Rise of the Piano of the Apes

Showcase Pianos provided the small old upright piano that appeared in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes". Although the movie was set in San Francisco, many of the scenes were filmed in Vancouver. One Vancouver home near Cambie Street and West 13th Avenue was re-created at Mammoth Studios in Burnaby, where a piano was used in the bedroom of Charles Rodman, the character played by Oscar nominee John Lithgow. The movie also showed a large old upright on the main floor of the same house, but Showcase Pianos didn't provide the piano for that room.

Aryo Wicaksono in Concert on Sunday August 21

Sunday August 21, 2011 at 1:30pm

Showcase Pianos | FAZIOLI store Aberdeen Centre, Richmond

RICHMOND, BC - Hailed by the Arizona Daily Star as a pianist with “technical prowess, balletic grace, warm tones, and unwavering devotion to the score,” pianist Aryo Wicaksono has performed in many venues and festivals throughout the United States. Internationally, he has been a featured soloist in St. Petersburg, Russia; Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates; state of Sonora, Mexico; and throughout Indonesia.He has performed with the Nusantara Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg State Symphony, United Arab Emirates Philharmonic Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Tucson, Tucson Symphony, Arizona Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Wind Ensemble, and Arizona Percussion Ensemble, performing concertos and new works ranging from Liszt, Prokofiev, and Stravinsky to Philip Glass. As a musical director and pianist for the musical “Elegies – Looking Up” by composer William Finn, he won the Arizona Daily Star’s “Mac Award” 2006 for Best Musical in Tucson, and the Tucson Weekly “Best of Awards” Best Musical in Tucson for 2006-2007. Recent highlights of his performances are Prokofiev 3rd Piano Concerto with Nusantara Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Hikotaro Yazaki, Prokofiev 1st Piano Concerto with UAE Philharmonic Orchestra under Philipp Maier, a solo recital debut at the prestigious Embassy Series in Washington D.C., and a sold-out orchestral debut with the St. Petersburg State Symphony in St. Petersburg, Russia, performing Prokofiev’s 1st Piano Concerto. As the first Western classical music artist to hold a visiting Artist-in-Residence position at the American University of Sharjah, in Sharjah, UAE in November 2009, he presented his UAE solo recital debut, master classes and lectures. Recent tours include Prokofiev 3rd Concerto in Tucson AZ, Liszt Totentanz in Indonesia, East Coast Tour with the Dance Theatre of Harlem in the Fall of 2010, and recital debut and residency at SouthWestern College in San Diego, among others. Upcoming concerts will include San Francisco and Vancouver Recitals and residency, and another tour of Indonesia in Fall 2011. As a composer, he has made scores for short independent Japanese film “Dream of an Hour”, and has some of his music set into ballet by Teatro Jaguar Luna and other ballet schools in the U.S. and abroad. He was pianist-composer in residence for the American Academy of Ballet School this July 2011. For more information, press reviews, and touring schedule, please visit Aryo’s website at http://www.aryo-wicaksono.com. He lives in NYC and works for NYU Tisch Ballet School and 92^nd Street Y Harkness School.

RECITAL PROGRAM

Toccata in F-sharp minor BWV 910

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Etude in C-major Op. 10 no. 1

Waltz in c-sharp minor Op. 64 no. 2

Etude in c-sharp minor Op. 10 no. 4

Nocturne in c-minor Op. 48 no. 1

Etude in c-minor Op. 10 no. 12

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Portrait of a Lady (Vancouver premiere) – c. 2010

Joshua Saulle (b. 1979)

Tembang Alit

Jaya Suprana (b. 1949)

Etude Tableaux in D-major Op. 39 no. 9

Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Isolde’s Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde

Wagner, arr. Liszt (1813-1883)

Mephisto Waltz no. 1

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Enroll for piano lessons before August 31!!

RICHMOND, BC - The new Showcase Piano Academy in Richmond's beautiful Aberdeen Centre is offering to waive the $35 registration fee for new students that sign up for piano lessons before August 31!

Sign up by calling (604) 270-8861 or emailing juliec@showcasepianos.com For more information, visit showcaseacademy.com

Registration Opens for new piano school in Aberdeen Centre

RICHMOND, BC - Registration for piano lessons has now begun as excitement builds for the new piano school that is due to open at the end of August in Aberdeen Centre! The new school offers both Private and Group Lessons.

The Artistic Director for the school is none other than the highly acclaimed Dr. Sasha Starcevich whose passion for teaching has earned him a tremendous reputation throughout North America. Teachers for private classes include two teachers for advanced students who are currently studying for their Doctor of Musical Arts degree under Jane Coop at UBC. The school also offers lessons for beginners and intermediate players, as well jazz lessons. Click HERE for more information on the teachers.

The school also offers special group lessons through the MYC (Music For Young Children) program where children as young as 3½ years old enjoy instruction together with their parents. Click HERE for more information on the MYC Classes.

Enroll today! Call Julie at (604) 270-8861 or email at: juliec@showcasepianos.com

"Music Imitates Hockey"

VANCOUVER, BC - Just days after Vancouver Canucks came in 2nd to the Boston Bruins in this year's race for the Stanley Cup, Vancouverite Daniel Chow placed 2nd to a person from Boston in the Boston International Piano Amateurs Competition! Daniel Chow, despite not owning a piano himself, is an accomplished pianist who has just received his official designation of Chartered Accountant.

Showcase Pianos appoints Dr. Sasha Starcevich as Artist Director of new school

RICHMOND, BC - Showcase Pianos is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Sasha Starcevich as Artist Director of their new piano school in Aberdeen Centre.

Pianist Sasha Starcevich is currently enjoying a very rewarding career as an international performer and teacher. Since receiving his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Yale University in May of 2003, he has continued to thrill audiences here in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Starcevich has given recitals at New York’s Carnegie Recital Hall, Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall, Windsor Castle, and in London’s Wigmore Hall. His solo recital there in May of 2002 was met with much critical acclaim, and a review in the Musical Opinion wrote: “The repertoire was brilliantly conceived; a thoroughly enjoyable recital at every level”.

Starcevich has recorded for CBS Television in the United States and has released two CD’s under the Britstar label in the United States and the Jacques Samuel Label in London, England.

Dr. Starcevich has been affiliate professor of piano at the State University of New York, department chair of music and professor of piano at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts, and has taught students attending the pre-college division at the Juilliard School in New York. This Summer, Dr. Starcevich will join the faculty of Musicfest Perugia, in Italy.

His students have been prizewinners of local, national and international awards, and have gone on to study music at prestigious schools such as the Eastman School of Music, the Yale School of Music, the Mannes School, the Juilliard School in New York and the Peabody Conservatory. Dr. Starcevich is in frequent demand as a performer, adjudicator and presenter of Master Classes throughout North America, Russia and China.

Through Showcase Pianos, Starcevich will present of Masterclasses for students and seminars for teachers. His students have included Evgenia Rabinovich, Tristan Teo, Jovian Cheng, and Tim Zhang.

The new location, due to open mid August, will have 5 private teaching studios and one group classroom for MYC (Music for Young Children) program. It will be located on the 3rd floor of Richmond's beautiful Aberdeen Centre will be #3480-4151 Hazelbridge Way. To enroll in piano lessons with Dr. Starcevich - or any of our other wonderful teachers, please contact Julie Chang at juliec@showcasepianos.com or by calling the new school at 604-270-8861.

Showcase Pianos annouces new School, expansion in Aberdeen Centre

RICHMOND, BC - After a year and a half of experiencing success selling pianos out of a 500 sq ft store in the beautiful Aberdeen Centre, Showcase Pianos announces their expansion to a new 3,000 sq ft showroom and piano school on the third floor.

The new location, due to open late July, will have a separate room for high-end luxury pianos, as well as 5 private teaching studios and one group classroom for MYC (Music for Young Children) program.

Showcase Pianos has recently sold their 36th Fazioli since opening in October of 2007. The new address at Aberdeen Centre will be #3480-4151 Hazelbridge Way. To enroll in piano lessons, please contact Julie Chang at juliec@showcasepianos.com or by calling the new school at 604-270-8861