Welcome to ‘The Music Room’ with our 1st highlighted episode: pianist Michael Ponti

The Munro Review kicks off a special collaboration with the Fresno Free College Foundation to draw attention to a wonderful archival resource. (It seems a perfect time to do so, considering that most of us are quarantined from live performance these days, and we’re relying on the digital world to remain connected to culture.) From 1978 to 1989, a locally televised Fresno series titled “The Music Room” featured some of the great pianists of the day. The 30-minute television program originated with the late pianist Philip Lorenz. He was professor of music at California State University, Fresno and was artistic director of the Keyboard Concerts series, which was under the sponsorship of the foundation for 15-years.

Thanks to the foundation’s board, and in particular to Alex Vavoulis, the executive producer of “The Music Room,” I’ll be highlighting the archive of videos on a biweekly basis.

The first program was broadcast on the Fresno PBS station in 1978 featuring Michael Ponti, a world-renowned pianist who was in Fresno to perform for Keyboard Concerts. The program includes Mozart’s Sonata in F Major, K. 332; and Wagner/Liszt’s Festspeil and Wedding March. You can find all the videos on the foundation’s website.

‘The Music Room’ Episode 1: Michael Ponti

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