When esteemed pianist Stephen Manes placed his hands on the keys Monday night, he soothed the ears of practically everyone in Slee Hall.
Manes is the former head of UB's music department, a graduate from Juilliard School and has taken home prizes in the Leventritt, Kosciuszko and Michaels competitions.
He has also performed with the symphonies of Pittsburgh, Denver, Detroit, Baltimore and Boston Esplanade, as well as with the Buffalo Philharmonic and the National Symphony over the last 30 years.
The crowd, which consisted mostly of the elderly and undergraduates, applauded enthusiastically before and after each sonata performance. Many in the audience, old and young alike, seemed to be delighted by Manes' mastery of the piano.
Freshman Electrical Engineering student Greg Houghtaling said, "I came here because I love classical music, and it's a good break from school work."
There will be many times this semester when students will need a distraction from their studies to prevent stress. Watching this type of performance can be very helpful to a person who is looking for a way to calm down.
Mr. Manes' performance consisted of Beethoven's Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90; Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2, No. 3; Sonata No. 12 in A-flat Major, Op. 26 ("Funeral March") and Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 ("Appassionata").
The audience enjoyed each movement of the concert, and seemed relaxed by the end, leaving Manes with a thunderous applause and cheers.
Although originally set to be in Baird Hall, Monday's concert was relocated to Slee, and it is unknown if the remaining concerts will be held there as well.
The presentation was the first of eight in a series that will cover the complete cycle of 32 Beethoven sonatas performed at the University at Buffalo. Manes' next solo performance will take place Oct. 23 at 8 p.m., but he will also be performing Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. as a part of the Baird Trio.
Tickets for these events can be purchased at the Slee Hall box office Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., the UB Center for the Arts box office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. or at Ticketmaster outlets, including in all Kaufmanns' stores.
The prices for these tickets are $10 General Admission and $5 for students. For those interested in viewing all of the concerts, visit www.slee.buffalo.edu to receive up to 25% in savings for purchasing season passes for these magical performances.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
