Pianist to present ‘Piano Music from Four Continents’

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SPRINGFIELD, Vt. And WALPOLE — Keane Southard, composer, pianist, and music director of the First Congregational Church in Walpole, will present two performances of a recital titled “Piano Music from Four Continents.”

Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, May 12 at the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ of Springfield, Vermont at 77 Main St., and at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 13 at the First Congregational Church in Walpole, 15 Washington St.

The program will include works by John Foulds, Camargo Guarnieri, and by Southard. As a pianist, Southard said he is committed to the performance of unknown and underperformed works and composers.

“The piano repertoire is so vast that there are many wonderful pieces that haven’t made it into the standard repertoire yet deserve to be more well known. For the audience, it is a bit of a risk

coming to a recital where you may not recognize the pieces or composers, but my hope is that people will walk out of the concert wanting to further explore these composers,” Southard said.

Additionally, Southard’s recitals include spoken insights, personal connections, and stories about the music and their composers to create an engaging and informal concert experience.

Southard has performed as a pianist across the country, including at conferences and festivals in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri. He has performed as a soloist in his own Classical Concerto with the Sounds of Stow Orchestra, and in his Concertino with the Northeastern State University Wind

Ensemble. As a composer, he has received many awards, including the 2016 Colorado State Music Teachers Association Commissioned Composer Award, and third prize in the Belvedere Festival Composition Contest. He was a Fulbright scholar studying music education in Brazil, has taught at

Bennington College, and holds Masters degree in composition from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He will begin work on his PhD in music composition at the Eastman School of Music in the fall.

Admission is free, and donations will be accepted. For more information, visit keanesouthard.instantencore.com.