By Michelle Hines, University Relations
Contact: (336) 334-5371
Posted 1-12-09
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Jon Nakamatsu, winner of the gold medal at the 10th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will be the featured performer during the second annual Daniel Ericourt Piano Artist Residency.
The residency, which features a gala concert and master classes conducted by Nakamatsu, honors the legacy of world-renowned pianist Daniel Ericourt, who from 1964-67 was the first artist-in residence at the School of Music.
The concert will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the School of Music. Tickets are $10 public, $6 seniors, $4 students and $3 UNCG students. Obtain tickets by contacting the University Box Office at (336) 334-4849.
“Daniel Ericourt had many friends in the Greensboro community,” said Dr. Joseph DiPiazza, associate professor in the School of Music. “This residency is an exciting tribute to this wonderful artist and was made possible by a generous gift by Bill Heins, a longtime friend of Daniel and Jayne Ericourt.”
Ericourt was born in France in 1903. As a child prodigy, he knew the Debussy family and appeared in concert with the composer Claude Debussy. His interpretations of Debussy, Ravel and other artists earned him international acclaim. In all, Ericourt played in 35 countries including numerous concerts at Carnegie Hall.
While at UNCG, Ericourt produced and hosted “The Ericourt Forum of Music and Arts,” a weekly public television program. In 1979 UNCG awarded Ericourt an honorary doctorate. He died in 1998.
Nakamatsu, a former high school German teacher, earned a B.A. in German Studies and a master’s degree in education from Stanford. NPR’s Performance Today named him the Debut Artist of the Year in 1998, and he has been profiled by CBS Sunday Morning and Reader’s Digest.
For more information contact the School of Music at (336) 334-5789 or visit www.uncg.edu/mus.
