California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State) Music department, will hold a concert and workshop Oct. 18-19 with renowned pianist, Alon Goldstein.
The music department has had a number of artists visit through vast means of music festivals, ceremonies and concerts. Some have included Christian McBride, John Fedchock and Placido Domingo. This fall semester will hail Alon Goldstein, a virtuosic pianist with the heart of outreaching students at various levels and circumstances.
The event ties in two sessions on two separate dates. Oct. 18 will hold an evening piano recital at 7:30 p.m. at Bernell and Flora Snider Recital Hall. Oct. 19 will hold a workshop in music department room M-39 from 1-3 p.m.
Alon Goldstein has performed among many music festivals including, Tanglewood, Seattle, Verbier and Jerusalem. Performance with orchestras around the world, including renowned orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra and tours through Paris, Russia and China.
According to Dr. Sarah Chan, Coordinator of Keyboard studies and Music theory, at Stan States Music department, students performing for the workshop are excited to share what they have with the renowned artist.
Students performing at the workshop include two current music major students, Carlos Alvarez and Jacob Cortez, a Summer music at Stanislaus piano session participant and last years Ghiglieri junior piano competition winner.
According to Chan, the workshop is designed to gain public exposer and opportunity for the community and participants in engaging with an outside perspective.
“Specific to here, to widened the perspective that students in our community can have on the wide range of opportunities that are there beyond just the school and just the region. To gather from people who have a very broad experience and deep experience of their craft as well as their work all over the U.S. as well as abroad internationally,” Chan said.
“To see that there’s a wider scope and maybe a deeper understanding that can be developed from when it’s studying and exposer to such experience and background is important, because it brings another perspective of education, another perspective of sound, another perspective of “I didn’t know that art can be like this.” When you encounter sometime that you are not necessarily familiar with, but which speaks to you. It gives you the idea that you can expand or you can get more intimate with your music or you can make more nuance there.”
According to Jared Eben, Class piano faculty member, the meaning and specialty behind the concert and recital is an opportunity to students at Stan State, especially when renowned guest artists happen once to a few times per year.
“Recitals and Master classes by great artists like Alon Goldstein happened regularly, sometimes as often as once per month, where I attended Undergraduate and Graduate school. At CSU Stanislaus, piano events like this are very rare, and that makes them incredibly special when they take place. We are lucky if we get an exceptional artist once per academic year.”
This holds true for pianist and student, Jacob Cortez (senior, Music Education), who will be performing at the workshop.
“I’m looking forward to being able to give the performance, of course, but I’m also looking forward to whatever feedback he has to give me to help me better myself as a musician. This will be my third master class now, and so I’m really looking forward to that. He’s won many competitions, the brilliance of his playing really speaks to me. If he has any words of wisdom or encouragement for myself then that’s definitely what I’m looking forward to.”
Aside from performing an immense amount of times per year according to his calendar of events, Alon Goldstein practices humanitarian duties throughout underserved, poor and public schools.
According to Goldstein through an email interview, there is a lot of conveyance of influence from the people he works with.
“Interestingly it is actually the other way around – the outreach and communities and schools that I went to play at influence and helped me much more as a performer!!  It is the contact with people on all levels, grades, backgrounds and so on that makes a person a better communicator.   To be a performer is also to be a communicator.  Going to all these schools and doing all the outreach activities helped me as a performer. The challenges – well, mostly getting other people understanding the urgency of how important this is.   But I am ok.  I don’t see challenges because I know I will overcome them.”
As a strong advocator for music education, Goldstein gives back to the community by visiting nearby schools when performing with an orchestra.
“Advocating in music education means advocating for a better future. It is very simple. Whenever I go to play with an orchestra I always come a day early or stay a day late and go to play in local schools for free. It is extremely rewarding to feel that sense of giving back to the community by doing something I love so much – making music.   Being able to influence others to do the same is also a goal,” Goldstein said.
This example shows how Goldstein provides as much opportunity for himself and youth to be exposed to music within and without the craft.
“Its really about the love of life and the love of the art which is part of life and he’s one of the most supreme examples of that. Someone who loves life, is passionate about it, is passionate about his art and exudes that,” Chan said.
According to Dr. Chan, since graduate studies at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, their long time friendship has shown through their passion for art, music and life.
These avenues typically reveal through conversations of music through philosophy and aesthetics. The kind of communication “what professional musicians do at their height,” Chan said.
In all essence, Alon Goldstein contributes to communicating beyond the means of simply playing the notes on the page. Through his line of work, it has given the performer and the listener an opportunity to engage with the music at different dimensions of imagination.
According to Chan, when attending the event, it is beneficial to “To be keen and appreciate the sensitivity of what’s behind the music and what’s in between the notes.”
Simply put, the comraderies, student excitement and performing opportunities outlines the exciting experiences students and the community at Stan State will share.
“Speaking and performing at Stan States music department means a lot to me. My long time friend and colleague Sara Chan speaks very highly of the students and faculty, and I cannot wait to meet them. I always look forward to meeting new people, learning from them and sharing with them my experiences. I always feel that it also reflects on the performance. I discover something new each time,” Goldstein said.
For more information visit, www.csustan.edu/music