'The Red Door is Open...': Robert Hitz's Improvisational Piano, April 27
April 16, 2013
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
Improvisational piano virtuoso Robert Hitz will immerse his audience in a new type of concert experience with the "The Red Door is Open" on Saturday, April 27, a performance at the University of Baltimore's Wright Theater inspired by projections of artworks by Baltimore artists Jessica Damen and Maxine Taylor.
As part of the University of Baltimore's Spotlight UB series, the evening combines music, artwork and the creative process. A pre-show exhibition of the artists' work swill begin at 7 p.m.; the concert will start at 8 p.m.
Using projections from Damen and Taylor's art as a springboard, host and moderator Kimberley Lynne will lead the audience's perceptions and observations of the duo's art, which Hitz will then translate into responsive musical pieces. The dynamic interplay between art, discussion and improvisational music will create a new type of concert experience for the audience.
Known as a "21st century Romantic," Robert Hitz is an intuitive pianist whose award-winning musical compositions express the eternal melodies of the musical masters, combined with his own spiritually inspired improvisations. He has performed his magical improvisations nationally, from concert halls to yoga retreats. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and Syracuse University in New York, respectively.
Damen, dubbed "the Lewis Carroll of Baltimore" by renowned artist Grace Hartigan, is known for creating magical realist oils and expressive ink brush paintings. Her work has been featured in regional solo gallery and invitational shows at the Maryland Art Place and the Delaware Center of Contemporary Art, as well as juried shows throughout the nation.
Taylor creates large-scale mixed-media abstractions focusing on lines, shapes and their relationship to movement. Her work has been exhibited in solo shows throughout the region, including Studio Gallery in Washington, D.C., and Montage Gallery in Baltimore. Taylor was an invitee to the Abstract Survey at the Sacramento California Temporary Contemporary.
General admission to "The Red Door Is Open" is $15; $10 for seniors and $5 for students. Tickets are available at www.etix.com; search under University of Baltimore.
The Wright Theater is located in the University of Baltimore Student Center, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave.
Learn more about Spotlight UB.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.