The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library’s Summer Festival has become
a cherished tradition in San Diego. The 2009 festival concluded with a rousing series of encores and standing ovations on July 26. The 2010 Athenaeum Summer Festival, the twelfth, has been announced.
This summer, celebrated pianist Gustavo Romero brings back the Polish genius Frédéric François Chopin in four moving performances of spectacular technique, virtuosity, and finesse. Presented only once before eleven years ago to huge acclaim, Romero will perform in a special encore series of Chopin's complex masterpieces for piano.
Call 858.454.5872 to reserve. Please remember that May 21 is the final day to lock in your previous year's seats.
3 Nocturnes, Op. 9
Barcarolle, Op. 60
Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44
--
The 4 Ballades:
Ballade No.3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47
Ballade No.2 in F Major, Op. 38
Ballade No.4 in F minor, Op. 52
Ballade No.1 in G minor, Op. 23
Nocturne, Op. 62, No. 2
2 Polonaises, Op. 26
Polonaise Fantasie in A-flat Major, Op. 61
Fantasie in F minor, Op. 49
--
The 4 Scherzos:
Scherzo No.4 in E Major, Op. 54
Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op. 20
Scherzo No.3 in C-sharp minor, Op. 39
Scherzo No.2 in B-flat minor, Op. 31
Prelude, Op. 45
Nocturne, Op. 62, No. 1
Nocturne, Op. 27, No. 2
Nocturne, Op. 48, No. 1
Andante spianato and grande polonaise brillante in E-flat Major, Op. 22
--
24 preludes, Op. 28
3 Mazurkas, Op. 59
Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35 (“Funeral March”)
--
Sonata No 3 in B minor, Op. 58

Gustavo Romero
In the spring of 1976, a talented young San Diego pianist gave his first
public performance as part of the Monday noon Mini-Concert series at the
Athenaeum. Gustavo Romero was only eleven years old at the time, but had
already established a reputation for his extraordinary talent and musicianship.
After that early concert, the pianist performed with the New York
Philharmonic at the age of 13, the Boston Pops Orchestra at 16,
and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at 18. After graduating from the
Juilliard School of Music, Romero was the 1989 winner of the prestigious
Clara Haskil Piano Competition in Switzerland, and this opened Europe
to him. Since then, the pianist has played with other leading orchestras
including Radio France Orchestra, Philharmonia Hungarica, and the
Liege Philharmonic, with which he appeared on tour and in a concert
internationally telecast from the United Nations. He has also appeared
at major festivals including New York's Mostly Mozart Festival,
the Aspen Music Festival, the Montpellier Festival in France, and
the Montreux Festival in Switzerland. As a recitalist, Romero is in demand throughout the world. Since
1999, the Athenaeum has presented Romero’s “cycles,”
devoted to specific composers, for which he is now widely known.
Since Gustavo had memorized all of Chopin’s music, Erika Torri
saw the opportunity to create a signature event to commemorate the
library’s 100th anniversary. Following the Athenaeum anniversary
performance, Gustavo took his ambitious Chopin series to New York’s
Alice Tully Hall, where he headlined a three-hour marathon, featuring
over two dozen American pianists and honoring Chopin's 150th anniversary.
Athenaeum Summer Festivals
1999 Chopin 2000 Bach 2001-02 Beethoven 2003-04 Mozart 2005 Schubert 2006 Schumann
2007 Brahms
2008 Ten Years, Seven Composers,
One Pianist
2009 Haydn and Mendelssohn
2010 Frédéric François Chopin
These concerts are made possible in part, thanks to funding
from the City of San Diego through a program managed by the Commission
for Arts and Culture and the County of San Diego. |