Renowned American Pianist Roman Rudnytsky Delights Local Audience

“The perfect start to the week.”

This was how Frank Collymore Hall general manager Fran Wickham described the performance of American classical pianist Roman Rudnytsky following his sunset concert at the hall on Monday evening.

Rudnytsky, who was brought to Barbados by the United States Embassy, thrilled hundreds of classical music lovers who turned out to hear him on his fourth working visit to the island in the last seven years.

Familiarity certainly did not breed contempt as gasps of “wow” and hearty applause greeted every piece that the Ukrainian-American virtuoso played on the hall’s magnificent Steinway piano.

Rudnytsky took the audience around the world during the concert, playing works by Spanish, American, Norwegian, Hungarian and Australian composers during the 90 minute performance.

He started with the Danza Del Fuego Ritual of Spain’s Manuel de Falla, enthralling the audience with his skillful playing of the movement’s signature fast, dramatic arrangement.

In an early tribute ahead of the 2013 celebration of Wagner’s birth, Rudnytsky performed two Wagner paraphrases by Lizst who was himself a fan of the German composer.

The rest of the concert was notably modern, with performances of Edvard Grieg’s Concerto in A minor, American composer Norman Dello Joio’s Sonata No.3.

Rudnytsky concluded in this vein by paying tribute to his extensive touring history Down Under with a peppy performance of Jackaroo by young Australian composer Neil Goodchild.