MonsterPianos! bringing record number of pianists to UA on March 25

MonsterPianos! is returning to The University of Akron on Sunday, March 25, at 3 p.m., with 41 pianists — the most in the event's history.

The fun, multiple-piano concert will be at UA's E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, 198 Hill St. This is the fifth MonsterPianos! concert presented by the UA School of Music.

Massed pianists from the UA School of Music and the community will perform classical pieces such as Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Brahms' Hungarian Dance, jazz, marches and more. The pianists include Philip Thomson, Mayumi Kikuchi, Rock Wehrmann, Caroline Oltmanns, Danute Liauba, Tatsuya Nagashima, Eleanor Kear, James Praznik, Amy Malyuk and many others.

The program will also include a performance of "Zip It" by UA jazz artist-in-residence Joe Augustine, bassist Tim Powell, and percussionist Sam McKenzie. Students from the UA Jazz Studies Program will join the pianists for Henry Mancini's theme from "Peter Gunn," a popular private-eye television series that aired from 1958 to 1961.

Galen Karriker, director of The University of Akron Marching Band, will conduct. A big-screen “piano cam” will put the audience in the middle of the musical sights and sounds.

Tickets are available in advance from the Thomas Hall Ticket Office at 330-972-7570 and at the door if seats are still available. Regular-price tickets are $10; discount tickets are $8 for seniors, UA faculty/staff/retirees/alumni and parents of UA students; $5 for non-UA students; and free for UA students with Zip Cards. Open seating. For more information visit www.uaevents.com or contact concerts@uakron.edu.