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Christopher Astilla - Piano

Biography

  Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Christopher Astilla began his musical studies at age 11 with Ukrainian pianist Inna Mencia, a pedagogical descendant of the Russian piano school founded by Heinrich Neuhaus.  He attended the New Orleans Center for Cultural Arts, graduating with top honors in performance, and Jesuit High School.  Continuing in the same vein of musical tradition, at age seventeen Christopher moved to the University of North Texas where he received scholarships to study with another Neuhaus descendant, the celebrated musician Vladimir Viardo - winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and Artist-in-Residence at UNT.  He has also studied with Dr. Jack Roberts, Dr. James Pitts, and played for such legendary pedagogues as Herbert Stessin (the Juilliard School) and Lev Naumov (Moscow Conservatory).

  Having recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts diploma in piano performance with his thesis, "'Between the Staves': Adaptations of Debussy's Six épigraphes antiques and Creative Tasks of the Performer," Astilla's approach to performance is one that combines conceptual with didactic elements of musical storytelling.  His lectures and masterclasses emphasize the working methods of the performer, drawing parallels between the creative processes and techniques used in theater, painting, literature and the implementation of such methods in practice and performance to enable the augmentation of a musical work onto a larger palette.

  Recent performances include Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto at a memorial concert in New Orleans for artist Stan Rice, late husband of novelist Anne Rice, a solo recital for the Ambassadors to the United States and Philippines, and performances in Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Palm Springs, and New York (Steinway Hall).  Internationally, Astilla has performed in Canada, Italy, and extensively throughout the United Kingdom.  UK appearances include performances in London, Manchester, Leeds, Ripon, Sherborne, and Brighton at such venues as St. John's Cathedral, Ripon Cathedral, the University of Manchester, the University of Leeds, the London House, the Brighton Fringe Festival, and the Canford Summer School of Music. This most recent UK tour featured rarely played original reductions by Mozart of his concertos for piano and string quartet, performed with the Surrey String Quartet.

  Forthcoming appearances include solo recitals in London at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Hyde Park Chapel, and St Giles-in-the-Fields, as well as collaboration with violinist Oliver Nelson.  Lecture-recitals and masterclasses include Université Catholique de L'Ouest (Angers, France), Keele University (Newcastle, UK), Grand Valley State University (Grand Rapids). 

  For more information please visit christopherastilla.com

Repertoire

General Repertoire

Handel Suites no 2 in F major; no 5 in E major

Francois Couperin, Pieces de Clavecin, Ordre 22, Livre 4; Ordre 14, Livre 3; Ordre 15, Livre 3 arrangement
for solo keyboard by the performer

Beethoven Sonatas no 1; no 14; no 15

Brahms op 119; op 116

Liszt, Funerailles

Claude Debussy, Preludes Book II, no13-24; Six epigraphes antiques solo arrangement

Sergei Rachmaninoff, Etudes-Tableaux op 33, no 3; op 33, no 4; op 33, no 5; op 39, no 1; op 39, no 2; op 39, no 4; op 39, no 7; op 39, no 8; op 39, no 9; Preludes op 23, no 4; op 23, no 7; op 32, no1; op 32, no2

Tchaikovsky-Rachmaninoff, Lullaby

Bizet-Rachmaninoff, L Arlesienne Suite No. 1: Minuet

Albeniz, Triana

Rodion Shchedrin, A la Albeniz

Olivier Messiaen, 8 Preludes


String Quartet and Piano

Mozart Piano Concertos no 11; no 13 composer s reductions for piano and string quartet

Beethoven Piano Trio op 11 in B flat major

Brahms Piano Trio op 101 in C minor
Violin and Piano

Medtner, Two Canzonas with Dances, op 43

Debussy, Sonata for Violin and Piano

Gershwin-Heifetz, An American in Paris

Debussy-Heifetz, Beau Soir & Golliwog s Cakewalk


Concertos

JS Bach, complete Keyboard Concertos

Mozart Piano Concertos 11, 13, 17

Beethoven 4th & 3rd Concertos

Brahms 1st Concerto, D minor

Ravel G major Concerto

Rachmaninoff 4th Concerto

MacDowell 2nd Concerto

Soundclips

Click on a Soundclip to listen to an excerpt.