- Orrett Rhoden recital at UWI to include T-shirt sales
Jamaicans are all eagerly anticipating the appearance of Jamaican concert pianist Orrett Rhoden at the University of The West Indies Chapel, Mona, on Monday at 6:45 p.m., but there is more.
Not only is Rhoden giving a piano recital, performing works from his latest Double Souvenir discs which include works from Galuppi,Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Ravel, Chopin and Rhoden's own arrangement of Bob Marley's One Love, he will also be launching his line of fiveoriginal T-shirts bearinghis personalslogans.
The idea of marketing Rhoden's T-shirts camenaturally after a successful trip to Los Angeles recently where he completed the final editing of his newestrecordings. Those recordings were done earlier in New York and were widely rumoured to be works with Grammy potential.
Rhoden will launch five T-shirts along with his bold CD on November 14, as his contributionin helping topromoteyet another uniquearea in marketing Jamaica to the international classical music audience.
"This will be a first for Jamaica and, indeed, for classical music across the world," said Rhoden.
Headlines Delivered to Your Inbox
The T-shirts, 'RHODENOWSKI', 'COME BACH TO JAMAICA', 'FROM BACH TO ORRETT', 'AMBITION: CARNEGIE HALL-DESTINATION: CORONATION MARKET' and 'RUM, BUM AND HARMONICA', are all Rhoden's original ideas.
Where the name came from
Rhoden got the nickname Rhodenowski in 1980after he became a student of thelate Mme Rosalyn Tureck,who for decades receivedinternational acclaimas 'The High Priestess of Bach'.
Rhoden was so impressed and inspired after hearing Miss Tureck perform in anall-Bach recitalat the Maryland Piano Competition-Festival in 1979, whereRhoden himself was a young competitor, that he set out tomake contact with Tureck, who was then signed to Columbia Artist Management International (CAMI) in New York.
Upon ringing CAMI soon after, he was abruptly informed that it was quite impossible to obtain Mme Tureck's telephone number, as her calls were closely guarded.
Rhoden didn't give up. Within hours,he rang back, only this timemustering his finest British accent, sounding a bit like an old war veteran, he cleared his throatthen said, "This is Professor Rhodenowski. I am a dear, dear old friend of Rosalyn and I seem tohave misplaced her number. Would you mind giving it to me again, please?" The reply was instant. "Why, certainly, Professor, I would be more thanhappy to give you Mme Tureck's number!"
The rest is history as, after an inspiring conversation which lasted for almostan hour, Mme Tureck immediately invited young Rhoden to play in her master class a week later, which took place in her Upper East SideManhattan apartment.
Some of the finest talents and Bachscholars from all over the worldwere gathered, anxiously awaiting the entrance of the 'High Priestess'froman innerroom. After a warm welcome, she then announced, "There is a Professor Rhodenowski here to play ... Mr Rhodenowski, could you identify yourself and come forward?"
Orrett Rhoden froze for a second and, after he hadseemingly fallen through a hole in the seat of his pants, put up his hand. Tureck's eyes spun round, trying to disguise her unexpected surprise,as if expecting to see a blond, blue-eyed Pole, butinstead an olive-skinned, kinky-haired, brown-eyed Jamaican.
Rhodenowski did indeed impressMiss Tureck with hisrendition of a Bach Toccata. Later that evening, Orrett Rhoden confessed to herthe real story of his ordeal in getting through to CAMI, which the great master found hilarious and charming. All was forgiven andRhoden was given a full scholarship to study withTureck,subsequently makinghis first trip to England to study with her at Oxford University during the summer of 1980.
Since then, Rhoden haswon acclaim in Europeand North America for his Bach interpretations on the modern piano. Interestingly, Rhoden will record his interpretation of Bach on keyboards early next year.
Rhoden will also play an all-Bach recital at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in the spring of 2012.
The other four T-shirtsalso have their own fascinatinganecdotes and will be on sale at The University Chapel on Monday, following Rhoden's recital at 6:45 p.m.
Tickets for the recital may be bought from Music Mart on Constant Spring Road and are available at the door.
