Classical music is a constant source of creativity and beauty. Musicians worldwide grace concert halls and with music written centuries gone by; yet, classical music is ever fresh and vibrant as younger generations play grand compositions nuanced to their interpretations.

Such is the case with pianist Ilya Yakushev who has played at SUNY Orange several times as well as large venues in small and large cities throughout the United States, Mexico, and his beloved St. Petersburg, Russia. Not as young as when he first came to Orange Hall nearly twenty years ago, he has enlarged his repertoire over those many years and plays with a fervor of excitement that engages his audiences and holds them
from the first note of the chosen selections to the final of the encore.

                                        Pianist Ilya Yakushev

Mark your calendars and come to the William and Helen Richards Theatre in Orange Hall on Saturday, March 11, 2023 for an evening filled with the sounds of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and Gershwin. The performance begins at 7pm.

The box office opens at 6pm. Tickets priced at $5 for all can be purchased with cash, check, or credit card. All students are eligible for free tickets at the box office. Yakushev will also bring CDs along for your later enjoyment.

Yakushev attended the Rimsky-Korsakov College of Music in St. Petersburg, Russia, and subsequently came to New York City to attend Mannes College of Music where he received BM and MM degrees while being mentored by the legendary pianist Vladimir Feltsman who was on the faculty of Mannes at that time. Yakushev states, “The ultimate purpose for every musician in my understanding and opinion is to be able to
connect with the music…[then] “I rely on my ‘instincts,’ which were developed the ‘right’ way by Feltsman.” A review in Life@ReadingEagle.com commented, “Yakushev, whose playing shares a spiritual quality with his mentor, Vladimir Feltsman, alternates power with a silken touch.”

Orange Hall is located at the corner of Wawayanda and Grandview Avenues, (GPS: 24 Grandview Ave, Middletown, NY) where free parking is available in adjacent lot # one.

Questions may be directed to Cultural Affairs: cultural@sunyorange.edu or at (845)341-4891.