Piano hammers will fly as faculty from Oberlin College's Conservatory of Music grace the stage of Kimbrough Concert Hall.

Pianists Angela Cheng and Alvin Chow will present the duo piano recital at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, in Kimbrough Concert Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

Both Cheng and Chow are faculty members at the Oberlin College's Conservatory of Music.

The concert will feature Aaron Copland’s "El Salon Mexico,” Maurice Ravel’s "La Valse,” Claude-Achille Debussy’s "Petite Suite,” Johannes Brahms’ "Hungarian Dances,” Antonín Leopold Dvorak’s "Slavonic Dances” and Darius Milhaud’s "Scaramouche.”

“We have no favorites on the program,” Chow said. “They are pieces that we love to perform.” 

Chow said duo-playing seemed like a natural thing to do.

"The fact that we have had the same teachers for a large part of our education helps a great deal,” Chow said. “We can rehearse quickly and efficiently; not only is there a musical 'shorthand' in that we have a similar musical vocabulary, but we also see and hear things similarly."

Chow and Cheng said they think the duo-piano repertoire presents many problems in terms of ensemble playing.

"It is the only kind of chamber music where you have to share the instrument, and deciding the pedaling and balancing on a single piano can be very difficult,” he said. “It certainly develops trust in your partner."

Chow said he has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Israel Philharmonic, Boston Pops, Buffalo Philharmonic and the symphonies of Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, St. Louis, Houston, San Diego, In dianapolis, Syracuse, Utah and Colorado.

Chow, chair of the piano department at Oberlin, has appeared throughout North America and Asia as orchestral soloist and recitalist, he said. He has performed extensively in duo-piano recitals.

Associate professor of music Jeff Savage said music majors will be able to interact closely with the guest artists in a master class Saturday before the concert.

“Being able to play for great artists and get their feedback is invaluable for a developing musician,” Savage said. “Students have very few opportunities to hear artists of this level on the Palouse. Likewise, hearing them in the evening concert will provide more insight and understanding, as they put into practice the things they will likely discuss in the afternoon.”

Savage said for the general student population, a concert like this provides an opportunity to explore in a very engaging and intimate way a cultural art that is perhaps unfamiliar to many.

Assistant professor of music Karen Savage said this recital provides the public a unique opportunity to hear two concert artists perform at a high caliber of musical artistry.

“They are well-known and highly respected artists, touring internationally as performers and teachers, so we're very fortunate that they have made time come here,” Savage said. “Angela is one of the few true concert pianists in the world, playing over 40 concerts per year with prominent orchestras, and Alvin directs the piano department at Oberlin.”

Savage said she hopes students will be exposed to a high level of performance, nuance, expert musicianship and ensemble playing.