The Bowdoin Orient

Some professors make music as a hobby—take Racer X, Bowdoin's most well-known faculty band, as an example. Then there are those professors that make music as a career, like Visiting Artist-in-Residence George Lopez.

Lopez will be playing a solo recital next Friday, December 17.

Friday's performance will be Lopez's fourth concert at Bowdoin since assuming a faculty position in 2009. Lopez will be playing classical works by Rachmaninoff, Gershwin and Ginastera.

At Bowdoin, Lopez works as both a performer and an educator. He performs individual concerts, accompanies the Chamber Choir on piano and organ, and instructs advanced students in piano.

"I love that my students are really into music and are devoted to their work," said Lopez. "I also love that there's a lot of support for the students to excel in music."

This semester, Lopez selected six students to study technique and performance with him. The students' performance took place on Wednesday.

Lopez tells audience members to expect "excitement and passion" from his own recital next Friday. Those who have worked with him speak of the excitement he has already brought to campus.

"Because he is a world-class musician and a gifted teacher, he brings to Bowdoin an on-campus source of performance and musical insight that inspires both his students and colleagues," said Chair of the Music Department Robert Greenlee.

Lopez did not start playing music himself until early adolescence. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Belize at age four. His mother encouraged him to start playing the piano at age 11.

"It was discovered that I had a natural ability to play and [I] progressed very rapidly in the first few months," said Lopez.

After moving again to Texas and winning an orchestral competition as a 14 year old, Lopez decided to seriously dedicate himself to a career as a pianist. He began practicing for four hours a day and by the end of high school was playing full-length solo recitals.

"Without that much practice, I wouldn't have been able to play those long recitals," said Lopez. "To sustain that much music from memory is a lot of work."

Lopez received a full scholarship to The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford and graduated with honors. He won a grant to study in Paris for two years and completed his academic studies in Amsterdam, where he graduated with a master's degree cum laude.

Lopez's musical prowess has taken him all around the world. He was invited by The International Holland Music Sessions to go on a world tour and he performed in Paris, London, Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall in New York.

Other artists have reached out to Lopez and gone to great lengths to show their admiration.

Italian composer Romeo Melloni wrote a piano concerto especially for Lopez, who recorded it in Prague with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.

Lopez remembers his favorite performance with fondness and clarity. On July 27, 1991 he performed Bach's Goldberg Variations in a small church in Amsterdam. The performance has stayed with him ever since.

"I experienced something very special that I've been trying to chase down ever since: the sublime," said Lopez.

While Bowdoin is Lopez's home base until 2012—and maybe beyond—he continues to travel for performances around the country and the world. He recently performed in Switzerland and has upcoming concerts in Boston, Dallas and Seattle. Next summer, he will repeat his 1991 Amsterdam Bach performance.

Lopez performs classical and chamber music pieces, but in a variety of styles from ragtime to jazz to gospel. One of his favorite pieces to play is the eternal "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin.

After traveling around the world and giving master classes at colleges around the country, Lopez felt that he wanted to focus more of his time on teaching students. He taught at Bennington College in Vermont before coming to Bowdoin.

"I felt that a college environment was conducive to really artistic work," said Lopez.

Lopez's insight comes from years of experience, commitment and love of music. The greatest lesson he has learned from his career is to constantly seek out performance opportunities.

"Not all schools give you lots of performing opportunity," said Lopez. "The best advice I can give is to love music above all else and perform everywhere, anywhere, and as often as possible."

Lopez will put his own advice to use when he performs on December 17. The concert will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in Studzinski Recital Hall's Kanbar Auditorium.

The recital is free and open to the public.Lopez will be playing a solo recital next Friday, December 17.

Friday's performance will be Lopez's fourth concert at Bowdoin since assuming a faculty position in 2009. Lopez will be playing classical works by Rachmaninoff, Gershwin and Ginastera.

At Bowdoin, Lopez works as both a performer and an educator. He performs individual concerts, accompanies the Chamber Choir on piano and organ, and instructs advanced students in piano.

"I love that my students are really into music and are devoted to their work," said Lopez. "I also love that there's a lot of support for the students to excel in music."

This semester, Lopez selected six students to study technique and performance with him. The students' performance took place on Wednesday.

Lopez tells audience members to expect "excitement and passion" from his own recital next Friday. Those who have worked with him speak of the excitement he has already brought to campus.

"Because he is a world-class musician and a gifted teacher, he brings to Bowdoin an on-campus source of performance and musical insight that inspires both his students and colleagues," said Chair of the Music Department Robert Greenlee.

Lopez did not start playing music himself until early adolescence. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Belize at age four. His mother encouraged him to start playing the piano at age 11.

"It was discovered that I had a natural ability to play and [I] progressed very rapidly in the first few months," said Lopez.

After moving again to Texas and winning an orchestral competition as a 14 year old, Lopez decided to seriously dedicate himself to a career as a pianist. He began practicing for four hours a day and by the end of high school was playing full-length solo recitals.

"Without that much practice, I wouldn't have been able to play those long recitals," said Lopez. "To sustain that much music from memory is a lot of work."

Lopez received a full scholarship to The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford and graduated with honors. He won a grant to study in Paris for two years and completed his academic studies in Amsterdam, where he graduated with a master's degree cum laude.

Lopez's musical prowess has taken him all around the world. He was invited by The International Holland Music Sessions to go on a world tour and he performed in Paris, London, Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall in New York.

Other artists have reached out to Lopez and gone to great lengths to show their admiration.

Italian composer Romeo Melloni wrote a piano concerto especially for Lopez, who recorded it in Prague with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.

Lopez remembers his favorite performance with fondness and clarity. On July 27, 1991 he performed Bach's Goldberg Variations in a small church in Amsterdam. The performance has stayed with him ever since.

"I experienced something very special that I've been trying to chase down ever since: the sublime," said Lopez.

While Bowdoin is Lopez's home base until 2012—and maybe beyond—he continues to travel for performances around the country and the world. He recently performed in Switzerland and has upcoming concerts in Boston, Dallas and Seattle. Next summer, he will repeat his 1991 Amsterdam Bach performance.

Lopez performs classical and chamber music pieces, but in a variety of styles from ragtime to jazz to gospel. One of his favorite pieces to play is the eternal "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin.

After traveling around the world and giving master classes at colleges around the country, Lopez felt that he wanted to focus more of his time on teaching students. He taught at Bennington College in Vermont before coming to Bowdoin.

"I felt that a college environment was conducive to really artistic work," said Lopez.

Lopez's insight comes from years of experience, commitment and love of music. The greatest lesson he has learned from his career is to constantly seek out performance opportunities.

"Not all schools give you lots of performing opportunity," said Lopez. "The best advice I can give is to love music above all else and perform everywhere, anywhere, and as often as possible."

Lopez will put his own advice to use when he performs on December 17. The concert will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in Studzinski Recital Hall's Kanbar Auditorium.

The recital is free and open to the public.