The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Robert Fertitta to perform ‘Piano Masterpieces’
LITCHFIELD — St. Michael’s Parish will present a concert by pianist Robert Fertitta on Sunday, May 6, beginning at 4 p.m., as the final concert of the First Sundays at Four series.
Fertitta studied musicology with a specialization in music analysis at The City University of New York and was also a student of counterpoint, keyboard studies, solfege and analysis with Nadia Boulanger. Fertitta retired from The State University of New York at Purchase in 2007 after thirty years on the faculty. He oversaw the musicianship curriculum and was director of the college choir. He remains active as a performer, lecturer, workshop presenter, adjudicator of competitions and music reviewer, and is currently the music director at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Woodbury.
Fertitta has appeared as organ soloist with the Westchester Philharmonic in Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, Poulenc’s Organ Concerto, and Copland’s Organ Symphony. During the 1988 inaugural season of PepsiCo’s Summerfare in the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, Fertitta performed on the 59rank Flentrop organ in solo recitals as well as with the Frankfurt Opera Company in the John Cage production, “Europeras,” and with the Philharmonia Virtuosi in the silent film presentation of “Ben-Hur.” He has accompanied the Canticum Novum Singers, the Dessoff Choirs and the Collegium Antiquum.
As pianist, he has given solo recitals, chamber music programs and master classes. Fertitta has also done some conducting, in the Messiah Sing-Ins at Avery Fisher Hall and at various commemorative Bach and Mozart festivals with students, faculty and alumni.
He is a renowned photographer of stained glass windows. His work is featured on hundreds of church websites and in many books, articles and magazines.
The program will include “Piano Masterpieces in Two Flats,” music by Couperin, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin and Brahms. The first half of the program will be entirely in B flat major and the second half will be in G minor. Featured works are the Mozart Sonata in B flat major, K. 570 and the Chopin Ballade in G minor, op. 23.
All are welcome to the concert; admission is $20. A meet-the-artist reception will follow. St. Michael’s is located at 25 South Street, just off the Litchfield Green.
For more information, call 860-567-9465.