Mar. 16, 2011

Internationally acclaimed concert pianist, Mariangela Vacatello, a 2009 Van Cliburn Competition finalist, will be performing on her first United States tour at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 7 at Shawnee State University's Vern Riffe Center for the Arts.

Vacatello is winner of numerous awards including winner of the Internet Audience Award at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, 2009; winner of the Top of the World International Piano Competition, 2009; winner of the Laureate Prize at the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition, 2007; second prize winner at the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition, 2005; and second prize winner at the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition, 1999.

Born in Naples, Italy, from a family of musicians, she first performed at the age of five and made her official debut performance at the age of 14 performing Liszt's "1st Piano Concerto" in Milan, Italy, with the Pomeriggi Musicali Orchestra. Since then, she has toured extensively throughout Europe, Mexico and South Africa.

The press has praised her for "steely control, fastidious phrasing, a fine pearly tone, and total mastery" of the piano. She appears at the Vern Riffe Center as part of the Fine Arts Series, sponsored by the Scioto Foundation.

For ticket information, call the McKinley Box Office at (740) 351-3600 or purchase tickets at any Ticketmaster outlet or online.