| Fifth Annual Rose City International Conductor's Workshop July 19-26, 2009 Portland, Oregon |
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| 2009 Guest Artist- Rick Rowley, pianist |
Pianist Rick Rowley has appeared extensively as a recitalist, a concerto soloist, and in
chamber performances with many of the world's leading musicians. Of particular interest
among his concerto appearances have been his performances of Mozart piano concertos,
conducting from the keyboard. He has been involved in concerts on period instruments and
performed on the harpsichord with the Texas Bach Aria Group and fortepiano with the Texas
Baroque Ensemble. Mr. Rowley has been heard repeatedly on radio broadcast in this
country and has recorded for radio in Europe.
Mr. Rowley has made six compact disks for Round Top Records, Premier Recordings, and
Summit Records and has produced several others. His recordings include two solo CDs,
twentieth-century compositions for cello and piano with cellist Peter Rejto, works for flute and
piano with Marianne Gedigian, music for clarinet and piano with Patricia Shands, and songs
for voice and piano with soprano Cheryl Parrish.
Mr. Rowley has had a long association with the International Festival-Institute at Round Top,
beginning in the early 1970's. During that time he has performed in numerous concerts,
served as Program Director and has been involved with all of the management and planning
aspects of the project. Mr. Rowley has also held a faculty position at the University of Texas
Austin.
Mr. Rowley is an experienced and busy actor. During the last few years he has acted in
twenty-three plays and has served as music director and conductor for several other
productions. He was the sound designer for a new play based on "The Firebird," for which
he also composed incidental music and songs. This last season he made his directorial
debut in a highly praised production of The Belles of Amherst.
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What people are saying about Rick Rowley's concerti performances. . .
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
"Rowley's attack is simply mind boggling. Even his staccato chords sing with a special
resonance. His sense of musical line is an utter revelation and his control of dynamics is an
art form all in its own." San Antonio Express-News
"From the opening flourishes on the keyboard, the listener was aware of the scope of
Rowley's visionary crusade. Supplementing Rowley's grand manner was a technique that
sharply articulated musical lines and textures; nonetheless poetry was in abundance also."
San Antonio Southside Reporter
"Rick Rowley's performance may be called passionate. He combined strong musicianship
with power and sweetness, moving with mature certainty through a demanding score." El
Paso Herald-Post
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat
"The fluid execution and freshness of style that we have come to expect from Rowley's
keyboard work were fully in evidence." San Antonio Express-News
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
"Rick Rowley is not only technically assured, but wonderfully and completely unaffected."
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"He performed with contagious excitement and distinctive style, thrilling the large audience
with his interpretation." Piano Guild Notes
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1
"Rowley's incredibly clean, facile technique breezed through a cadenza that epitomized
every quality of seriousness, but also good humor, in the work." Bryan-College Station
Eagle
What people are saying about Rick Rowley's recitals . . .
"With the technical equipment to handle whatever he chooses, Rowley also has an obvious
interest in bringing music to life." Paul Hume,
The Washington Post
"Some performers make music a ritual observance of forms whose relevance and
usefulness have been long forgotten; others, playing the same works, can make the listener
believe they were written yesterday, to be performed for the first time today. Pianist Rick
Rowley . . . is of the latter sort." Mike Greenberg,
San Antonio Express-News
"Rowley has everything a concert pianist needs-talent, dedication, accuracy, clarity,
precision, total command of dynamics, and interpretive ability far beyond his years. No
technical difficulty seems to be an obstacle for him, he just plays and runs the emotional
gamut across the keyboard." Nancy M. Zin,
Topeka State Journal
"Rowley himself provides a contrast with many of his colleagues, those who emphasize
clean, precise musicianship, often at the expense of the emotional content of the piece.
Though an excellent musician, Rowley is not content with that alone. In his Tuesday recital,
he constantly searched for a deeper understanding of the music and was not afraid to
present his own highly personal view of the music." David Connelly,
Shreveport Journal
from "Piano Music of Franz
Liszt," Rick Rowley, piano
Availlable from Plum CDs
Liszt," Rick Rowley, piano
Availlable from Plum CDs
