Inside the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum on Oct. 11, the atmosphere was a harmony of light, form and sound, showcasing the work of one of Nevada's most notable multidisciplinary artists. Within this stillness, RDA Performs, the museum's first concert series, presented "Piano Portraits: A Piano Duet Dialogue," featuring pianists Dr. Alexandria Le and Philip Fortenberry.
David Benoit's creative spirit burst forth as he composed "The Three-Finger Waltz" at age 6 and, at 11, wrote a composition for bassoon and harpsichord. Music seemed to flow through Benoit's veins because his father, Robert Bryan Benoit, played jazz guitar and exposed his son to jazz music.
Whitney Phoenix is a master of piano artistry. He studied piano from age 8, and spent many of his formative years practicing eight hours a day.
When just three-years-old, Alexandria Le started piano lessons. By the time she was twelve, she had pinpointed a challenging career path as an established concert pianist. And like so many all-stars, she focused all her youthful energy on that dream.
David Loeb, director of the Division of Jazz and Commercial Music and a professor of music at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Music, is a multifaceted talent in many genres.
