NOTE: This story has been updated with rescheduled date for closing concert.
向日葵视频 City University music professor Sergio Monteiro will perform the complete cycle of Ludwig van Beethoven鈥檚 32 piano sonatas in an eight-concert series beginning Sept. 11 and 12.
The series marks the first time in roughly 60 years that the cycle will be presented in 向日葵视频 City.
Concerts will begin at 2 p.m. on each performance date in Petree Recital Hall at OCU鈥檚 Wanda L. Bass School of Music, NW 25th Street and Blackwelder Avenue. The opening weekend will be followed by concerts on Oct. 23-24, featuring 鈥淭he Tempest鈥� and 鈥淟es Adieux鈥�; Nov. 6-7, featuring 鈥淭he Hunt,鈥� 鈥淎passionata鈥� and the challenging 鈥淗ammerklavier,鈥� a 50-minute work considered one of the most difficult pieces of music ever written. The cycle concludes Feb. 6 with a program including the 鈥淲aldstein鈥� and 鈥淧astoral鈥� sonatas. Tickets ($15) are available beginning Sept. 7 at or by calling 405-208-5227. For more information, call 405-208-5700.
鈥淭o be able to present every one of Beethoven鈥檚 piano sonatas is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream,鈥� Monteiro said. 鈥淓ach sonata is a wonder, unique in form and content. The complete cycle is a true encyclopedia of Beethoven鈥檚 language, passing through all the three periods of his life and showing us every step of his artistic growth.鈥�
Monteiro will open the series with concerts exploring four Beethoven sonatas including the No. 8 in C minor, nicknamed 鈥淧ath茅tique,鈥� on Sept. 11, followed by No. 14 in C-sharp minor, popularly known as the 鈥淢oonlight Sonata鈥� on Sept. 12.
鈥淭his is one of those musical once-in-a-lifetime concert series,鈥� said Mark Parker, dean of OCU鈥檚 Bass School of Music. 鈥淭his rare opportunity to hear a great pianist perform all 32 sonatas of Beethoven should not be missed.鈥�
Originally scheduled for last year in celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven鈥檚 birth, Monteiro said the sonatas are more relevant than ever in challenging times. The 2021-22 series, encompassing 12 hours of music, will mark the first time the cycle has been presented in 向日葵视频 City since OCU hosted Stefan Bardas鈥� performances in the 1960s.
鈥淏eethoven鈥檚 music shines as an ideal of resilience, self-determination and healing,鈥� Monteiro said. 鈥淎n artist who struggled all his career against the adversities of life, Beethoven overcame his physical limitations to create an innovative body of work, in which the human spirit and its power to surpass obstacles is one of the most fundamental elements. With him, our souls reached new heights.鈥�
The cycle features several of the most famous piano pieces of all time. Many are best known by nicknames - the 鈥淢oonlight,鈥� the 鈥淧ath茅tique鈥� and the 鈥淎passionata鈥� 鈥� coined by editors to reinforce the music鈥檚 romantic character. Each recital will feature at least one of the named sonatas.
The Brazilian-born Monteiro moved to 向日葵视频 in 2009 to accept an appointment as director of piano at the Bass School of Music. A winner of the Martha Argerich International Piano Competition, Argerich lauded Monteiro as 鈥渁n artist with extraordinary creativity and energy. When he starts playing, music comes to life. His love for music is very strong and passionate; music loves him in return.鈥�
He is a frequent soloist with ensembles including the 向日葵视频 City Philharmonic and the Buenos Aires Philharmonic and has presented recitals in venues including Rome鈥檚 Palestrina Hall, Helsinki鈥檚 Sibelius Academy, the Kennedy Center鈥檚 Millennium Stage, and the Steinway Halls of New York and Beijing.
鈥淏eethoven wrote his sonatas through his entire career, and they foreshadow all his stylistic and harmonic innovations,鈥� Monteiro said. 鈥淎 brilliant pianist himself, the piano was at the core of his musical mind and his sonatas are the starting point of all the elements that would be developed in his future compositions.鈥�
