Pianist Sara Davis Buechner is at home at the keyboard whether in the musical company of classical composers such as Bach, Mozart and Chopin or their contemporary American counterparts, Stephen Foster, Rudolf Friml and George Gershwin.
Buechner will demonstrate her piano prowess at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21, for the Coast Recital Society (CRS) audience at the Raven's Cry Theatre in Sechelt. Before the concert, at 1:30, Buechner will discuss her program, which includes works by Mozart, Friml and Gershwin. A CBC Radio crew will be on hand to record the recital for future broadcast on Westcoast Performance.
Buechner established her early career by winning major prizes at a number of prominent international piano competitions, including a bronze medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. Now, with a repertoire of nearly 100 piano concertos, she has appeared as soloist with North America's most prominent orchestras. She also tours widely throughout Asia. In addition to her appearances in the concert hall, Buechner is equally comfortable in the movie theatre. She appears regularly with the Film Society of Lincoln Centre in New York City, performing piano scores to silent movies, notably the 150-minute-long restored version of Ben Hur (1925) and the Danish classic Master of the House (1925). Buechner has also collaborated on dance projects and toured extensively with the Mark Morris Dance Group of New York. Also a busy recording artist, her recent disc of piano music by Rudolf Friml received rave reviews in the New York Times.
Buechner's CRS concert program includes three works by Mozart, including the Adagio for Glass Harmonica, KV. 356 and two sonatas, the F major, KV. 533/494 and the B flat major, KV. 333. She will also perform Six Salon Pieces by Rudolf Friml; Three Foxtrot Improvisations by George Gershwin and Gershwin's famous Rhapsody in Blue. There are some tickets still available for the Jan. 21 recital. Call Mary Lea Bell at 604-886-8330 for ticket availability.
