About the Tutunov Piano Series
The generosity of eight committed, music-loving couples launched the first Tutunov Piano Series over a decade ago. Dr. Alexander Tutunov, namesake of the series has curated and hosted an impressive array of the world’s greatest concert and recital pianists, such as Garrick Ohlsson, Joseph Banowetz, Francesco Nicolosi, Antonio Di Cristofano, Ivona Kaminska, and Christopher Bowlby. This is one of the best pianos in the world that offers both soft chamber music action or the more resounding concerto action.
The annual piano concert series features 6-7 performances with both world-renowned and “rising star” young pianists held at the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall in Ashland. Performances are given on a Dual Action Model D Steinway Concert Grand piano, shipped to Ashland from the Steinway & Sons Queens, NYC factory. The piano made its concert debut on May 22, 2015 for the Tutunov Piano Series Concert 5 at the SOU Music Recital Hall. It was valued at approximately $170,000 and donated to the University through a generous gift by local benefactor and patron of the arts Dr. James Havstad.
Dr. Alexander Tutunov, with a huge local fan base, performs at least once per season during the Tutunov Piano series, often with other instrumentalists.
Individual ticket price is currently $35/ per person, with discounts on the entire series package. Reserved seats through annual subscriptions are available each spring (April) at the last concert of the season, as well as individual ticket purchases through the OCA Box Office at sou.universitytickets.com and donations to the series can be made to help sustain its artistic excellence through the SOU Foundation or online at giving.sou.edu.
Donations
Online donations: giving.sou.edu
Checks payable to: SOU Foundation c/o Tutunov Piano Series
Mail to: SOU Foundation, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520
Phone: 541.552.6127 Email: soufoundation@sou.edu
Throughout his career, Alexander Tutunov is one of the most outstanding virtuosos of the former Soviet Union. His playing was described by Soviet Culture, Moscow, as “exhilarating and inspired, and which demonstrated a unique talent”. Dr. Tutunov maintains a busy performing schedule worldwide as a recitalist, soloist with orchestra, and on radio and television and is also in demand as an adjudicator for piano competitions.
Tutunov’s recording of the Abeliovich Piano Concerto was featured as part of the Emmy award winning soundtrack for the History Channel documentary, Russia: Land of Tsars, and his performance of the Tchaikovsky Concert Fantasy with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra on CD was described as “sensitive and idiomatic” by the International Piano magazine (London). Other recordings include: Concerto for Piano & Orchestra by Peter Sacco with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra (Albany Records) and the solo piano works of Lev Abeliovich Sonatas & Frescoes, Trio, Songs (Altarus Records). Tutunov graduated magna cum laude from the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory (studies with Anna Artobolevskaya and Lev Naumov) and University of North Texas (piano studies with Joseph Banowetz). Awarded his doctoral diploma with honors in concert performance from the Belarusian State Conservatory, Dr. Tutunov has taught at the Minsk College of Music, the University of North Texas, and Illinois Wesleyan University. Dr. Tutunov has been the Artist in Residence at the University of Alaska Southeast, Principal Guest Soloist with the Port Angeles Symphony orchestra, and the Director of the Chinese-American International Piano Institute in Chengdu, China.
Dr. Alexander Tutunov now lives in Ashland, where he is Professor of Piano and Artist in Residence at Southern Oregon University. A successful piano pedagogue, he continues to prepare award-winning students.
Tutunov Piano Series Current Season 2024 – 25
13th Anniversary Year
Andrey Ponochevny
Friday, October 4th, 2024
Musica Amici with Alexander Tutunov
Friday, October 25th, 2024
Krystian Tkaczewski
Friday, December 6th, 2024
Yefim Bronfman
Tuesday, January 7th, 2025
Brian Hall & Alexander Tutunov
Friday, February 14th, 2025
Ilya Shmukler
Friday, April 11th, 2025
Margarita Shevchenko
Friday, May 2nd, 2025
Past Concert Seasons
2023 – 2024 Season
October 6, 2023: Sergei Babayan
November 3, 2023 Kinga Augustyn, violin with Alexander Tutunov, piano
December 1, 2023: Garrick Ohlsson
February 16, 2024: Fritz Gearhart, violin with Rhett Bender saxophone, Alexander Tutunov, piano
March 22, 2024: Drew Petersen
April 12, 2024: Parker Van Ostrand
2022 – 2023 Season
September 23, 2022: Luis Meireles & Maria José Sousa Guedes
October 21, 2022: Zheyu (Crystal) Jiang
November 4, 2022: Kinga Augustyn
December 1, 2022: Garrick Ohlsson
February 10, 2023: Pasquale Iannone
February 28, 2023: Sofya Gulyak
March 28, 2023: Josu de Solaun
April 7, 2023: Joanna Trzeciak
2021 – 2022 Season – 10th Anniversary Year
October 15, 2021: Alexander Tutunov & Fritz Gearhart
December 2, 2021: Angela Cheng & Alvin Chow
February 11, 2022: Ching-Yun Hu (Charlotte Hu)
March 18, 2022: Sandra Landini and Francesca Amato
May 13, 2022: Robert Yan and Xiting Yang
2020 – 2021 Season
October 1, 2020: Garrick Ohlsson
November 13, 2020: Tutunov Student Showcase
Feb 12, 2021: Katerina Zaitseva
May 14, 2021: Park Van Ostrand
2019 – 2020 Season
October 1, 2019: Garrick Ohlsson
October 11, 2019: Alon Goldstein
November 8, 2019: Alexander Tutunov
March 20, 2020: Garrick Ohlsson
2018 – 2019 Season
September 25, 2018: Lise de La Salle
October 2, 2018: Alexander Ghindin
November 2, 2018: Jerome Rose
December 28, 2018: Joseph Yungen
March 14, 2019: Andrei Andreev & Artem Kuznetsov
May 10, 2019: Ivona Kaminska & Cristopher Bowlby
2017 – 2018 Season
October 20, 2017: Eugene Skovorodnikov
November 17, 2017: Andrey Ponochevney
February 2, 2018: Nikita Fitenko and Katerina Zaitseva
March 23, 2018: Sergio Marchegiani and Marco Schiavo
April 20, 2018: Tutunov and Friends
2016 – 2017 Season
October 16, 2016: Chen Sifan
January 25, 2017: Alon Goldstein
February 17, 2017: Jodi French
April 21, 2017: Luís Meireles and Maria José Souza Guedes
May 12, 2017: Madeline Able-Kerns & Alexander Tutunov
2015 – 2016 Season
Oct. 30, 2015: Andreas Klein
Nov. 6, 2015: Camden Shaw and Joseph Yungen
Feb. 12, 2016: Martin Majkut and Alexander Tutunov
Mar. 11, 2016: Hugues Leclere
Apr. 15, 2016: Joanna Trzeciak
May 6, 2016: Eugene Skovorodnikov
2014 – 2015 Opening Season
October 17, 2014: Joseph Banowetz
November 14, 2014: Francesco Nicolosi
February 6, 2015: Ivona Kaminska and Christopher Bowlby
May 1, 2015: Antonio Di Cristofano
May 22, 2015: Tutunov & Friends
The OCA Box Office Hours:
Tuesday – Friday
Noon – 6pm
And one hour prior to all performances
Email: boxoffice@sou.edu
Phone: 541.552.6348
