Tabor College announces that Sam Rotman will give an all-Beethoven Concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 as part of the Concert Series at the Shari Flaming Performing Arts Center.
Rotman has devoted a specific area of his musical life to the study and performance of the works of Beethoven. Beginning with a series of all Beethoven concerts for the Beethoven bi-centennial in 1970, he was presented on Public Broadcast System in a special Beethoven concert. He has also released an all-Beethoven CD, featuring five major works of the composer. For this year’s 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven, Rotman will perform an all-Beethoven program.
A special opportunity has been afforded to Rotman. A renowned death mask of Beethoven, on loan from a private collection, will be available for viewing at every concert he will perform in 2020 to commemorate the Beethoven Year. The “idealized” death mask was prepared by famous German artist Fritz Kochendöerfer.
Rotman earned his bachelor and master of music degrees from the Juilliard School in New York City. His most prestigious award was being a Laureate Winner at the 4th International Beethoven Competition in Vienna, Austria in 1973. In 1978, Rotman participated in the 6th International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, Russia. Rotman has given over 3,100 performances in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Eastern and Western Europe, Southeast Asia, South Africa, India, China and Russia, totaling 61 countries.
In May 2016, Rotman was awarded an honorary doctor of fine arts degree from The Master’s University. He is the only recipient of such an honorary doctorate in the school’s history.
Rotman’s recordings include “Impressions: Piano Portraits of Claude Debussy,” “Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition with Piano Works by Rachmaninoff,” and “Piano Music of Beethoven.”
Reviewers in the United States and France have noted the following about his performances:
“Mr. Rotman is a pianist of no small talent. He possesses a thoroughly prepared technique. He is a mature and thoughtful interpreter and his playing is convincing and alive. He enjoys his work and is able to communicate his ideas and his enthusiasm to his audience. His playing was profound, expressive, dynamic and exciting.”
In addition to his concert Rotman will give his Christian testimony. Tickets can be purchased at www.tabor.edu/tickets or calling the box office at (620) 947-3121, ext. 1402.