A prof-essional performance
Dr. Daniel Immel, Professor of Music at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, will perform a solo piano recital at Newport’s Pacific Maritime Heritage Center this Friday, April 25.
This is Immel’s fourth public performance in Lincoln County and he is fast developing a following.
“Immel is a fantastic performer and always has extremely interesting and varied programs,” said Jessie Treon, president of the Lincoln County Oregon Music Teachers Association, which is sponsoring the concert. “His piano skills are phenomenal, and his easy and personable demeanor onstage make any recital an enjoyable experience. You will never be bored and you will surely hear some music you have never heard before.”
This year’s program will feature a combination of composers rarely presented together. Immel will open the concert with the “Sonata in C Major,” written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the age of 21 and close with the concert suite from the Ballet “Sleeping Beauty” by Pyoter Tchaikovsky, arranged by Mikhail Pletnev, a contemporary arranger known for his virtuosity and brilliant transcriptive abilities. In between, Immel will mix things up with one of Liszt’s “Grandes Etudes de Paganini,” followed by “Paganini Jazz” by Fazil Say who uses the same theme as Liszt and takes it on a jazz journey Liszt never dreamed of. Immel will close the first half of the recital with another unexpected twist, Improvisation on “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Art Tatum and just so we don’t forget our history, he opens the second half with J.S. Bach.
Immel has international credentials including degrees from Boise State University, Indiana University and the University of Texas at Austin and a diploma from the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France. He has performed in Europe, Canada and Russia and in the United States in such places as Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
“Lincoln County is fortunate to have a pianist with top credentials performing in our community at the beautiful Doerfler Theater,” Treon said. “You won’t want to miss this fantastic concert.”
Friday’s concert begins at 7 pm at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, located at 333 SE Bay Blvd. The concert is free, but donations to OMTA are welcome. For more information, go to omta-lincolncounty.org or call 541-961-0959.