Fresno City College’s music department and Friends of the Arts presented “Concertos for Multi-Pianos” on Oct. 19. in the Old Administration Building Auditorium.
The free 40-minute concert featured two concertos for three and four pianos with string accompaniment written by Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The pieces were played by pianists Alan Rea, Sylvia Park O’Neil, Olga Quercia and Aarne Kela, and string players Elaine Ikemoto, Lianna Stuart, Cynthia Stuart, Judy Robinson and Heidi Franklin.
The pieces played were “BWV 1065 in A Minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach and “K. 242,” also known as “Lodron” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The pieces were featured for being composed for multiple pianos and were a great opportunity for Alan Rea, who chose the pieces.
“They’re pieces that I like and never got the chance to play before,” said Rea.
Fresno City College piano instructor Olga Quercia planned, organized and even funded the event.
“Olga did all the logistical work for this concert, which is even more than you can imagine,” said Rea. “Getting all the pianos moved, providing funding to have them moved and tuned, providing the funding for the musicians and all the kicky stuff that you have to do and have to do right if things are gonna come off as well as you would like.”
It was also the help of Friends of the Arts that the concert was possible and provided for free.
Friends of the Arts is a organization at FCC that supports students entering theatre arts through “leadership, advocacy and financial support.”
“I believe that in a community college if you can possibly have free concerts, do it. So even if it costs a little extra, it’s worth it and it’s so much easier,” said Quercia.
The musicians playing the pieces have been rehearsing on campus for 6 weeks and planned around their lives to be at the event.
“[Sylvia] works as an attorney in San Francisco, but she’s kept up her music and I think that’s really amazing. I tell my students about that,” said Quercia.
More concerts will be held in the auditorium soon. Nov. 6 will be the Student Recitals and will be free to attend. The admission-free Woodwind Choir Concert on Nov. 15.
On Nov. 21 is the Rams Jams: Guitar Showcase and the Intermediate/Advanced Voice Recital on Nov. 22. The guitar showcase five dollar donation at the door. All mentioned events are at 7:30 p.m.
