Press Releases 2008

CONTACT:  Jana Marcus, Marketing & Communications
(831) 479-5744
jamarcus [at] cabrillo.edu

February 6, 2008

CAPTIVATING INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED PIANIST PERFORMS AT CABRILLO COLLEGE
Cabrillo’s Distinguished Artists Series PresentsDi Wu in Concert
Saturday March 8 at 8 PM, Cabrillo College Theater

Aptos, CA—The Cabrillo College Distinguished Artist series is honored to present Di Wu in concert. The 23 year-old award-winning pianist, who is sweeping the international music scene, will perform a program entitled “The Art of Transcription,” on March 8 at the Cabrillo Theater at 8 PM.

Di Wu, born in Xiamen, China, won her first piano competition at the age of six. At fourteen she debuted with the Beijing Philharmonic and since then has performed numerous times with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

“[Wu] has pretty well unlocked the secrets of Scriabin’s Sonata No. 7, Op. 64 White Mass. The work…came forth with unencumbered completeness and rectitude.”        —The New York Concert Review

In addition to orchestral engagements, Wu made her solo debut at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2005 and has performed recitals throughout the U.S., Canada and China. She has also toured extensively in Europe, performing at such festivals as Mozart Gesellschaft Dortmund, Klavier Festival Ruhr, Busoni International Piano Festival in Italy, and at venues such as Musée d'Orsay and Musée de Grenoble in France. 

Wu is a frequent prizewinner of piano competitions. She won the 2007 National Audition held by Astral, and her career is now represented by Astral Artistic Services. In addition, she won first prize at the 2005 Hilton Head International Piano Competition, and the 2000 Missouri Southern International Piano Competition, where she was invited back for a worldwide broadcast encore recital in 2001. 

Wu completed her undergraduate education at the Curtis Institute of Music under the guidance of Gary Graffman, and recently obtained her master’s degree at the famed Julliard School in New York City.

“Di has complete command of the piano, an impressive repertoire for her age, and the ability to rivet an audience with her emotional involvement and strong sense of musical drama,” says Kaplinsky, chair of the piano department at Juilliard. “Di will rise above the crowd in the extremely competitive field of solo pianists.  She takes chances, has abundant energy and her ability to communicate both verbally and musically set her apart.”

Currently Wu is in the Artist Diploma program at The Juilliard School under the guidance of Joseph Kalichstein and Robert McDonald.  She is also in the midst of her 20007-08 concert season, which has included recitals in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Barbados, and Hong Kong, as well as orchestral engagements with Rockland Symphony Orchestra, Bryan Symphony Orchestra and Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra. 

Di Wu’s much-anticipated concert at Cabrillo College, “The Art of Transcription,” showcases Wu performing some of the most difficult, dazzling and beautiful works transcribed for the piano. Transcribing is the act of taking a composition for an instrument, voice or orchestral work, and translating it into a piece for the piano.

“Transcription goes back to the early 18th century piano,” explains Wu, “Composers like Schubert and Liszt would take the popular music of their time and add more notes, bigger chords and faster rhythms for more power and excitement...”

“My transcription program is designed to break down barriers between classical and popular music.  I don’t care if you’ve never set foot in a classical hall before or if you’ve never heard a song older than you are.  If you like to have fun, welcome to classical music.”  Promises Wu, “You’re gonna love it here.”

The evening’s concert will include such works as Bach’s Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major transcribed by Rachmaninoff, Schubert’s songs transcribed by Franz List, and Fantasy on Themes from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figuro transcribed by Liszt and Busoni.

What: Pianist Di Wu in Concert—“The Art of Transcription”

When: Saturday March 8 at 8PM

Where: Cabrillo College Theater, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA

Price: Keyboard-side reserved seating: $22 general, $18 seniors, $16 students

General seating: $20 general, $16 senior, $14 students

Tickets: 479-6331 or www.ticketguys.com

Information: www.distinguishedartists.org or www.diwupiano.com

Watch Di Wu on UTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_GlfNrHD0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhH82nnzs2U&feature=related

About Cabrillo College
Cabrillo College is a leading California community college serving Santa Cruz County with locations in Aptos, Scotts Valley and Watsonville. It is ranked #1 in transfers to UC Santa Cruz. Founded in 1959, the college offers over 100 academic and career technology programs that serve multiple educational goals such as A.A. and A.S. degrees, certificates of proficiency, skills certificates, transfer to 4-year institutions or for lifelong learning and personal enrichment. Our mission is to enhance the intellectual, cultural, and economic vitality of our diverse community by assisting all students in their quest for lifelong learning and success in an ever-changing world.

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