Beethoven and Prokofiev
Two Piano Titans on Display
Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021 at 7 p.m.
Join in-person at STLCC-Wildwood or virtually
About the Presentation:
In this performance, Dr. Paul Higdon will perform some of the early piano sonatas of Russian composer Serge Prokofiev and he will invite the audience to compare them. Also, to lighten things up, he will play Beethoven’s often humorous yet sophisticated Bagatelles.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Paul Higdon is a professor of music and the chair of the communications department at the Florissant Valley campus, where he teaches numerous music classes and performs frequently.
Higdon grew up in southeast Iowa. His college career began at Truman State University, where he studied with David McKamie and William Blaine, earning both an undergraduate and master’s degree. After teaching English in China, he earned his doctorate at the UMKC Conservatory of Music as a student of the late Curators’ Professor Joanne Baker. His dissertation received recognition by the Conservatory, and he also won a graduate student of the year award. Preceding his appointment at STLCC, Higdon taught at Avila University and Kansas City, Kansas Community College.
Higdon has performed piano concerts in 10 states as well as Malaysia, Hong Kong and Italy. Many of these concerts were the result of winning piano competitions. His other interests include travel and foreign language.
Recently, because of COVID-19's limitations on travel, he took advantage of the time to plunge back into the world of piano practice. For this performance, he will play on a Boston upright piano -- an instrument he and Ellen McCloskey, professor emeritus at STLCC, selected a couple of years ago.