Renowned pianist Irena Koblar to speak, perform at Ripon College

 

A lecture/discussion and piano concert by guest Slovenian artist Irena Koblar will be presented in April at Ripon College.

The talk, “Imperfection/Perfection: The Future of Classical Music,” will run from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, in Room 147, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts, on the Ripon College campus. The talk will be followed by a period of discussion and questions and answers from the audience.

On Friday, April 11, Koblar will perform a piano recital at 7:30 p.m. in Demmer Recital Hall, Rodman Center. The performance will feature music by Scarlatti, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms.

Admission is free for both events.

Koblar has a strong background both in performance and music education. In her talk, she will analyze current social and cultural climates and their influence on the arts, as well as explore the demand/offer aspect in the general perception and role of the arts.

“Wherever we look, we see people striving for it: in technology, fashion, music, health,” she says. “Yet, the closer we come to what we perceive as perfect, we may come to realize we’ve gone further away from ourselves. This can reflect in the way of playing, as we often hear many pianists deliver a ‘perfect’ but still forgettable and faceless performance.”

She will explore ways to inspire young pianists, help them find their artistic essence and not the artificially crafted perfection imposed upon us, get the best out of teachers and students and restrain from accepting perfection as the ultimate achievement.

“Can imperfect but excellent artists, that bring added value to our non-material dimension, survive in this error rate-driven technological world?” she asks.

Koblar is a powerful presence on the international music stage. Audiences as well as critics have praised her “profound musicality” and her “sensuously moving interpretations.” She has had numerous solo recitals and appeared with chamber music ensembles as well as orchestras both at home in Slovenia and abroad in Italy, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Croatia, Poland, Belorussia, Spain and the United States. She also has had radio broadcast in numerous countries within the framework of the program Notturno Euroclassic.

She has won several prizes at international and national piano competitions. She also has made several recordings, teaches piano courses and workshops, served as an ambassador to the United States for the International Festival Sarajevo Winter, and been on the planning committee for the International Society for the Performing Arts, based in New York.

Posted March 18, 2014 in Fine Arts.

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