The College of Southern Maryland welcomes pianist, Dr. Linda Apple Monson, along with John Aler, tenor, to perform at the Ward Virts Concert Series at 3 p.m., March 13 at the Prince Frederick Campus, Room 119. At the concert Dr. Monson will be performing the world premiere of composer Daniel Perttus Piano Sonata. Perttu will be at the concert to introduce his piece. The performance is the fourth of six in the concert series, which is held at CSMs Prince Frederick Campus, 115 J.W. Williams Road, Prince Frederick.
Monson, an active national concert pianist and International Steinway Artist, is a professor of music and associate director for academic affairs for George Mason Universitys school of music as well as director of keyboard studies. She is the recipient of the Mason 2009 Teaching Excellence Award for exemplary dedication to student learning and commitment to educational excellence.
Monsons appearances have included concerts and lecture-recitals in China, Croatia, England and Thailand, as well as performances at College Music Society conferences in Oregon, Minnesota, Utah and Alabama. Monson has also presented master classes at numerous American universities and colleges, including Westminster Choir College, Bowling Green University, University of Miami, Gettysburg College, Gardner-Webb University and University of California-Berkeley. Monson recently presented solo piano recitals and piano master classes at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge: Davidson College in Charlotte, NC; and Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Va. She served as a panelist and concert commentator for the 2003-04 Virginia Chamber Orchestra satellite broadcasts, Music of the Romantic Era and Music by Modern Masters, which were broadcast to all community colleges in the United States.
Monson is the president of the College Music Society Mid-Atlantic region, and has been elected as a faculty senator for the college of visual and performing arts at George Mason. She is an active juror in piano competitions and festivals and recently served as a juror for the Washington International Piano Competition.
She has earned three degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University: bachelor of music education with a double-major in piano and bassoon; master of music in piano; and doctor of musical arts in piano performance.
Performing with Monson, Aler has been a frequent performer with such orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the symphony orchestras of Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. Aler has also performed at major opera houses of the world, including the Royal Opera Covent Garden; Deutsche Oper Berlin; Vienna; Munich; Salzburg; Hamburg; Geneva; Madrid; and Brussels; as well as the New York City Opera; the Washington Opera; and Santa Fe.
A native of Batimore, Aler is an alumnus of the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. and the Julliard School.
Perttus music has been performed in Europe, Asia and throughout the United States. Perttu works as assistant professor of music theory and composition, and serves as coordinator of the music theory program at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Penn.
Perttu received his bachelor of art degree at Williams College with a double-major in music and English and graduated magna cum laude. He also received his master degree from Kent State University and his doctor of musical arts degree at The Ohio State University.
The Ward Virts Concert Series is presented by Edward and Patricia Mehosky, St. Clair and Mary Tweedie, Gerry Van De Velde and Rene Cunningham, and CSM. The centerpiece of the concert series is a world-class Boesendorfer Grand Piano, which was gifted to CSM by the Ward Virts Piano Project as a gift to the entire community.
The WVPP was formed by friends and classmates of pianist Ward Virts, whose sudden death in 1993 inspired them to purchase this hand-made piano and dedicate the piano to CSMs Prince Frederick Campus in Virts memory. Inspired by Virts life and spirit, his friends and classmates conceived the project in order to bring the love of life, beauty and music that Virt embodied to a new generation of Southern Maryland students, performers and appreciative audiences.
Admission is free and seating is open but limited. Contact 443-550-6011, rfleming@csmd.edu or www.csmd.edu/Arts.
Celebrating 10 years as a regional college, the College of Southern Maryland provides programs and services with a special focus on local workforce development to maintain and grow a healthy economy and community. CSM is a two-time silver level recipient of the Maryland Performance Excellence Award and the fifth largest community college in Maryland with campuses in Calvert, Charles and St. Marys counties. For information about CSM, call 301-934-7765 or 301-870-2309, 240-725-5499 or 443-550-6199, Ext. 7765 or visit http://www.csmd.edu.