A lone pianist perched above a Steinway piano with his eyes shut. As his fingers flitted across the keys, hundreds of concertgoers leaned forward in their seats in search of what the music might tell them.
The pianist, Evan Mitchell, performed for a crowd of hundreds at the UF School of Music June 9 as part of the International Piano Festival, hosted by the College of the Arts from June 8 to June 15.
“Music, especially in performance, is one of the most profound ways for people to commune with something mysterious, maybe bigger than themselves that is fundamentally human,” said Mitchell, who is also the festival’s assistant director.
The weeklong festival aims to assemble “promising young pianists for lessons and masterclasses with distinguished piano teachers from North America and across the globe,” according to its website. It included full concerts, recitals, masterclasses and performances by UF faculty, high school and college students along with world-renowned pianists.
This year’s guest artist teachers were Angela Park, recipient of Canada’s JUNO Award for Classical Composition, and Daria Rabotkina, winner of the 2007 Concert Artists Guild International Competition.
Gabriel Collante, a 19-year-old Santa Fe music sophomore, said his lesson with UF assistant professor of piano Hsiang Tu helped him develop his sense of musical imagery.
“He’s always like, ‘Think about this part [of the music] like it’s darkness, but there’s a small glimpse of light,’ or, ‘Try to think you’re the roots of a tree,’” he said. “When you visualize how you want it to feel, that really helps.”
The festival also allowed Collante to expand his mentorship network, he said.
“It’s been cool learning from other people besides my piano teacher and meeting other pianists. I don’t really get that experience when it’s just me and my teacher,” Collante said.
Larissa Samson, a 17-year-old UF music and English rising freshman, said the festival gave her an opportunity to prepare for her incoming freshman year in the program.
“I’m going [to UF] in the Fall, so this can give me an in to get to know the professors,” she said.
Assistant director Evan Mitchell said student participants in the festival receive private instruction and masterclasses with teachers to help provide them with coaching and mentorship.
Students are matched to a partner with whom they practice a set of duet music throughout the week, culminating in the festival’s final concert: the duet recital.
Connecting students who have similar interests is another important aspect of the festival, Mitchell said.
While the festival encouraged students to improve their practical skills, it also aimed to develop their knowledge of music theory, piano literature and non-piano instruments through seminars and demonstrations with UF School of Music faculty, including professors Laura Dallman and Laura Ellis.
Mitchell said that “eye-opening” demonstrations of the organ, harpsichord, carillon and other instruments may expose students to types of music they would have otherwise remained unaware of.
“I think it’s important, sharing the talent that’s here with the broader UF and Gainesville community,” Mitchell said. “It gets [the UF School of Music’s] name out there and gets it well established on folk’s radar as a place where really top-notch performances and instruction is happening, where students are getting a really broad-based, immersive experience in music.”
Contact Avery Parker at aparker@alligator.org. Follow him on X @AveryParke98398.
Avery Parker is a third-year English and History major covering university affairs for The Alligator. Outside of reporting, Avery spends his time doting on his cats, reading, and listening to music by the Manwolves.
