Sara "has no superior"

SaraUDavisUBuechner_adby Marion Boyd, South Okanagan Concert Society

Our old Steinway saw some incredible pianists in its day. Jon Kamura Parker, Anton Kuerti, Janina Fialkowska, Angela Hewitt gave transformative performances that felt like “an outburst of the soul”. None were more exciting, however, than the finely nuanced performance of Sara Davis Buechner who played the Steinway very shortly before our auditorium burned to the ground.

Friday, February 20 at 7:30 pm Ms Buechner will return but this time to our exquisite new Venables Theatre stage and to a gleaming Yamaha C3 grand piano!

Buechner, a dazzling pianist and a witty speaker with a gregarious personality, connects with her audience on an intimate level. A scholar, writer and compelling lecturer, Buechner has a vast piano repertoire ranging from Mozart to Gershwin to modern contemporaries. She has an active repertoire of over 100 piano concertos alone! Her ironclad technique allows her to interpret music “with a masterful blend of rigor and authenticity and the seductive lightness of charm.” An extraordinary musician, she is certainly knowledgable, talented and willing to share music in the best way, with humour and style.

Tickets are on sale at Beyond Bliss Esthetics in Oliver, and Imperial Office Pro in Osoyoos or at the door. A four admission flex pass costs $70 and can be used in any combination. Four can go to one concert, two couples can share a ticket or one person can come to the whole series. Single entrance is $20. Students 17 and under gain admission free and those needing a ride from Osoyoos can call Maureen at 250 495 7978 and arrange to come by bus.

Ms. Buechner is a former faculty member of New York University and is currently Associate Professor of Piano at the University of British Columbia. She has presented lectures and masterclasses worldwide, notably at the Juilliard School in New York and the Royal Academy in London. She enjoys a vibrant international performance and recording career. She has also commissioned new works and given premieres and prominent performances of important new music and film scores. She has collaborated on dance projects too. No wonder The New York Times says of her “Buechner has it all…intelligence, integrity and all-encompassing technical prowess”. Another review in Japan notes “What stands out is not only technique but intelligence…When it comes to clarity, flawless tempo selection, phrasing and precise control of timbre, Buechner has no superior.”

Ms. Buechner sums herself up by saying “making music is who I am”. Indeed, she makes incredibly beautiful music. It is a rare gift to have a musician of her calibre on our stage. Mark your calendar for February 20th and don’t miss this one!!sara-poster