John Silva

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - At 7 p.m. this Friday evening, March 12, classical pianist John Silva will perform a solo recital in Price Auditorium on the Lock Haven University campus. Admission is free and open to the public.

A Fellow of the Royal Schools of Music in the United Kingdom, Silva is a classical pianist and composer, having written both secular and sacred works for piano, voice, solo instruments and ensembles. He is also a teacher with a private studio in the Philadelphia area offering lessons in classical piano, theory and ear training, and is an accomplished piano technician and tuner as well.

John demonstrated extraordinary talent and an enthusiasm for music at a young age. His father became his first teacher when he was age three and he started formal lessons at age four. Just after turning sixteen John began intensive studies with Jonathan Miles Freeman, later studying piano with Dr. Robert Marler and the renowned concert artist Abbey Simon.

Dr. David Curtin, professor of piano at Lock Haven, first got to know John last year when he substituted for Curtin when he cut his finger shortly before a recital. "John's an exceptionally fine pianist and his recital was extremely well-received" Curtin told the Express. "So when I was recently awarded a grant by the state of Pennsylvania to start a classical concert series here in Lock Haven, John was among the first artists I approached about playing on the series."

The concert will feature the popular "Appassionata" sonata by Beethoven, as well as works by Debussy and Chopin (whose 200th birthday was March 1, 2010). "I hope that, despite this being Spring Break week (or perhaps because of it!) we'll have a big turnout," Curtin said. The next concert on the series will feature chamber music performed by Curtin's wife Hyun Ju, along with violinist Nicholas Hodges and Andrew Rammon, concertmaster and first cellist, respectively, of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra. "I've had great support from music lovers in Lock Haven, and I hope to see as many of them as possible at these concerts."