Russian Pianist, Local Dancer to Perform at U of A's Faulkner Center

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Ilya Yakushev

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Award-winning Russian pianist Ilya Yakushev will present a concert of classical solo works at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, at the Jim and Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center, 453 N. Garland Ave. on the University of Arkansas campus.

His program will include Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Mussorgsky’s original solo piano version of Pictures at an Exhibion. For his performance of Tchaikovsky’s Sentimental Waltz, Yakushev will be joined on stage by dancer Lindsey Strok, who has called Northwest Arkansas home since 2010 and danced with the Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre.

Ticket prices range from $10-$20 and can be purchased here, at the Faulkner Center box office or by phone at 479-575-5387, from 1:30-5 p.m. weekdays.

Yakushev will also hold a masterclass for U of A piano majors from 10-11 a.m. Friday, April 26, at the Faulkner Center that is also open to the public.

Ilya Yakushev has performed solo and with orchestras in North America, Europe and Asia. He won his first award at age 12 in the Young Artists Concerto Competition in his native St. Petersburg, and other awards include winner of the 2005 World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended the Rimsky-Korsakov College of Music in St. Petersburg and the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He is a Yamaha artist.

Lindsey Strok, originally from Kansas City, began dancing at the age of nine, developing her passion and love for dance. She attended Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City and danced as a principal dancer and choreographer with iPourLife Productions. She moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2010 and danced with the Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre before joining Ballet Frontier of Texas.

About the Jim and Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center: The Jim and Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center is a 500-plus seat state-of-the-art venue dedicated to providing a community-centered approach to the performing arts. In addition to hosting acclaimed artists and performers, the Faulkner Center is also home to the University of Arkansas music department's large ensembles. With an impressive offering of renowned performers and culturally relevant events, the Faulkner Center excels in its mission of contributing to education and excellence, helping build a new generation of artists and patrons.

About the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with three schools, 16 departments and 43 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2.7 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.