Pianist Kevin Kaukl to Play Beethoven and Chopin at the MSV; FREE Student and SU Faculty Admission

Winchester, VA 1/23/14…Acknowledged pianist Kevin Kaukl will play classical selections from Beethoven and Chopin in a special 1 p.m. concert at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV) this Sunday, January 26.

Presented by the Museum in partnership with Shenandoah Conservatory, the concert is free to MSV Members, all Shenandoah University students and faculty (with identification), and youth ages 12 and under. For all others, the cost is just $10 ($8 youth/senior) and includes the performance and admission to the Museum galleries.

A doctor of musical arts student at Shenandoah Conservatory and native of Washington state, Kevin Kaukl has performed in the United States, Austria, Italy, and Ireland. John O’Conor, Shenandoah Conservatory distinguished artist-in-residence and keyboard division chair, describes Kaukl’s recitals as “powerful, intense, insightful, and imaginative.” Kaukl was a national finalist in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Steinway Young Artist Competition and he was also a featured performer in the Aspen Music Festival’s Spotlight Recital Series playing the music of Chopin. Kaukl was featured in the Irish documentary film, Beethoven Bootcamp, about the Wilhelm Kempff Foundation’s Beethoven master classes in Positano, Italy. Kaukl has studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and his recordings of early twentieth-century American music were published by the University of Washington.

For his recital at the MSV, Kaukl will be playing classical selections from Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) and Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770–1827). These include, from Chopin, Barcarolle in F Sharp Major, Op. 60; Berceuse in D Flat Major, Op. 57; and Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 35; and, from Beethoven, Sonata No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a.

Those planning to attend Sunday afternoon’s performance are encouraged to arrive early; seating is limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for the piano concert will be available at the Visitor Information Desk beginning at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Concert-goers are encouraged to enjoy the MSV galleries and exhibitions before or after the performance. The galleries will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and the Museum Café by Bonnie Blue will offer lunch and desserts from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley is located at 901 Amherst Street in Winchester, Virginia.  The MSV complex—which includes the Museum, the Glen Burnie House, and six acres of gardens—is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Museum galleries are open year-round; the gardens are open seasonally. The gardens will reopen on April 1, 2014. The house is now closed until spring of 2014 for a comprehensive preservation project. Additional information is available at www.theMSV.org or by calling 540-662-1473, ext. 235.