Music from a legend

In the world of classical music, performers tend to be booked years in advance, allowing very little time for special engagements. \nIU's School of Music has many personalities connected to the professional music world and often some of those people find a way to make a visit to the rolling hills of Bloomington -- Kurt Masur in 1999 and Mistislav Rostropovich in 2000. \nTonight, one of the world's most renowned pianists, whose career spans nearly 30 years, will make time for a special concert at the Musical Arts Center. At 8 p.m. pianist André Watts will play a concert with IU's Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of his good friend, professor David Effron.\nThough there are many different works in the canon of piano and orchestra music, Effron and Watts chose to perform the piano concerti Nos. 1 and 2 by Johannes Brahms. The works are not only rarely played together on the same night, but they are both tour-de-force pieces for the piano and a challenge that only a performer of Watts' ability might undertake.\n"He has a wonderful command of the instrument," distinguished professor of piano Menahem Pressler said. "His aim in making music is very high. And, to that, I can say that his program (what he'll play) certainly aims very high -- playing the Brahms concerti in the same night is a marathon to say the least ... physical and mental strain. But he's at his best age now, his most mature, and his best physical condition so it should be very exciting."\nMaestro Watts' career has had unique longevity that began at an age when most kids are still confused about how to go about their futures. At 16, he played with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic on a Young People's Concert series on CBS. \nTwo weeks later, Bernstein asked Watts to step in for an sickly Glenn Gould to play composer Franz Liszt's E-Flat concerto with the Philharmonic. Since then, his playing has garnered him a completely booked career playing to sold-out concert halls across the world resulting in fame, numerous recordings and being considered among the top pianists of his generation and the last century.\n"The IU School of Music is thrilled to have renowned pianist André Watts perform with its Philharmonic Orchestra in a rare program of both Brahms piano concerti," music school spokeswoman Maria Talbert said. "Not only is this a rare opportunity for the students, but it is also for the campus and Bloomington community -- it's not every day that we can hear such an accomplished musician, right here in our own backyard."\nFor Watts to make time to come to IU is quite special and would not have happened had it not been for his friendship with Effron. Effron asked him two years ago if he could come to Bloomington to play and share his music and Watts graciously said yes -- provided Effron would conduct.\n"We're friends and we love to play together, we love to make music together and anytime we get an opportunity we try to do it," Effron said. "Sometimes you're really fortunate that you find someone that you're on the same page with psychologically, musically, thought process, education and that's the case with us -- we're good friends, so that helps."\nThe concert is for School of Music Scholarship money and, Effron said, Watts has waived his fee so all of the proceeds from ticket sales will help music students pay for their education.\nEffron believes having a pianist of Watts' stature is not something to be missed.\n"There's no controversy about the fact that he's one of the great pianists of this century and it's like in any field," Effron said, "If Mark McGwire or Tom Hanks comes to Bloomington I would think that if you have an opportunity to be in the presence of these people, to be in the audience, and listen to what they do, how they do it and why they're where they are, to have that experience would be enough"