Micheal Houstoun: Three Mighty Piano Sonatas

Michael Houstoun

New Zealand's iconic concert pianist in recital, performing Beethoven's last three mighty Piano Sonatas.

Chamber Music New Zealand is proud to present Michael Houstoun in a six concert tour of New Zealand in late May.

In this concert series Houstoun plays Beethoven’s last three piano sonatas in one programme. Chronicling Beethoven's life as pianist, composer and all too fallible human being, these 32 Sonatas are the greatest body of work ever written for the piano. Beethoven wrote them for himself as a pianist and as a challenge to the quickly evolving pianoforte and those who played it.
As New Zealand's most revered pianist, it is only fitting that Michael Houstoun takes on this challenge.

"Never a showy pianist, sometimes even a reticent one, Houstoun's mature art is marked by an unerring technical brilliance combined with a poetic insight which is self-effacing and never arises from a performer's need to impose an interpretation on a piece of music."

Peter Shaw, North & South

Since his teens, Michael Houstoun has been a household name in New Zealand. He won every significant prize for pianists in the country by the age of 18. He went on to win three of the world's most distinguished piano competitions: Van Cliburn (1973), Leeds Piano (1975), and the Tchaikovsky Competition (1982) in the process he acquired an unprecedented and as yet unmatched record in international competition by a New Zealand pianist.

Building on this success, he spent time in London and American performing on some of the most prestigious world stages. A kiwi boy at heart, in 1981 Houstoun made the decision to return to New Zealand and devote his life to music in his native land.

Houstoun performs regularly each year with every professional ensemble in the country, and is equally prominent as a recitalist and chamber music partner. He makes a point frequently to appear with smaller ensembles and travels to smaller population centres, giving generously of his time to help spread the love of music and keep musical standards high throughout the country.

His large and ever-expanding repertoire includes many world premieres of New Zealand
composers alongside the traditional piano repertoire.

His restless creativity and constant seeking of new challenges has seen Houstoun most recently perform with jazz pianist Mike Nock.

Michael Houstoun has a unique reputation in New Zealand society both as a pianist of extraordinary calibre and as a musician universally recognized as New Zealand's finest.

Houstoun's stars in the film "Piano Man" which follows the premiere of New Zealand composer John Psathas' double concerto with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

Houstoun was awarded the Turnovsky Prize in 1982 and was made an Honorary Doctor of Literature by Massey University in 1999.

"Drawing out his trademark sound of elegant passagework with pinpoint rhythmic accents and finesse of touch"

Programme Details
Programme (Beethoven /CS)
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 30 Opus 109 in E
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 31 Opus 110 in A Flat
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 32 Opus 111 in C Minor

Performances:

New Plymouth
WHEN: Saturday 19 May 2007, 8pm
WHERE: Theatre Royal, TSB Showcase

Nelson
WHEN: Monday 21 May 2007, 8pm
WHERE: Nelson School of Music

Invercargill
WHEN: Wednesday 23 May 2007, 8pm
WHERE: Civic Theatre.

Dunedin
WHEN: Thursday 24 May 2007, 8pm
WHERE: Glenroy Auditorium

Wellington
WHEN: Sunday 27 May 2007, 3pm
WHERE: Ilott Theatre, Wellington Town Hall

Auckland
WHEN: Wednesday 30 May 2007, 8pm
WHERE: Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall

For more information please visit our website www.chambermusic.co.nz

ENDS

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