Source: Todd Holmberg, 785-532-6425, trholm@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Rosie Hoefling, 785-532-2535, media@k-state.edu

Friday, Nov. 5, 2010

PIANIST JON NAKAMATSU AND CLARINETIST JON MANASSE TO PRESENT CONCERT

MANHATTAN -- Making a return to Kansas State University, award-winning pianist Jon Nakamatsu will present a concert with world-renowned clarinetist Jon Manasse as part of the 2010-2011 McCain Performance Series.

The Manasse-Nakamatsu duo will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, in K-State's All Faiths Chapel.

The concert will feature chamber music selections from the artists' extensive repertoires and discographies. Compositions will include Brahms' Sonata in F Minor for clarinet and piano, Mendelssohn's "Rondo Capriccioso" in E Major and D'Rivera's "Lecuonerias" from "The Cap Cod Files."

Both highly successful artists, Nakamatsu is the gold medalist of the 10th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and Manasse served as principal clarinetist for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Their hundreds of performances include concerto engagements, solo recitals and chamber music collaborations with orchestras, universities and music festivals. Performing these recitals with solo pieces and chamber music written for clarinet and piano, they have entertained audiences around the world.

Tickets are on sale now with prices starting at $13.50 for K-State students, and $27 for the general public. Discounts for K-State faculty and staff, military and children are also available. Tickets can be purchased at the McCain Auditorium box office, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, or by calling 785-532-6428. More information is available online at http://www.k-state.edu/mccain.

A McCain Conversation will precede the evening's performance at 6:30 p.m. in Danforth Chapel. The discussion is free and open to all ticket holders. McCain Conversations are informal, pre-performance discussions designed to inform, educate and engage audience members before some McCain Performance Series events. Discussions sometimes feature a guest appearance by one of the evening's performers.

This event's conversation will feature host lecturer Tod Kerstetter, associate professor of clarinet at K-State. He will discuss the roles of composers Weber and Brahms in the development of the clarinet's repertoire, and how their landmark works were typically written with a specific performer in mind. Kerstetter will focus on how this performer-composer interaction resulted in some of the finest music ever written for clarinet and piano.