Distinguished pianist Neil Rutman, a laureate of the Busoni, Kappel and Concert Artist Guild International Competitions, and a pianist whom The New York Times said “won the audience over for himself with absolutely exquisite performances of Mozart and Schubert” will perform a recital of pianistic gems, both contemporary and traditional. Mr. Rutman will open the program with the rarely heard ancient keyboard music of Orlando Gibbons, The Lord of Salisbury his Pavan and Galliard, followed by Chopin’s masterpiece, the Sonata in B minor. He will also give the US Premiere (he performed it at the Cheltenham Festival in the UK last season) of California composer Lou Harrison’s Prelude for Prepared Piano, after which he will play Rzewski’s famous and virtuosic representation of labor vs. capital, Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues. Mr. Rutman will close with a French set – the elegant ‘Harp’ Impromptu no. 6 by Fauré and ‘La Valse’ by Ravel. Mr. Rutman is Klipsch Artist in Residence at the University of Central Arkansas, where he also coaches the University Boxing Team, having been an amateur boxer in earlier years. 2016 saw him chosen with 6 other Americans to receive the Barrack Obama Drum Major Award for his work with at-risk youth in his area, as well as the publication of his book ‘Stories, Images, and Magic from the Piano Literature.’