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Russian pianist to play with CSB/SJU Orchestra; auditorium formally renamed
January 26, 2010
Sofya Gulyak, the first woman to win the Leeds International Piano Competition, will perform 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 in the Escher Auditorium at the Benedicta Arts Center of the College of Saint Benedict (CSB).
Gulyak will perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4, accompanied by the CSB/SJU Symphony 
Orchestra, led by guest conductor Amir Kats, artistic director and symphony conductor of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies. Following intermission, CSB/SJU faculty members J. David Arnott (violin) and Lucia Magney (cello) will join Gulyak and the orchestra in a performance of the Beethoven Triple Concerto.
Prior to the performance, there will be a brief ceremony officially renaming the auditorium in honor of S. Fermin Escher, OSB, a member of Saint Benedict's Monastery and an emerita faculty member in the music department who passed away June 8, 2009. Arnott will be playing S. Firmin's prized violin at 
the performance.
S. Firmin's long association with CSB began in 1940. She taught violin and other music-related courses, conducted an orchestra, founded the Campus Singers and produced operas. In addition, she served as music department chairperson, dean of fine arts and academic dean.
Gulyak won the prestigious William Kapell International Piano Competition in 2007 and has performed in countries all across the world including France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Morocco, South Korea and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C.
Gulyak is a native of Kazan, Russia, where she studied in a special music college for gifted children. She continued her studies at the Kazan State Conservatoire under Professor Elfiya Burnasheva and then graduated from Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris Alfred Cortot with highest distinction. She has also studied with Boris Petrushansky in Imola, Italy and Vanessa Latarche at the Royal College of Music in London, England.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $16 for seniors and $10 for youth and students and available online at www.csbsju.edu/finearts/ or through the CSB/SJU fine arts ticket office at 320-363-3577.