Piano presentation to examine composer Granados and artist Goya March 10

Pianist and researcher Nathan Birkholz of Appleton, Wisconsin, will present “Goyescas: Painting Through Sound” Thursday, March 10, at Ripon College. The program will run from 2-4 p.m. in Demmer Recital Hall, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts. All are welcome to attend.

This lecture-recital marks an important centenary in the life and work of Spanish pianist and composer, Enrique Granados (1867-1916). Three of the six pieces that comprise his colossal masterpiece for piano, Goyescas: Los majos enamorados (Goyescas: The Majos in Love) will be performed as Birkholz examines the influence of the great Spanish artist from whom this work derives its title, Francisco Goya (1746-1828). He will have slides to accompany the music, as well as commentary.

He has served on the piano faculty of the University of Illinois and Ripon College and is currently a staff pianist at Lawrence University, organist at First English Lutheran Church of Appleton and principal accompanist for the Appleton Boychoir and the Badger State Girl Choir.

Birkholz completed a doctor of musical arts degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has won top prizes in competitions across the country, including the 2010 Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition, and Wisconsin’s Neale-Silva Young Artists’ Competition.

He was the only American among 35 contestants worldwide invited to participate in the fourth International Rachmaninov Competition in Moscow, Russia.