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Roger Woodward returns for Golden Jubilee concert

September 09, 2004

Internationally acclaimed pianist Roger Woodward will perform a one-off concert to help celebrate the University of New England’s 50th anniversary.
Mr Woodward, a pupil of Rachmaninov who has also conducted with Sir Eugene Goossens, will perform at UNE’s Lazenby Hall on Friday, September 17.
The program includes solo performances of works by Debussy, J S Bach and Schumann.
“I played the works of Debussy all my life and have a special love of the music of this composer,” Mr Woodward, who is currently touring the US, said.
Four years ago, when the great concert pianist was Chair of Music at UNE, he attempted to learn French to better understand [the great French composer] Debussy’s work.

“While a student at the Chopin Academy in Warsaw, I learnt Polish if only to understand Chopin better and finally began making a similar effort for Debussy,” Mr Woodward said.
“Including Debussy's music in UNE's 50th Anniversary concert is for no other reason than that I love it. I have constantly played his complete works at many different concerts every season throughout the great musical centres of the world all my life.”
Also performing with Mr Woodward are pianist Suzanna Hlinka (who will perform Cesar Franck’s Prelude and Fugue) and cellist Christoph Blickling, who will perform Gabriel Faure’s Elegy in C Minor.
During his extensive career, Mr Woodward has been honoured with numerous musical and humanitarian awards, including an OBE, (Order of the British Empire), Companion of the Order of Australia and the Polish Order of Merit.
For more information phone Lydia Roberts on 6773 2779.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at September 9, 2004 09:55 AM