SMT to welcome improvisation pianist

Pianist John Mortensen, a leader in the international revival of historic improvisation, will bring his talents to Heidelberg University on Friday, Jan. 17. The School of Music & Theatre’s Distinguished Montague Artist will perform a concert beginning at 7 p.m. in Brenneman Music Hall.

True to form, Mortensen will improvise most of his concert program, with the first half featuring historic improvisation and the second half featuring contemporary improvisation.

Mortenson appears frequently as a concert artist and masterclass teacher at colleges and universities in the U.S. and Europe. He is noted for his ability to improvise entire concerts in historic styles, including complex compositions such as Baroque fugues. His book on improvisation is forthcoming soon.

In 2018, Mortensen toured Europe for three months, performing and teaching improvised music at conservatories across the continent. This year, he is planning three international tours through Canada, the United Kingdom and the Baltic states.

Currently, Mortensen serves as professor of piano at Cedarville University, where he was named Faculty Scholar of the Year in 2016.

 The concert is free and open to the public.