Pianist Rowena Arrieta returns to concert stage Sept. 20th
‘Fevered, demonic intensity’ on the keyboard, writes the New York Times
The award-winning pianist, noted by The New York Times for her “fevered, demonic intensity” on the keyboard, is said to be the first Filipino scholar at the Moscow Conservatory of Music. She received her Master’s Degree from the MSC in 1985 with highest honors as a student of Russian National Artist Yevgeny Malinin. She pursued further training at the Manhattan School of Music as a student of Dr. Solomon Mikowsky and as a recipient of the Elva Van Gelder Memorial Scholarship. Her initial training came from renowned Filipino pianists Carmencita Arambulo and Leonila Celino.
Arrieta emerged as a promising musical artist when she won First Place in Piano at the 1976 National Music Competition for Young Artists in the Philippines, which was founded by Imelda Marcos. Rowena, with several other young prodigies, became a favorite musical performer of the former first lady when she entertained foreign visitors at Malacanang.
Poster announcing her 1989 New York debut at Alice Tully Hall
Among her accomplishments, placing fifth at the highly prestigious VII International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. In 1986, she won First Prize at the Jose Iturbi International Piano Competition in Valencia, Spain and the Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition in New York. Her first debut recital in New York was at the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in 1989.
Rowena has been inactive from performing for about 15 years while she raised a family. She and her artist husband live on Long island with their two children.
For her September concert, she will be performing her favorite composers Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Gershwin.
Philippine Pearl is an entertainment company that promotes classical artists and provides a venue for Filipino Americans to appreciate them. The people behind the company are Kimberly Mende Itskov, Paul Policarpio and Cicero Oca. Last year, they presented France-based soprano Armela Fortuna in a debut concert at the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue.
