Australian pianist to conduct master class, perform at Claflin


Music lovers in the Orangeburg and surrounding communities are invited to attend a public master class and solo piano recital given by Daniel Herscovitch, Melbourne-born pianist and professor at the University of Sydney's Conservatorium of Music in Australia. The masterclass will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, with a recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15. Both events will be held in Minister's Hall at Claflin University. Admission is free and open to the public.

During the public masterclass, piano students from Claflin University and the University of South Carolina will play for the renowned pianist and teacher, who will offer critiques and an analysis of their performances. Herscovitch's recital on Tuesday will feature a variety of musical styles with works by Beethoven, Chopin, Smalley and Schubert.

Herscovitch studied with Alexander Sverjensky at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, continuing his studies under Rosl Schmid in Munich. During his 12 years in Germany, he not only performed extensively on the continent and in England but also undertook three extensive Australian tours. He appeared at several international festivals, and his performances were broadcast by major European networks.

Since returning to Australia, Herscovitch has been active in both solo and chamber music. He was a founding member of both Symeron and the eclectic collective and, more recently, was co-founder of the Apollo Trio with Sydney Conservatorium colleagues Maria Lindsay and Thomas Tsai. His repertoire ranges from Bach to Carter and includes contemporary Australian, European and American works, many of which he commissioned and premiered.

Herscovitch's recordings of repertoire ranging from Mozart to Smalley have been released on Tall Poppies, CSM, Continuum, Jade and ABC Classics labels. Two further CDs are scheduled for release later this year. He is currently Senior Lecturer in Piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he also lectures in piano pedagogy and chamber music.

The event is funded through the Lyceum Series at Claflin University.