Piano Recital: Rockin' Rachmaninoff

A two-piano program devoted to Rachmaninoff explores the composer’s intensity, lyricism and rhythmic drive through works written to be both expansive and sharply personal. Pianists Ana Ivanchenko and Santiago Rodriguez share the stage in a recital centered on Rachmaninoff’s Two-Piano Suites, alongside the Prelude in C-sharp minor, often known as “The Bells of Moscow,” and the composer’s playful Polka.

The program highlights the collaborative nature of Rachmaninoff’s writing for two pianos, where dense textures and sweeping melodies unfold through dialogue rather than display. Ivanchenko, a Frost School of Music faculty member with an international performance career, brings a background shaped by both Eastern European and American concert traditions. Rodriguez, Professor and Chair of Keyboard Performance at Frost, is widely recognized as a leading interpreter of Rachmaninoff’s music and is currently recording the composer’s complete solo piano works.

Piano Recital: Rockin’ Rachmaninoff takes place Saturday, January 31 at UM Gusman Concert Hall. The performance is part of the Frost School of Music’s Signature Events lineup for the 2025-2026 season, which spotlights distinguished artists, faculty and guest collaborators across a wide range of musical genres.