Legendary Pianist Mitsuko Uchida To Perform In Princeton Feb. 21

PRINCETON, NJ — Piano legend Mitsuko Uchida is set to perform an all-Beethoven recital in Princeton on Feb. 21.

Uchida will be performing at the Princeton University Concerts in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall.

“Every day of my life that I am allowed to play Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and the music of our own time,” Uchida said in a media statement, “is a gift from somewhere. If heaven existed, it’s heaven.”

The two-time Grammy award-winning pianist is well-known for is known her peerless interpretation of the works of Mozart, Schubert, Schumann and Beethoven.

At the Princeton concert, Uchida will play Beethoven’s final three piano sonatas: Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109; Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110; and Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111.

“To hear Beethoven’s final thoughts on the piano sonata as a genre in Uchida’s venerated hands is a defining moment in PUC’s 129-year history,” PUC Director Marna Seltzer said in a statement. “I cannot wait to hear her in this solo performance of epic proportions. Of all of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas, these final three are especially hallowed for the astonishing emotional ground that they cover, from utter anguish to complete exhilaration, communicated through breathtaking virtuosity. It’s going to be an unforgettable evening.”

A founding member of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust and Director of Marlboro Music Festival, Uchida is a recipient of the Golden Mozart Medal from the Salzburg Mozarteum. She has also been awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society, and holds Honorary Degrees from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In 2009 she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. While full-priced tickets are sold out, turned-back and obstructed-view seats may still be available. Call 609-258-2800 for more information.

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