WMU will be extra special for one School of Music student. Her granddaughter Amy, is an undergraduate horn player at the University.
Titled "Debussy and the Impressionists," the concert explores the relationship between the music and paintings of one of the most exciting and dramatic periods in the history of the arts. In the program, Debussy's piano works, specifically six preludes, Jardins Sous La Pluie, and L'Isle Joyeuse, are accompanied by projections of paintings by Monet, Degas, and Renoir. "Debussy and the Impressionists" has been presented at the Cleveland Museum, Dallas Museum, and the Minneapolis Museum for the opening of the Monet exhibit.
Ms. Baxtresser has earned a national and international reputation as a concert pianist. After winning the prestigious International Naumberg Award, she received the Carnegie Hall and Michaels Award. Appearances in the U.S. include solo recitals and performances with major orchestras such as the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Detroit and Chicago symphonies. She has given performances overseas in London, Berlin, and Amsterdam as well as recitals and master classes in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Media contact: Kevin West, 616 387-4678, kevin.west@wmich.edu