The Performing Arts Series at Rhode Island College presents “Dynamic Duo: Jordan Rudess and Judith Lynn Stillman” on Dec. 15 at the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts. The two-piano concert will feature works by Mozart and Brahms, and a special treat for Dream Theater fans.
Rudess is best known as the keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist for the platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated progressive rock band Dream Theater. Stillman, the artist-in-residence at Rhode Island College, is an internationally-acclaimed award-winning concert pianist, composer and filmmaker, and is Wynton Marsalis’ pianist on Sony Classical.
Stillman and Rudess met in Juilliard’s pre-college program and have been friends ever since, despite the different directions their careers have taken. As Stillman put it, “We’ve been friends for so long that I have fond memories of entertaining guests at the piano at Jordan’s Bar Mitzvah.”
The multimedia concert is designed for fans of classical music and Dream Theater, who might enjoy seeing a different side of Rudess, one that takes him back to his classical roots.
Rudess said, “It’s taken a lot of shredding, I mean practicing, leading up to this special evening, with so much new repertoire to learn, but I am beyond thrilled to be taking the stage with my dear friend Judith Lynn Stillman. We met as 9-year-olds when we were piano students in Juilliard’s pre-college division. Through the years, although our careers have taken very different paths, we have stayed connected in our shared love of piano.”
Stillman remarked: “The combustible energy of making music with Jordan Rudess, my dear friend and colleague from childhood to the present, is a phenomenon. I think the audience will be swept up in the enchanting vibes and palpable excitement. Whether it’s Brahms, Mozart, ragtime or a Dream Theater tune, Jordan and I try to give our wholehearted passion and love for music to every note.
“Finding an evening when we were both free to present a concert together is a rare occurrence, so we hope you will all join us for this momentous occasion.”
The concert, on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m., takes place at the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts on the Rhode Island College campus, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence. Tickets may be purchased at 401-456-8144 or ric.edu/pfa/Pages/orderinfo.aspx.
LEV POPLOW is a communications consultant. He can be reached at levpoplow@gmail.com.