Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner PIANO STORIES - Applause Music Festival Arlington, TX, 07/13

The above is the brilliant poster made for the Applause Music Festival which will take place at the University of Texas - Arlington on July 13, 7:30 PM.

You should check the Facebook page for more info.

But I'd like to add some extra details there...

First of all anyone who clicked on the thread, because of the "Piano Stories" part and felt misled is actually wrong: Not only my work for piano, 4 hands Piano Stories will receive it's world public premier with Dr. Solomons, but as it so happens, I'll also be there, playing the primo part! Which means that you can meet me in person, and there should be a pre-concert talk with the composers.

Then, if you remember some magnificent Diverse Preludes that Scott Miller (ScottM) composed (I presented a few youtube vids a few months ago) they are also in the program! Performed by Dr. Solomons, of course!

Then, apart from me, I know that the composers Jaap Cramer and Paul Poston will also be attending the concert, so will also be able to talk to him before (or after I guess) the concert. I'm assuming that more composers might attend the concert, but I'm not too sure about Scott, unfortunately, since he lives some 1000 miles away...

I do hope that I'll be able to grab enough video footage from at least another 3 EMF composers (in the general area) to do a few video interviews, which I hope will be of interest.

I'm VERY excited about this! Hope to see many of you there!

Oh and no tickets necessary, it's free!

Nikolas

Nickolas! CONGRATULATIONS! I regret I can't be there to hear your 4 hands piano work because of distance. Please let us know how it goes and if possible, post a recording.

This sounds fantastic!

I will also be interested in seeing a video of this event, Congrats!

Cheers!

Congratulations, I'd come if I could! I was born in Arlington.

I know for sure that at least one camera will be recording the concert (mine), so I guess this part is fine! Now about a stellar recording and all that I'll see but I think it's a serious possibility.

Just want to add that I'm VERY excited to be coming over, but also a tiny bit scared... It's been a while since I performed in public, some "serious" music, even if it's my own music, and with a great pianist on my side!

Thanks people!

Congratulations Nikolas! If I still lived in Dallas I would be in the audience.

M.

Congratulations Nikolas! What an exciting moment for you. If I were closer I'd go for sure!!!

Very cool indeed, and it looks to be an exciting concert. Congratulations!

If something goes wrong and you mess up playing your own composition in TX, the only thing we here on PW will do is have a good laugh and that is all.

Worst case senario is I will send you a private message, a PM, and laugh at you separately,

Joking aside, I do not believe we Americans are so uptight about things like that. I think you should try to enjoy your stay in US.

Cheers

And the Fine Arts building is on Greek Row Surely that's a good omen.

Nikolas, congratulations! What a wonderful event.

Cathy

jotur: That's right! If anything, the stars are aligned for me!

wr: Very much so. I know most of the works and the composer and I know there are some very interesting works in the line up. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the program live!

schubertslieder: True, true... But at the same time I'm trying to do a good job as a pianist! Simple as that!

Congratulations Nikolas, break a leg and all that! I hope you enjoy America. I look forward to any video or recording.

Thanks Steve! Much obliged!

Sorry for bumping this thread late: Yesterday I was traveling from Budapest to Baku (to visit my wife) with my kids... So I was internet-less until now!

Cheers everyone and I'll bump this thread closer to the date, if you don't mind (or once I'm there...)

That's wonderful, Nikolas! Wish I could be there. And remember, if something does not go as planned, you have the composer's prerogative: "I changed it at the last minute ! "

Have a great concert!

Sophia

Nikolas, I will most definitely be there! And hopefully my friend and fellow pianist Judy will be there, too. I am looking forward to meeting you in person! Judy and I are hoping to perform Piano Stories in July or August for our own piano group, so seeing and hearing you in person will be an inspiration.

Chris

Whoa, Chris! That is so cool!

--Andy

Sophial: Thank you. And indeed it stands true. In fact check out my reply to Chris for a little more info about exactly that!

YAY Chris! I'm SO looking forward!

And to everyone, I should note that Chris, being a very careful pianist, has found a couple of spelling mistakes and missing notation elements in the score he got! And he was so nice to share his finds with me, that I, indeed, changed these places mostly towards his recommendations and questions.

In fact, there's one single bar, where he spotted a G# which shouldn't be there. Ultimately I decided that while it shouldn't be there it "sounds cute" so I did leave it there, in parenthesis and a note that "It's your call" pretty much!

So, yeah, I'm quite adaptive. But still lets hope that I don't mess up!

I'm bumping this thread to let you know that I'm in Houston right now!

After several delays with the plane AND customs AND passport control, they managed to make me loose my final flight (Houston to Dallas), so right now I'm stuck here... heh...

I should be in Arlington tomorrow morning though, so it's not a huge deal. Just annoying...

Well, I attended the concert was last night and it was a great success! Dr. John Solomons of the University of Texas at Arlington performed a variety of piano works by various living composers, four of whom were in attendance, including our very own Nikolas Sideris, of course. And Nikolas joined Dr. Solomons for a performance of Piano Stories -- and a very good performance it was!

Prior to the performance, there was a 20-minute session with the four composers on-stage, answering some questions posed by a "moderator". And afterward there was a reception where we got to meet the composers and talk to them about their works. Of course, I talked with Nikolas, and also with Jaap Cramer, one of the other composers in attendance. What a great time!

The best for me, though, was this past Wednesday. My friend, Judy, and I are planning to perform Piano Stories next Sunday (July 21) for our monthly piano group. And Nikolas graciously agreed to sit in on our Wednesday evening rehearsal session. So I picked up Nikolas from where he was staying, brought him to Judy's, and he gave us some great pointers as he listened to our rehearsal. (He's a great teacher! I was impressed with how gently he corrected some of our dumb reading errors, and suggested some areas for improvement.) Afterward, he played for us himself (a different work), then the three of us headed out to a local Tex-Mex restaurant for dinner, where we had a great time talking.

Nikolas, it was such a great honor and pleasure to meet you. You are very personable and easy to talk to. I really hope you get to return to the Dallas area so we can meet in person again!

P.S. Nikolas autographed my copy of Piano Stories

P.S.S. The university video-recorded the performance, so perhaps Nikolas will get a copy and be able to share excerpts here, especially the Piano Stories performance.

I did manage to get a couple of photos of Nikolas, including one or two of us together. Nikolas, with your permission, I'll be happy to post one or two of them here.

Chris,

It was great to meet you, Judy and your wife, Darling in person! I was ecstatic about coming here (still in Texas right now) and now I know I was right to be ecstatic. I got to meet many people, got to premier Piano Stories in the States (and globally actually, since the recording available in youtube right now is a "studio recording") , got to perform for the first time in the States, etc...

First of all, Chris, feel free to put the pictures up. Both if you want!

Now,

My experience of Texas, UTA, John Solomons and the music performed can only be described as EXTREMELY positive!

Texas is a lovely place after all. Didn't get to meet any cowboys, or gun lovers or anything like that (though I'm sure they exist), and there was tons of green, so I guess one myth's busted!

You know about Piano Stories, so instead I'll talk about a few other works in the recital.

The 3rd piece was the "Seven Diverse Preludes", by Scott Miller, who is also a PianoWorld member (ScottM). This was the premier of these preludes and since I have only heard these that I've played myself, I can say that the other ones (2,3,4 and 6) were all a great surprise to me (performed by someone else rather than the computer). Dr. Solomons did an excellent job.

Then the 4th piece was the piece called "Continuum" composed by Paul Poston (who was also the artistic director of the Applause Music Festival). It's a work influenced by Ligeti and Ginastera and it's filled with bursting energy! Based on 5ths, it's not as dissonant as one would expect, but the building up of the energy is nothing less than spectacular.

The 6th piece (after the intermission) was Jaap Cramers "Introductions, Toccatas and Hymns". This piece reminded me quite a bit of Messiaen, but the composer himself, mentioned to me more than once that he's not really studied Messiaen, so... It's a 7 minute work which has some great moments!

I'm not sure if I'll have any recording or a video soon to post, but if I do happen to get them in my hands I'll make sure to post them!

Once again thank you Chris. You've been wonderful!