HVCA Presents Christopher Atzinger Pianists in Concert

HIGHLAND TWP. — Pianist Christopher
Atzinger, a Jackson native who has played Carnegie Hall in New York City, will
perform at Huron Valley Council for the Arts art center, 205 W. Livingston
Road, on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Doors open at 7 p.m. for the concert,
which starts at 7:30 p.m. It is second in HVCA’s 2014 Classical Series lineup
and will feature
works that range from the such as Fantasia on themes from Mozart's
Le nozze di Figaro, Op. 124, by Johann Hummel as well as works by later
musicians such as Johannes Brahms, Antonín Dvořák and Richard
Danielpour.

Atzinger said, " I selected this
repertoire because it offers a nice balance of the classical, romantic, and
modern repertories while showcasing composers from both sides of the
Atlantic. Additionally, the two American pieces on the program are part of
my most recent CD project featuring solo piano music by living U.S composers
that will be available later in 2014."

A medalist in the Cincinnati, New Orleans, San Antonio,
Shreveport and Seattle international piano competitions, he’s also won the
National Federation of Music Clubs Artist Competition and the Simone Belsky
Piano Competition, as well as the Premio Città di Ispica prize
at the IBLA Grand Prize Competition in Italy. Additionally, he is the recipient
of grants and fellowships from the Theodore Presser Foundation, Foundation La
Gesse, American Composers Forum and Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation. As a
collaborative artist, he also won First Prize at the Sydney Wright Memorial
Accompaniment Competition. In the spring of 2012, Dr. Atzinger was awarded a
$25,000 McKnight Fellowship for Performing Artists.

Atzinger, who also has performed at the Phillips Collection in
Washington, D.C. as well as across the United States, including Boston,
Baltimore, Austin, Little Rock and Ann Arbor. His European appearances include
recitals in Toulouse and Carcassonne, France, in conjunction with Foundation
LaGesse, and a concert tour of the Valencia region of Spain.

As guest soloist, he has appeared with the Louisiana
Philharmonic Orchestra, North Carolina’s Brevard Repertory Orchestra and the
symphony orchestras of Jackson (MI), Shreveport, Springfield (MA) and St. Olaf.
He’s performed recitals at New York City’s Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall,
New York University and St. Paul’s Chapel, Chicago’s Dame Myra Hess Series and
The Phillips Collection and Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC, and made
appearances at these festivals: the Banff International Keyboard Festival,
Brevard Music Festival, Bridge Chamber Music Festival and the Chautauqua
Institution.

His awards and honors
include being the first place winner of the 2005 National Federation of Music
Clubs Artist Competition and the gold medalist of the fiftieth annual Nina
Plant Wideman International Piano Competition. Other awards/honors he’s
received are the Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition, the National
Society of Arts and Letters, the Music Teachers National Association
Competition, the Sydney Wright Memorial Accompaniment Competition and the Mary
Graham Lasley Competition. He earned the Presser Music Award from the Theodore
Presser Foundation and an Encore grant from the American Composers
Forum.

Atzinger won the Premio Città di Ispica prize
with special recognition for his performance of music by Samuel Barber at the
IBLA Grand Prize Competition in Ragusa-lbla, Italy. His recordings include two
albums released on MSR Classics — including his debut solo recording of Bach,
Beethoven, Barber and Fritze, which was followed by an album featuring all
music of Brahms. He also recorded Amy Beach’s music for Centaur and his latest
album, featuring Judith Lang Zaimont’s music, was released on the Naxos label
in 2012.

His academic credentials include degrees from
the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan as well as a
Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the Peabody
Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. Atzinger’s teachers have included
Julian Martin, Robert McDonald, Anton Nel, David Renner and Carolyn Lipp.

Atzinger also shares what he’s learned with
others. Currently a faculty member at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., he
previously taught at Dickinson College, Penn. as well as master classes in
Minnesota, Maryland and Ohio.

Tickets are
$15 available at the HVCA  205 W. Livingston Rd., Highland
248-889-8660, on line at www.huronvalleyarts.org  or Main Street Art  432
N.Main St., Milford  248-684-1004.