Acclaimed San Francisco pianist Robert Schwartz returns to the Rogue Valley on Saturday, July 2nd at 3:00 pm in Ashland. He will perform works by Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt. Enjoy an afternoon of the masters at the Grizzly Peak Winery Event Center while sipping award winning wines available for purchase. Doors open at 2:00 pm.

BIOGRAPHY

Winner of numerous awards, including the 1975 Ravel Prize at the Marguerite Long International Competition in Paris, pianist Robert Schwartz has performed extensively in the U.S. and abroad. Of his performance of the Shostakovich first piano concerto with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, the Scranton Times wrote: "His playing was crystal clear and his poetic insights remarkable."

Mr. Schwartz made his formal New York debut in 1983 at the Merkin Concert Hall, having already appeared in New York City on the concert series' of the American Landmarks Festivals, Trinity Church and the Maison Française at N.Y.U. Musical appearances on radio have included the WNYC "Americathon" broadcast live from Merkin Hall, WQXR in New York, NPR affiliates KXPR-Sacramento and WGBH-Boston.

Klavier Records has released his recording of Romeros Spirals for piano and orchestra, with the San Francisco Camerata and his CD of French piano music was released in 2010. A recording of Iberia by Isaac Albéniz will be released soon.

Mr. Schwartz has recently given recitals and master classes at the Young International Pianists Festival in Vienna, the Chautauqua Institution, the Mendocino Music Festival the Portland International Piano Festival in Portland, Oregon, Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, the Ambialet Festival in Southern France and the Beijing Conservatory in Beijing, China. He was invited to return to Vienna to participate in the Vienna Master Courses in July 2010.

He has appeared in the Bay Area on the concert series' of Old First Church, The Steinway Society, Noontime Concerts, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Mills College and San Francisco Performances, and has appeared as soloist with the Redding Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, the San Francisco Camerata and the Orquesta de Cámara Municipal de Rosario, Argentina.

Schwartz is currently on the piano faculty at Mills College in Oakland, CA and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He was featured on the California Arts Council Touring Roster for two seasons 2003-2005. Mr. Schwartz holds a Bachelor's Degree from Indiana University, a Masters Degree from Juilliard, and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Manhattan School of Music.