International concert pianist, visual artist to showcase talent

On Monday evening, Oct. 24, a rising-star pianist whose performances have achieved worldwide acclaim will present a recital at La Sierra University, her concert preceded by a unique art exhibit showcasing another young talent.

Tanya Gabrielian, who has performed with world-class orchestras and in famed venues across North America, Europe and Asia, will play a full program consisting of “Prelude and Fugue for Organ in A Minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach; “Sonata Op. 111” by Ludwig van Beethoven; “Five Preludes” by Claude Debussy; “The Lark” by Mikhail Glinka; and “Waltz from Faust” by Charles Gounod.

The concert, part of the university's Recital Series, begins at 8 p.m. in La Sierra's Hole Memorial Auditorium. Admission is free. La Sierra University is at 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside. Information is at 951-785-2036.

An exhibit of paintings by Justin M. Tecson will be available at 7:30 p.m. and during the intermission. Tecson, a Southern California native and a high school junior, began painting at the age of eight. He draws inspiration from the Baroque, Neoclassical and Romantic eras and aspires to pay homage to the old masters. He counts Anthony van Dyck, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, and Eugene Delacroix among his chief influences.

Tecson's preferred medium is oil paints and he makes his own using different types of minerals. He was born deaf and is a self-taught artist aiming to instruct others through his own experiences and art.

Gabrielian broke onto the international scene when she won first prizes in the Scottish International Piano Competition, Aram Khachaturyan International Piano Competition and the Pro Musicis International Award. Her recital in the Purcell Room in London, presented by the Philharmonia Orchestra, was chosen as “Performance of the Year 2006” by Seen and Heard International, a web site of live concert, opera and ballet reviews.

She has performed in a number of high profile venues including Carnegie Hall in New York, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Salle Cortot in Paris and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. She has performed concerti with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New London Sinfonia and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and has played on numerous radio broadcasts including National Public Radio. Gabrielian's debut compact disc recording, “Kaleidoscope,” was released in November 2010. A full biography is at www.tanyagabrielian.com.

Gabrielian began taking piano lessons at three years of age. In 2000 she moved to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music from which she earned bachelor's and master's degrees. Upon graduation, she received the DipRAM, the highest performing award given by the Royal Academy, according to the biographical account. In 2009, she moved to New York City to study in the Julliard School's prestigious Artist Diploma program. While there she completed studies with Robert McDonald and Matti Raekallio.

Gabrielian also holds an interest in addressing humanitarian causes through the arts. She founded an “Art for Activism” initiative that promotes the artist as activist through art. Projects have included an installation with artist Fran Bull for the exhibit “In Flanders Field: A Meditation on War,” and a recital series intended to shed light on the stigma surrounding mental health issues by featuring works of composers suffering with mental illnesses, a biography states. Her work garnered the 2011 McGraw-Hill Robert Sherman Award for Music Education and Community Outreach.

PR Contact: Larry Becker

Executive Director of University Relations

La Sierra University

Riverside, California

951.785.2460 (voice)