UKIAH, Calif. — Beloved concert pianist Elena Casanova will storm the stage in stilettos for the grande finale of the Ukiah Community Concert Association season.
The concert will take place beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at the Mendocino College Center Theatre, 1000 Hensley Creek Rd, Ukiah.
Casanova’s brilliance is well known to American audiences where she is renowned equally for her spirited performances of both the European masters and Latin American composers.
Her recordings, “Ensuenos de Cuba,” “Fuentes sin Igual,” and “Recordando” have been met with rave reviews. Critic Joel Thompson wrote of the Cuban native: “The rhythms of this music that Casanova has so skillfully and passionately rendered may grab hold of your soul, allowing you to become Cuban for a while — the mark of a great pianist.”
In addition to numerous solo piano recitals, Casanova has performed as soloist with orchestras throughout Northern California, including Symphony of the Redwoods, Ukiah Symphony, and Pacific Union College Orchestra with a repertoire including Mozart’s “Piano Concerto no. 21,” the “Khachaturian Piano Concerto in D-flat Major,” Beethoven’s “Emperor Concerto,” and Liszt’s “Piano Concerto No. 1.”
She has also performed in a variety of popular idioms with Grammy Award winning reed player Paul McCandless, Grammy nominated guitarist Alex DeGrassi, and with recording artist and pianist Spencer Brewer in his annual Professional Pianists concert at the Mendocino College Theatre.
In a tour de force program created especially for the UCCA audience, Casanova will perform Cuban music with multimedia, multi-sensory and evocative elements including poetry and dance.
It promises to be a spectacular multi-media event celebrating Elena's Cuban heritage with exquisite piano compositions and snappy rhythms as well as participation by members of Cantabile (opera theater), Eloquence Ensemble (piano quartet), Paloma Victoria Rodriguez Irizarry (choreography and dance), and guest artist Adrian Casanova.
Tickets for non-season subscribers are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Advance tickets are available online at www.ukiahconcerts.org and at Mendocino Book Company in Ukiah and Mazahar in Willits.
As part of their ongoing educational outreach program, free tickets are available to youth 17 and under when accompanied by an adult, and to full-time (12 units) college students. Free tickets must be reserved in advance by calling 707-463-2738 with name, phone number and email address.
For more information, please contact the UCCA at 707-463-2738 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Ukiah Community Concert Association has been presenting nationally acclaimed talent since 1947.
This all-volunteer nonprofit’s mission is to build and maintain a permanent concert audience and cultivate an interest in fine music of all genres among the citizens of the community and surrounding area. It is also their goal to encourage music appreciation in the schools of the community.
