Jerome Rose to open piano series at UT

Pianist Jerome Rose.

Pianist Jerome Rose will return to Toledo for the opening concert of this year's Dorothy MacKenzie Price Piano Series at the University of Toledo at 3 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall. Created to bring notable pianists to town for free, public concerts, the three-part Sunday afternoon series also offers free master classes the Saturday before.

Rose, a former artist-in-residence at Bowling Green State University, is known internationally for his personal approach to Romantic music, particularly Franz Liszt, whose 200th birthday anniversary is being celebrated this year. He has degrees from Juilliard and Mannes College -- where he is on the faculty -- and was a Fulbright Scholar in Vienna. He records Liszt on Medici records and Chopin on Sony.

A founder and director of the International Keyboard Festival held annually in New York City, Rose has appeared in recital and with orchestra on top stages around the world. His Toledo program will comprise music by Brahms and Schumann, because, Rose told The Blade, "I am Liszted out this year."

Brahms Rhapsodies Op. 79, No. 1 and 2; Brahms Sonata No. 3, Op. 5, and Schumann's Symphonic Etudes will be played in Toledo.

Subsequent MacKenzie Price recitals will present William Welborn on Nov. 13 and Peter Amstutz on Feb. 12.

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The Toledo Symphony is to open its Mozart and More Series with a 7:30 p.m. concert Oct. 1 in the Franciscan Center at Lourdes University. Presented with support from Healthcare REIT and Lourdes, this popular series offers innovative programs built around music from the Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic eras in European music.

Resident conductor Jeffrey Pollock will lead this opening program, which also will introduce Canadian pianist Angela Cheng.

Cheng, an associate professor of piano performance at Oberlin College, is a popular guest performer in Canada, the United States, and around the world. She won the 1986 Gold Medal at the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Masters Competition, and was the first Canadian to win the Montreal International Piano Competition in 1988.

With the Toledo Symphony and Pollock, Cheng will perform the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major, the final work for piano by the famed composer. Also on the program will be Symphony in D Minor and Haydn's Symphony No. 97 in C Major.

Tickets are $30-$35 at 419-246-8000 or www.toledosymphony.com.

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David Cutler will return to Owens Community College to give a free lecture on the business of music at 12:30 p.m. Monday in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Studio Theatre, Room 111.

Cutler's piano career has been a fusion of jazz and classical music in both performance and composition. He is on the faculty of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. His talk, Building your portfolio career: Imagining the Mix, will cover key elements for would-be professional musicians, including entrepreneurship, product development, marketing, the recording industry, and personal finance. His most recent book is The Savvy Musician. Information: 567-661-7081.

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The Toledo Chapter, American Guild of Organists announces auditions for its annual Organ Scholarship program, for student musicians in grades 7-12. The auditions will begin at 2 p.m. Oct. 9 in St. Joseph Church, 5373 South Main St., Sylvania. Awards will be given to promising students to allow further private instruction with guild members. Top prize is $500.

Applicants will be asked to perform two contrasting short pieces plus a hymn. Sight-reading also is required. Auditioners may schedule up to one hour of practice time on the church organ.

All applicants must complete the guild form and attach a letter of recommendation from their private instructor, a pastor, or another church musician. Deadline for submission of all materials is Wednesday.

Information, copies of the application, and reservation times for rehearsal may be arranged with Pam Davis at 419-472-1003 or music@commofchrist.org.

Winners will perform in a recital at 3 p.m. March 18 in St. Joseph Church.

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University Musical Society will present The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer, a music and theater work by Michael Sturminger, starring John Malkovich and Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, at 8 p.m. Oct. 1 in Hill Auditorium.

Based on the true story of serial killer Jack Unterweger, the work will describe the accused's deadly pursuits and his passion and talent for poetry. Music by Gluck, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, and other classical composers will provide music against which Malkovich will portray the main character.

Appearing in solo roles with Malkovich will be sopranos Sophie Klussmann and Claire Meghnagi. Martin Haselbock will conduct. More information on the work is available at www.theinfernalcomedy.org.

Tickets are $10-$75 at 734-764-2538 or www.ums.org.

Items for News of Music should be sent to svallongo@theblade.com at least two weeks ahead of the event.