PRESS RELEASE: MOZART MARATHON

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth, January 27, 2006, pianist Gary Goldschneider will present all 18 of Mozart's piano sonatas in a single marathon performance at the Odeon [Singel 460] in Amsterdam. This 6-hour concert will begin at 1 P.M. and end at approximately 7 P.M. In fact, this marathon performance is made up of four separate concerts each lasting between  60 and 75 minutes with three 20 minute intermissions in between. These four concerts will present the sonatas in the order of their composition.

Written between the ages of 18 and 33, these works span the major creative periods in Mozart's life and show his development in this form. Mr. Goldschneider will perform on a Boston grand piano furnished by Ypma Pianos. Prior to the Mozart Marathon, Mr. Goldschneider has been invited to lecture on the Mozart piano sonatas at the University of Amsterdam under the auspices of the Music Department there. [time and location to be announced]

Gary Goldschneider is an internationally recognized concert pianist who has given concerts worldwide to great acclaim. Included in these are his marathon concerts of Beethoven (all 32 sonatas at a single 12 hour concert), Bartok and Mozart. The Beethoven Marathon was performed in large public venues, including a huge outdoor concert in Amsterdam on Leidseplein in 1984, and at the Concertgebouw in 1999. In 1987 Mr. Goldschneider presented the complete Mikrokosmos of Bartok (6 books) at the Concertgebouw. The Mozart Marathon has been presented in Philadelphia outdoors in 1988 and earlier in Vondelpark in 1985. A Mozart Marathon is planned for May 2006, the Mozart year, at the ancient ruins of Histria on the Black Sea and will be televised internationally.

Mr. Goldschneider is also a composer who has presented his works in Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, France, New Zealand, England and the United States. His opera ‘Call Me Ishmael’ had its world premiere on May 30, 2004, at the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam.

The venue for the Mozart Marathon, the Odeon, was one of Amsterdam's first concert halls. The building was built in 1662, and after major renovations in 1838, the hall, with what was then considered state of the art acoustics, was opened in the presence of King Wilhelm the 1st. Many famous musicians, including Clara Schumann performed there. The Odeon has been recently refurbished and reopened in 2005 with a restaurant, brasserie, cocktail bar, discotheque, meeting rooms, and the concert hall.


Tickets will cost €10,00 per concert and for the whole day €25.

Lecture on the Mozart Piano Sonata's by Gary Goldschneider
Friday January 27th, 10:30-11:30
Room 301 at the University Theatre
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 16, Amsterdam


Dutch Pressrelease