Free Concert: Alexander Paley, Piano

Pianist Alexander Paley will perform as part of the Washington Conservatory Piano, Plus! Concert Series at 8 pm on Saturday, February 6 at Westmoreland Congregational UCC Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda, MD. (the border of DC and Bethesda.) This concert is free, with donations welcome at the door. (Suggested donation is $20.) Following the concert, the audience is invited to a Meet-the-Artist reception with Mr. Paley in Mabry Hall of the church.

By popular demand, Paley returns for his yearly Washington DC area concert, performing an eclectic virtuosic program including Frédéric Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantasie, Opus 61, Sonata Reminiscenza in A minor, Opus 38 no 1 by Nicolai Medtner and Sonata Concertante Opus 28 by Pancho Vladigerov. After intermission the audience will be treated to two works by Sergei Rachmaninoff: Prelude Opus.2 in C-Sharp minor and Preludes Opus 23. Ending the program is Georges Enesco’s exciting Rhapsodie Roumanie No 1 in A major.

Alexander Paley is widely acclaimed for his dazzling technical prowess, his exceptionally broad and extensive repertoire of concerti and solo piano works, and the depth of his unique and personal interpretations. Originally from Moldova, Paley won the National Music Competition of Moldova. After study at the Moscow Conservatory he went on to win major awards, including First Prize at the Leipzig International Bach Competition, the Bosendorfer Prize, the Grand Prix at the first International Pancho Vladigerov Competition (Bulgaria), the Grand Prix Young Artist Debut (New York), First Prize at Aiex de Vries (Belgium) and Les Victoires de la Musique Classique (France.)

A favorite with audiences in Washington, DC, a Washington Post recital review began: “Once in a while, never often enough, a recital is so exhilarating that it reaches far into the intermission, which becomes a delicious interlude between the lingering vapors of superlative artistry already experienced and the enormous pleasure of knowing there is still more to come”.

Paley’s 1991 debut with the National Symphony was described by The Washington Post as a “flawless performance,” and since then, he has continued to earn similar accolades for performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Pops, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and the St. Louis, San Diego, Utah, Colorado, Milwaukee, Seattle, and Syracuse Symphony Orchestras. He made his Carnegie Hall debut with the American Composers Orchestra performing the world premiere of a concerto by Sheila Silver, at which time The New York Times wrote, “The pianist … played like a man possessed.” His popular annual performances for the Washington Conservatory Piano Plus! concert series have included the complete Mozart Solo Sonatas and an “all Liszt concert” that was heard on WETA’s “Front Row Washington”.

Prior to his defection to the United States in 1988, Mr. Paley performed frequently throughout the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Mr. Paley now continues to perform extensively throughout Europe and China, including concerti performances with orchestras including the Orchestre National de France, the MDR Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre Philharmonique Monte Carlo, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Orchestre de Paris, and Montreal Symphony. His recital appearances include Radio France (Paris), the Grande Interprètes series (Lyon), Leipzig Gewandhaus, Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Laeiszhall (Hamburg), Lille Piano Festival, Opera Theatre of Bescanson, Theatre des Champs-Elysees, The Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing,China), and in other cities including Nancy, Metz, Bourges, Amiens (France), Linz and Vienna (Austria), and many locations in Germany. Mr. Paley has made numerous recordings of a wide range of works.

Paley lives with his wife, pianist Pei-wen Chen, in New York City and Paris, France.

The Washington Conservatory is a community music school serving the Greater Bethesda and Washington DC area. WCM has offered free professional concerts for over twelve years. Families with children are encouraged to attend and to sit in the balcony for better viewing and easy exit.