Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's assistant professor of piano, Eugene Alcalay, Ph.D., was named a Steinway Artist in December 2005. A group of internationally recognized concert pianists, Steinway artists are chosen on the basis of their international careers and prominence in the field of piano performance. To qualify, a pianist must own a Steinway piano and also promote the instrument.

Alcalay, originally from Bucharest, Romania, came to the United States in 1984 at the personal invitation of Leonard Bernstein, his mentor who sponsored his education with scholarships at Indiana University School of Music, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and finally at The Juilliard School in New York where he received master's degrees in piano and composition, followed by a doctorate in piano in 1998. Alcalay is now a U.S. citizen and has been able to continue in his foundation of success by playing at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1998, and traveling to Bogota, Colombia, as a Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Senior Specialist in 2003 and 2004, respectively. In Columbia, Alcalay was able to tour the country and serve as Artist-in-Residence and visiting faculty member at the main state university there. After teaching at Geneva College in the Pittsburgh, Pa., area from 1999 through 2005, Alcalay made the move to the Midwest to teach at UWP. "I wanted to find a college with an expanding department," says Alcalay about his decision to move to Platteville. "UWP has a faculty full of talented musicians that not only teach their talents to students, but also perform together in a variety of ways." Fortunately, both he and his wife were offered teaching positions at UWP making the decision to move very easy. Oxford-trained historian, Ruth Elisabeth Alcalay, Ph.D., Eugene's wife, is an academic staff teaching history in the social science department. "Steinway does not bestow such an honor for a person as a matter of everyday business," relays Dan Fairchild, chair of the Fine Arts Department at UWP. "You must first prove yourself as an outstanding professional artist at the highest performing level. We have always had great artist performers on our faculty, and this is just another feather in our cap. It is artists like Eugene and our other fine faculty, that have made our program grow both in quantity and quality."

The Steinway Artist honor has been awarded to such "greats" as Arthur Rubinstein and Irving Berlin, classical pianists like Lang Lang, jazz stars like Diana Krall and pop icons like Billy Joel. Admittance to the roster is not a monetary, but rather an honorific award. It entitles artists to the free use of a Steinway concert-grand instrument for concerts at any location around the world and also guarantees the free use of Steinway practice facilities. The closest Steinway facility to Platteville is the family operated business of 90 years, Forbes-Meagher Piano Gallerie in Madison. "Eugene is probably the most recent Steinway artist that has been put on the roster," indicates Casey Meagher of the Forbes-Meagher Piano Gallerie. "We have been delighted to have him play at our store. This award is given to the top pianists in the world and is a great honor. We hope to be able to help him get into the Madison music scene." Alcalay will be playing a recital at the gallerie on Sept. 9 of this year. In addition, Alcalay will also be featured in a recital on the "Live from the Chazen," a concert series at the Chazen Museum in Madison, that will be broadcast live on Wisconsin Public Radio at 12:30 p.m., Sept. 10. "Playing a Steinway piano is just what fits me," explains Alcalay. "There is really no comparison with other pianos in terms of the depth of warmth and colors that the Steinway piano exhibits in its music. It truly is the most responsive instrument to me."

Alcalay first bought a Steinway piano in 2003 at which time he indicated his interest in becoming a Steinway artist. Due to the fact that the roster is selective, the process for being put on the list does not occur overnight. "I was so happy to finally receive the letter," gleams Alcalay. "I knew it was only a matter of time, but I am extremely proud, but also very humbled, to be a Steinway artist now and will be for the continuation of my career." Alcalay has several concerts scheduled in the upcoming months, including a return to Pittsburgh, Pa., in mid-May and a tour through Italy and England this summer.

Contact: Eugene Alcalay, assistant professor of piano, (608) 342-1292, alcalaye@uwplatt.edu

Prepared by: Marsha Pauly, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194,paulym@uwplatt.edu