Alpin Hong Concert

I created this collage from pictures I took during the Alpin Hong concert that was held at the Henderson Pavilion on Saturday, October 29, 2011. A one-man piano show, Alpin Hong is one of the most gifted pianists we have ever had the privilege of seeing.  We were first introduced to him at a free recital given at the Henderson Events Center back in September of 2009, and were both blown away. We both agreed that we had never heard anyone play with such passion.  Tonight’s performance, featuring the music of Mendelssohn and Bach, was no exception. He is not only a great musician he is an excellent showman as well.  He actually makes the piano sound almost liquid. After a couple of performances with special guest Simon Boyar, a renowned percussionist who played marimba and drums, he shared the stage with the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra. He performed several sets that showcased some of the more talented young performers. Though we would have liked to see him play more, the performance was exuberant. Background: Alpin Hong is a native of Michigan and made his orchestral debut with the Kalamazoo Symphony at the age of ten. He moved to Los Angeles soon after and garnered competition victories at a young age with wins at the 1989 Stravinsky Piano Competition, the 1993 SYMF Competition and the 1994 Los Angeles Spotlight Awards Competition. He was the winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition in 2001. His teachers include Mark Richman and Emilio del Rosario. He completed his Master’s degree as a student of Jerome Lowenthal at The Juilliard School.