Pianist and Centralia College alumnus Charlie Albright performs at the Corbet Theatre in Centralia in this April 2017 file photo.
Centralia native Charlie Albright, a world-renowned pianist, has agreed to step in on short notice to fill in for Andrew Tyson who was set to make his northwest debut in Tacoma on Saturday, Nov. 18.
Tyson is suffering from an unforeseen illness and is unable to perform, according to a press release. Solo classical performances take months of preparation, from logistical preparations to months of rehearsal to perform the music. He was set to play Ravel Piano Concerto in G on Saturday at Tacoma’s Pantages Theater, with Sarah Ioannides conducting.
Albright will pick up the piece for Saturday.
“We are delighted and grateful that Charlie is able to join us on such short notice,” said Symphony Tacoma Music Director and conductor Sarah Loannides in a press release.
She collaborated with Albright in a concert with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia earlier this month. During that concert, he demonstrated his well-known talent for improvisation, offering what critic David Patrick Stearns called a “distinctive” improvised version of Beethoven’s “Fur Elise.” The Pacific Northwest native previously appeared with Symphony Tacoma in November 2014.
Albright has been hailed as “among the most gifted musicians of his generation” by The Washington Post. The New York Times praised him for his “jaw-dropping technique and virtuosity meshed with a distinctive musicality.”
The performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, in the Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma. Sponsors include Skelley Piano and Alaska Airlines. Albright’s appearance is underwritten by the Tacoma Philharmonic Endowment Fund, held in trust by the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets, starting at $19.50, call 800-291-7593 or 253-591-5894, or visit symphonytacoma.org.
