PIANIST PERFORMS TONIGHT FOR DIEHN SERIES
One of the world's foremost pianists, Paul Badura-Skoda, will perform for the F. Ludwig Diehn Concert Series at 8 p.m. Monday, March 19, in Chandler Recital Hall of the Diehn Fine and Performing Arts Center. The free program includes works by Mozart, Beethoven, Martin and Schumann.
Considered by many one of the most important pianists of our time, Badura-Skoda has had an illustrious career. Two years after entering the Vienna Conservatory in 1945 he won first prize in the Austrian Music Competition. One of his latest honors came in 1993 when he became "Chevalier de la L�gion d'honneur."
His entire career has been marked by superlatives. In 1939, conductors Wilhelm Furtw�ngler and Herbert von Karajan became aware of his outstanding talent and invited him to play concerts. Practically overnight, the young Viennese pianist became a
world-famous artist. After a spectacular debut at the Salzburg Festival, he played to a sold-out house at his New York debut in 1953. Since then, Badura-Skoda has become a regular and celebrated guest at the most important music festivals.
Conductors Furtw�ngler, Joseph Krips, Karl B�hm, Hans Knappertsbusch, Hermann Scherchen, Artur Rodzinsky, Lorin Maazel, George Szell, Sir Charles Mackerras and Sir Georg Solti, and violinist David Oistrakh, have been among his famous partners.
Badura-Skoda's recent appearances have included such prestigious events as the Chopin Festival in Warsaw, Carinthian Summer Festival, George Enescu Festival, Theatro Colon, Buenos Aires and Schubertianden in Madrid.
He has also appeared in St. Petersburg, Rome, Vienna, Paris, Prague, Milan, Barcelona, Seville and Washington, D.C. Additionally, he participated in such well-known competitions as the Leeds Competition and Concorso Dino Gianni in Milan.
Badura-Skoda's concert is in conjunction with the 14th Annual Old Dominion University Classical Period Piano Competition.
For more information about the concert or competition call 683-3020.