Livermore, Calif. – The Livermore-Amador Symphony performs music of Beethoven, Mozart, Liadov, and Stravinsky in its “Drama and Fantasy” concert, Saturday May 20, 8:00 p.m. at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore. “We are thrilled to welcome one of the most remarkable pianists of our time,  John O’Conor, an exceptional interpreter of the music of Beethoven, in a performance of the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 3,” says music director and conductor Lara Webber. This long-awaited performance by the internationally renowned pianist from Dublin, Ireland was originally scheduled for 2021. The program also includes Mozart’s overture to “The Abduction from the Seraglio,” Liadov’s “The Enchanted Lake,” and concludes with the “Firebird” suite from the ballet based on Russian fairy tales of the Firebird, which projected Igor Stravinsky to international fame.

John O’Conor has toured the world in recital and concert appearances, with regular visits to the US, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. His recordings, including the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andreas Delfs, have been greeted with great acclaim. O'Conor is deeply committed to the development of young pianists in Ireland and in other countries, giving master classes and lectures in many of the places he performs and in several major music institutions. He is regarded as one of the most important piano teachers in the world today. O’Conor holds positions as Distinguished Artist in Residence, Professor of Piano and Chair of the Keyboard Division, Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia; Professor of Piano, Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto; Distinguished Visiting Artist, Technical University of Dublin Conservatoire of Music; and Visiting Professor at Japan’s Showa University. His students have won numerous international prizes and he is in demand for master classes and as a juror at many prestigious international piano competitions worldwide.

The concert begins at 8:00 p.m.  Preconcert talk by Webber, 7–7:30.  A complimentary sparkling cider and wine reception in the Bankhead lobby follows the performance. Tickets $39, $33, $27; youth under age 22 are always free, but require tickets. https://livermoreamadorsymphony.org/tickets.html; the Bankhead ticket office at 2400 First St., Livermore; or 925-373-6800.

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3, Soloist John O’Conor
Mozart: Overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio
Liadov: The Enchanted Lake
Stravinsky: Firebird Suite