Pianist Sergei Babayan to Perform at USU on Oct. 3

LOGAN — The Wassermann Piano Series will bring legendary pianist Sergei Babayan to USU at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, in the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

In advance of his November appearance at Carnegie Hall, the Armenian-American pianist will offer a program of “Liszt’s Ballade No. 2,” Ryabov’s “Fantasia,” shorter works by Rachmaninoff, Schubert’s “Sonata in G, D. 894,” and Liszt’s transcriptions of Schubert songs.

Babayan won consecutive first prizes in several major international competitions including the Cleveland International Piano Competition, the Hamamatsu Piano Competition, and the Scottish International Piano Competition. He was last heard in Utah at the Wassermann series with his protégé Daniil Trifonov.

“Presenting Sergei Babayan is not only a special event for Utah State University, but also for the state of Utah and our western region,” said Cahill Smith, associate professor of piano in the Caine College of the Arts and director of the Wassermann Series. “Thanks to the supporters of the Wassermann Series and the Caine College of the Arts, patrons can experience world-class artistry at a fraction of the cost they might pay to hear Mr. Babayan perform this very program in New York’s Carnegie Hall this November.”

The Wassermann Piano Series is an annual series hosted by the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University. Founded in 1980 by Irving Wassermann as the Wassermann Festival, the series has featured acclaimed soloists such as Krystian Zimerman, Daniil Trifonov, the Brad Mehldau Trio, Stephen Hough, Marc-Andre Hamelin, and Yundi Li.

The setting of picturesque Cache Valley combined with the world-class acoustics of the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall make the Wassermann Piano Series a major arts event each year. Along with presenting world-class performing artists, the Wassermann Series is committed to the late Irving Wassermann’s vision of maximizing the educational impact for aspiring music students. USU students enjoy the unique opportunity to work closely with all Wassermann guest artists in masterclasses that are also free and open to the public.

The Caine College of Arts Visiting Artists and Scholars Series is underwritten by the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation-Russell Family, the Tanner Charitable Trust and differential tuition provided by the students of the college.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit Wassermann.usu.edu. Tickets are $35 for general admission and $15 for students. Contact the CCA Box Office in room L101 of the Chase Fine Arts Center on USU’s campus, call 435-797-8022, or go online to cca.usu.edu.