World Journal Tribune , February 21, 2014
Internationally acclaimed pianist Rueibin Chen will perform an evening of Rachmaninoff at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts as part of its inaugural season on Thursday, March 27and Friday, March 28 at 8pm.
Honoring Rachmaninoff’s 140th anniversary, Chen has been touring worldwide performing programs dedicated to the composer. He is the first pianist to perform Rachmaninoff’s three Nocturnes in Asia and California.
Due to overwhelming demand a second concert has been added. The night of Chen’s second recital (March 28), is the 70th anniversary of Rachmaninoff's passing.
Rueibin Chen will play Rachmaninoff's first (“Nocturne”) and last (“Lullaby”) works in the concert. Half of the performance repertoire was written while Rachmaninoff lived on 610 N Elm Drive in Beverly Hills, a located that is within walking distance from the Wallis Annenberg Center.
Chen is deeply influenced by his teacher, the famous Russian pianist Lazar Berman whose teacher was the best friend with Rachmaninoff and they both studied under the same teacher.
Rueibin Chen was the youngest winner of the International Rachmaninoff Piano
Competition. A Chinese Austrian born in Taiwan, Chen has won a total of eighteen medals, five of them gold before the age of 20, in various international piano competitions.
Photo1 : Rueibin Chen
Photo2 : Actress Jane Seymour was at one of Chen’s recent performances.
Photo 3 : The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis) is located in the heart of Beverly Hills (9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd.). Chen’s is the first piano recital in The Wallis’ opening season.
