World Class Pianist Gloria Cheng to perform at Hi-Desert Cultural Center

ARTIST PARTICIPATED IN FILM SCORES
WITH JAMES HORNER, DANNY ELFMAN AND JOHN WILLIAMS

JOSHUA TREE, CA – Harrison House Artist in Residence Gloria Cheng, well-known contemporary classical pianist, will perform Friday, September 19th at 8:00 PM at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center. Pianist Gloria Cheng is widely recognized as one of today's foremost interpreters of contemporary music. The Los Angeles Times described her performance as “miraculous in the sheer speed and sureness of her fingers,” Gramophone has described her as “technically fearless,” and the New York Times has praised her “impressive fluency and power.” This special performance is produced by Eva Soltes Performance & Media Arts and the Desert Music Foundation.

Guests at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center will be able to experience her live performance on a new, state-of-the-art grand piano and, as an added bonus, will be able to view her hands “up-close” using a live camera on the keyboard displayed on an oversized film projection screen. In addition to her performance, guests will be treated to insights directly from the artist, as Gloria Cheng is as stimulating a conversationalist as she is a performer.

Ms. Cheng is favored by some of the world’s most demanding composer/conductors and has been invited to participate on film scores by numerous composers, including John Williams, James Horner, Maurice Jarre, David Newman, and Danny Elfman. She is also a favorite guest artist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Other projects have brought Ms. Cheng to festivals at Tanglewood, Aspen, Other Minds, and Kuhmo (Finland), as well as to venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and the Théâtre du Châtelet. Ms Cheng is on the faculty at UCLA.

According to music reviewer Robert Schulslaper of Fanfare Magazine, “Gloria Cheng’s piano-playing is of the highest attainment. She has exquisite control of dynamics, pacing, and color, an instinctive understanding of each composer’s thought, and plays with the rapt concentration that can hypnotize…” He went on to say, “I was privileged to be in attendance when she recorded some of her program…and could only wish that listeners have a similar opportunity to hear her live, as the disc, sonically excellent though it is, cannot compete with the colorful sound waves conjured by such polished pianism.”

Gloria Cheng performs live Friday, September 19th, 2008, at 8:00 pm in the state-of-the-art Blak Box Theatre located directly behind the historic Hi-Desert Playhouse. General admission tickets are $15. Group rates available. To order tickets, call the Box Office at 760.366.3777 to talk to a “real” person, or order tickets online at http://www.hidesertculturalcenter.com using the easy to use Vendini ticketing system. Wine and imported beers will be available from a no-host bar located in the lobby. This special performance is produced by Eva Soltes Performance & Media Arts and the Desert Music Foundation.