Stephen Cook (left) and Vatche Mankerian (right)
PASADENA — Pasadena Conservatory of Music presents American Music for Two Pianos; a piano duo concert performed by faculty members Stephen Cook and Vatche Mankerian.
Featuring pivotal works of three renowned American composers, the program will include “Hoe Down” and “Saturday Night Waltz” from Rodeo by Aaron Copland, “Symphonic Dances” from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, and Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin.
The concert will take place on Friday, February 26, 2016, 7:30 p.m. at the Barrett Hall of Pasadena Conservatory of Music, 100 North Hill Avenue, Pasadena.
Tickets are $10, which may be purchased at americanmusicfortwopianos.bpt.me or by calling the PCM office at 626-683-3355.
Stephen Cook received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Music degrees from the University of South Carolina. While completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California, Dr. Cook served as an assistant lecturer in the Keyboard Studies Department under the direction of Stewart Gordon. From 1996-2012 he served on the faculty of the Colburn School of Performing Arts and from 1996-2004 was the Director of the Pianist Program at the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana, CA. He has served on the Executive Board of the California Association of Professional Music Teachers, is a former Research Program Specialist with the Music Intelligence Neural Development Institute at the University of California, Irvine, and currently holds faculty appointments with the Pasadena Conservatory of Music and Whittier College. Stephen Cook is a frequent clinician and adjudicator with recent activities including adjudication of the Pro-Romania International Piano Competition in Bucharest, Romania, performance and master classes in Tokyo, Japan, Carnegie Hall, New York and numerous concert appearances with Broadway talent Susan Egan.
A multi‑faceted artist, Vatche Mankerian distinguishes himself as a pianist, composer, author, lecturer, and teacher. Mankerian has performed in major cities on four continents, and has frequently appeared as a soloist with orchestras, including his acclaimed performance with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra in Yerevan. A dedicated champion of Armenian music, Mankerian regularly performs piano music by Armenian composers. He was a featured artist at the Spirit of Armenia concert at the Hollywood Bowl. As an active composer Mankerian has written pieces for the piano, chamber ensembles and incidental music for theatrical productions and cinema. He has authored three volumes of books titled Armenian Culture. Mankerian holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from USC’s Thornton School of Music. A member of the Music Teachers’ Association of California, he is on the faculty at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music.
Source: Asbarez
Link: Cook and Mankerian to Perform Piano Duo Concert
