Ballades and Narratives
Robson has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as a pianist with “one of the great techniques,” “an inquiring mind” and a performer capable of evoking an “exquisite engulfing pastel haze,” and he continues to impress with his multi-faceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher.
The program
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Balladen, Op. 10
Andante: nach der schottischen Ballade “Edward”
Andante
Allegro
Andante con moto
Franz Liszt (1811-1886): Vallée d’Obermann (from Années de pélérinage, Bk. 1: Suisse)
INTERMISSION
Alexander Skryabin (1872-‐1915): Sonata nr. 9, Op. 68
Charles Ives (1874-1954): The Alcotts (from Sonata #2, Concord, Mass., 1840-‐1860)
Gerard Schurmann (1924 – ): Two Ballades
1. Hukvaldy
2. Brno
The artist
Mark Robson has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as a pianist with “one of the great techniques,” “an inquiring mind” and a performer capable of evoking an “exquisite engulfing pastel haze,” and he continues to impress with his multi-faceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. Mr. Robson is equally comfortable in styles ranging from early music played on the harpsichord and organ to the great Romantic repertoire and beyond to contemporary piano works demanding theatrical participation from the performer. As a collaborative artist with singers and instrumentalists, he commands the respect of his peers in both the recital and chamber settings. He presents an annual recital for the LA series Piano Spheres and has performed for Jacaranda on numerous occasions. As an organist, he has also appeared as a soloist in the Minimalist Jukebox at Disney Hall and has performed on the organ in Mahler’s 8th Symphony at the Hollywood Bowl in their 2008 season.
After completing conservatory and university training, Mr. Robson amplified his musical studies with extensive study in Paris-where he was a pupil of Yvonne Loriod, widow of composer Olivier Messiaen-and through his work as an assistant conductor and assistant chorus master for the Los Angeles Opera. During this time he worked with renowned international singers and conductors, gaining great insight into the lyric art. He has also been a musical assistant at the Salzburg and Spoleto (Italy) festivals. As a composer, Robson has been programmed on concerts in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Barcelona and Paris. The Brentwood-Westwood Symphony Orchestra has premiered two of his orchestral works, Apollo Rising and Christmas Suite. Soprano Patricia Prunty has recorded his song cycle A Child of Air and the same piece was presented by Sari Gruber at the winter Ravinia Festival.
The recipient of several scholarships and awards (including the Certificate of Excellence from the Corvina Cultural Circle for artistic contributions to Hungary), Mark Robson has received degrees from the University of Southern California and Oberlin College. He has worked as a vocal coach for the faculties of USC, Chapman University, the California Institute of the Arts and Cal State Fullerton. Among his formidable musical projects has been the performance in eight concerts of the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven andnumerous performances of Messiaen’s massive cycle, Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus.
