Many hands to celebrate piano festival

With two concerts involving some 21 performers on multiple keyboards, a master class, plus a competition including a bonus solo offering by the festival artist, this year's "Piano Extravaganza!" festival at the University of Rhode Island promises to be the biggest yet in the event's five-year history of celebrating the art of the piano.

Slated for Friday through Sunday, March 9-11, the three-day festival will include a Friday night "Preview Concert," a Saturday night concert with URI faculty featuring the festival artist, Kevin Ayesh, a Master Class given by Ayesh on Sunday morning, and the Sunday afternoon piano competition for pre-college students, kicked off by an additional short performance by Ayesh.

All festival events will be held in the Fine Arts Center at 105 Upper College Rd. on URI's Kingston campus.

The Friday evening concert starting at 8 p.m., performing works ranging from classical Bach and Bizet to 20th century works by Milhaud, Poulenc and Piazzolla, is free. The centerpiece of the festival is the concert on Saturday evening at 8pm. Admission for this concert is $8 for the general public, and $2 for students, with seating on a firstcome basis. For more information, call the URI Music Department at 874-2431. Information is also available at www.pianoextravaganza. org.