“It’s my first solo concert at HSU in several years,” he said, “and I’m really excited to be playing at home.”
With an audience likely to include people who have known him since childhood or as an HSU student, McCullough looks forward to displaying his progress as a pianist. “I’ve worked very hard these six years I’ve been living outside Humboldt, so even if playing at home represents the lowest pressure professionally, it means the most to me personally.”
In addition to works by Beethoven, Debussy and Franz Lizst, his concert will include a piano sonata by another HSU graduate and his good friend, Dante De Silva. It is subtitled “Arcata,” because it is the composer’s response to moving there from southern California. “He wrote a large chunk of this piece while renting the downstairs living space at my mom’s house in Bayside,” McCullough noted. At HSU both Ryan and Dante were students of pianist and professor Deborah Clasquin.
As the concert finale, pianist and HSU professor Daniela Mineva will join McCullough for a two-piano work by contemporary composer John Adams called “Hallelujah Junction.” “It’s a fantastically joyous piece,” McCullough said, “and a great way to end what I think is going to be a fun and interesting program.”
Proceeds from this Fulkerson Recital Hall concert will go towards bringing other guest pianists to HSU. This past year the piano program hosted celebrated artists Natalya Antonova, Pamela Mia Paul and Fang Zhang. Additional contributions are also gratefully accepted.
More details on the May 27 program and Ryan MacEvoy McCullough’s recent activities can be accessed at http://HSUMusic.blogspot.com">http://HSUMusic.blogspot.com.
Ryan MacEvoy McCullough performs a rare local solo piano concert on Friday May 27 at 8 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus in Arcata. $10/$5 from the HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. Produced by HSU Music Department. http://HSUMusic.blogspot.com">http://HSUMusic.blogspot.com.