Concert series raises money for quake appeal
09 December 2011
UC's professor of piano, Michael Endres, has raised nearly $10,000 for the Red Cross Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.
Professor Michael Endres
UC’s professor of piano, Michael Endres, has raised nearly $10,000 for the Red Cross Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.
The internationally acclaimed pianist applied his extraordinary musicianship to the recovery of the city with a series of Schubert concerts in Christchurch and Rangiora.
Professor Endres said the Christchurch concert series had originally been scheduled for February and March but was postponed to September due to the February earthquake.
“Living here as a part of the community I see it as my duty to do something. As I am not so good with a shovel and spade I thought concerts are what I do best.”
Four concerts were held in the Jack Mann auditorium at the College of Education, attracting around 250 to 300 people per concert.
Professor Endres said the four recitals comprised the 12 piano sonatas by Schubert – “the 'finished' ones, as there are a number of fragments and unfinished works”. He introduced each sonata with comments regarding their musical context and structure.
Two concerts were also held in Rangiora but plans to complete the series had to be abandoned due to damage to the venue.
Professor Endres hopes to repeat the series in Auckland in August and September 2012, this time raising money for musical institutions.
Professor Endres moved from Germany to take up his role at UC in 2009. He has won a large number of prizes, including Concours Geza Anda in Zurich and first and special prizes at the International Schubert Competition.
His extensive recordings include complete cycles of the sonatas by Mozart, Schubert, Weber, and the rarely heard English composer Arnold Bax. In June this year he recorded his 28th CD, which is of George Gershwin piano music, which will be released next year.
For more information please contact:
communications@canterbury.ac.nz
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