Faculty Recital: ‘The Art of Duo Pianism’

Mississippi University for Women Department of Music presents a duo piano recital,“The Art of Duo Pianism,” with faculty Julia Mortyakova and Valentin M. Bogdan. The concert will take place Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 pm, in Poindexter Hall, Kossen Auditorium.

“We hope that both The W and the Columbus community will join us on Monday evening,” said Bogdan, professor of music. “This is a really interesting program – challenging to perform, but extremely satisfying for an audience to listen to. We titled it ‘Journey for Two’ because it literally takes the public on a voyage throughout multiple musical eras and countries, from the US across Europe.”

The program will consist of an eclectic mix of works written for the two piano medium, including the refreshing compositions “Le Matin and Le Soir” by the French composer Cécile Chaminade, the “Concerto for Two Pianos” by Francis Poulenc featuring a blend of charming melodies and musical humor, and the hidden gem “Variations on Balkan Themes” by American composer Amy Beach, a piece that communicates a powerful, moving message. Other compositions on the program will feature contemporary composers Olga Harris and Valentin M Bogdan.

Bogdan added, “There is no doubt that our audiences will be able to relate to these works, that this music will speak to them. Whether it is a work they might have heard in the past, or some new music they might have not yet found, they will discover something to love.”

Mortyakova, professor and chair of the music department, and Bogdan have been performing as a piano duo since 2007. Winners of the second prize at Ellis Duo Piano Competition (2017), they have performed nationally and internationally at prestigious concert venues and festivals such as the Transylvania University Concert Series, Prokofiev Museum, Moscow Autumn Festival, Assisi Performing Arts Festival, Festival Miami, Fairlane Guild Concert Series, Music by Women Festival, Women Composers Festival of Hartford. They have appeared as duo soloists with the Starkville Symphony and with the Assisi Performing Arts Orchestra. They were the featured performers at the 2015 Mississippi Federation of Music Clubs State Conference, and appeared, on the 2016 National Association of Composers USA National Conference (Knoxville TN), the 2015 Mississippi Music Teachers Association State Conference and multiple concerts across the United States.

“We look forward to sharing this beautiful music with the audience,” said Mortyakova.

The concert is free and open to the public.