A dazzling piano recital resonates at third ASD Chamber Music Series sponsored by IBQ

World renowned French pianist, Michel Dalberto, treated the audience of the third concert of the 2011-2012 American School of Doha Chamber Music Series to a stunning piano recital that included popular compositions by Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Franz Liszt and Frédéric Chopin.

The third concert of this series, which is sponsored by IBQ, saw in attendance scores of music enthusiasts who were winesses to a piano recital of the calibre previously unseen in Qatar. Dalberto dazzled the audience with spectacular virtuosity in Ravel’s “Gaspar de la nuit” and took the listeners on a thought-provoking journey through the masterpieces of French impressionism.

The Friends of the ASD Chamber Music Series, annually sponsored by IBQ, is an exceptional musical event which has been gaining increasing exposure, scope and acclaim year on year as a result of the partnership with the bank. The series brings together some of the most celebrated global classical artists and casts the limelight on a palette of existing talent in Qatar, in order to present its audience with the finest musical pieces from across the globe. 

George Nasra, Managing Director of IBQ said: “This was another fantastic concert which truly brought home an unparalleled performance and paid tribute to the essence of classical art and music. Our association with the Friends of the ASD Chamber Music Series is symbiotic. At IBQ, we highly value talent, both professional and personal and we firmly believe that nurturing arts and culture is essential in the development of any community around the world. The ASD Chamber Music Series is today a highly awaited event by many owing to its superb line-up of globally-hailed artists and musicians who are now considering Doha as a major capital for music on their agendas.”

Dalberto was born in Paris into a non-musical family which has its roots in Dauphiné and Italian Piemonte. He began studying the piano at the age of three and a half. When he was twelve, he was introduced to Vlado Perlemuter, a favourite pupil of Alfred Cortot, and entered his class at the Paris Conservatoire in 1969 where he completed his studies over a period of nine years.

Michel Dalberto first came to prominence winning the Clara Haskil Prize in 1975. Three years later he won First Prize in the Leeds International Piano Competition.

Another influential figure in his musical development was Nikita Magaloff, with whom he has performed and recorded.

Dalberto has been acknowledged as one of the foremost interpreters of Schubert and Mozart. Liszt, Debussy, Fauré, Schumann and Ravel are also among his favorite composers.

From 1990 until 2005, Michel Dalberto was Artistic Adviser of Les Arcs Academy-Festival in Savoy. Between 1991 and 2009, he has been serving as Chairman of the Jury of the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition. He is now member of the competition board. In May 2011, he was appointed Professor at the Paris Conservatoire.

A keen sportsman, he regularly skies in Savoy and Switzerland, and frequently scuba-dives. Michel Dalberto was awarded the Knight of the Ordre National du Mérite by the French Government in 1996.

Jimmy Fonarek- Artistic Director of the series said: “It is an enormous pleasure and honor to be able to host a musician of such remarkable quality at our concert series. Over three years ago when we started to organize these concerts we could only dream of one day seeing musicians of Dalberto’s level on the stage of the ASD’s Fine Arts Theatre. It is a great joy to see our dreams come to fruition!”

The association of IBQ with the ASD Chamber Music Series falls in-line with the bank’s commitment to promote culture in all its facets. With Corporate Social Responsibility topping the bank’s agenda, IBQ has been committed to spearhead or sponsor a series of events that serve the purpose of awareness and education and has therefore reached out to various organizations across the country to achieve this objective.

ASD’s Chamber Music Series May concert will feature Serge Prokofieff’s musical fairy tale “Peter and the Wolf” aimed at families and children with more information available on http://www.asdchambermusic.com/

The 2011-2012 season will include five concerts running from November this year and culminating in a Grand Finale in June 2012.

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