NORMAN LEYDEN TO CONDUCT ALL-BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY SUNDAY CONCERT FEATURING LOCAL PIANO VIRTUOSO CHAD HELTZEL
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Portland, Ore. … Award-winning local pianist Chad Heltzel will perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 when Oregon Symphony Associate Conductor Norman Leyden conducts an all-Beethoven Symphony Sunday concert May 26 at 3 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Media support is provided by the Portland Tribune and KPAM. The Symphony Sunday series, founded by Leyden, includes popular, family-oriented programs, and features Oregon Symphony players and Northwest artists as soloists.

The concert will begin with Beethoven's Overture to "The Creatures of Prometheus," a ballet based on the Greek legend of Titan, who defied the Olympian Gods to bring fire, warmth and enlightenment to mankind. The first half of the concert also will feature Heltzel's performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2. A Portland native, Heltzel was a winner of the "Young Artists at the Schnitz" concerto competition at the age of 15, and performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 at the competition's gala concert. Two years later he was featured in a live performance on Garrison Keillor's National Public Radio program "Prairie Home Companion." Heltzel is currently a student at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada.

Leyden will conduct Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 during the second half of the concert. Written during the zenith of Beethoven's popularity, his Seventh Symphony is renowned for its dark and melancholy second movement.

General admission tickets are $22 for adults, $13 for students, seniors and children (12 and under) and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at 503-228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony's Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.

Chad Heltzel

Heltzel began his piano studies locally with Pauline Eidemiller and Dorothy Fahlman. While a student at Lincoln High School in Portland, he spent his summers at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Interlochen, Mich. He completed high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy, where his teacher was Victoria Mushkatkol. His studies continued with Robert Roux at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. At the Royal Conservatory, Heltzle spent two years as accompanist for the jazz choir and performed solo with the group. He is now a student of John Perry there. He has participated in master classes presented by renowned teachers, including the late Karl Ulrich Schnabel, Leon Fleisher, Claude Frank, Peter Frankel and Lorin Hollander.

At Interlochen Arts Camp, Mr. Heltzel received the Van Cliburn Award, given annually to the camp's most outstanding high school piano student. He was a winner in the concerto competition, performed solo with the symphonic band and on the harpsichord, and accompanied many recitals. At Rice University, he was a concerto competition winner.

In Portland, Mr. Heltzel has performed solo recitals at St. Mary's Cathedral, Trinity Episcopal Church and the Community Music Center. In 1996 he was the featured pianist at the Water Music Festival in Ilwaco, Washington. He has played solo recitals to benefit the Oregon Symphony, Chamber Music Northwest and Oregon Ballet Theater. He was a winner of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's Young Artists Competition, a performance that was aired on television Portions of his solo performance with the Young Artist Concert Series at St. Mary's Cathedral were broadcast statewide, and a performance at First Presbyterian Church was a live radio broadcast. He has been featured in various publications, including Keyboard Magazine.