The U.P. Alpha Sigma Fraternity Alumni Association, Inc. will present U.S-based Filipino pianist Ariel Dechosa in a solo recital at the Philamlife Theatre on July 31, 2009 to raise funds for our UP Scholarship Fund.

Pianist Ariel Dechosa’s program consists of Bach’s Prelude in B Minor, BWV 855a, as arranged by Aleksandr Ziloti; Brahm’s Sonata in F Minor, Opus 5; Prokofiev’s Prelude in C Major, Opus 12, No. 7 and Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Opus 82. His program is insightfully constructed to frame and compare two monuments in the history of the piano sonata. The sonatas on this program are similar in their epical proportion, in the themes of their central arguments, and in the fact that each is a unique manifestation of the technical idiosyncrasies of its composer.

Ariel Francisco Dechosa began his piano studies at the age of ten under Jose Alvarez and later with Carmencita Sipin-Aspiras. After winning in the National Music Competition for Young Artists in Manila (NAMCYA) at age 13, he entered as a full scholar at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City where he subsequently earned both his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees under the tutelage of Professor Arkady Aronov. Upon graduation, he was given the prestigious Harold Bauer Award, the highest prize bestowed to a graduating pianist. He went on to continue his studies at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University where he earned a Graduate Performance Diploma as a pupil of Boris Slutsky. While at Peabody, he was awarded the coveted Zierler Award. He has also taken regular master classes with Leon Fleisher, Paul Badura-Skoda, Vladimir Feltsman, and Ruth Laredo.

A recipient of numerous awards, prizes, and scholarships, Mr. Dechosa won Third Prize in the 1996 Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition, Third Prize in the 1994 Santa Barbara Symphony International Piano Competition, First Prizes in the 1993 Five Towns National Competition and the 1991 Great Neck Symphony Young Artists Competition.

Please feel free to get in touch with our project secretariat, Bro. Michael Nera at +63.918.9822356, +63927.464.55.11, +63.2.6312768 or mnera@upalphasigma.org.