A Steinway Duo-Art concert grand will appear in a world premier movie
about the great pianist and composer Leopold Godowsky.  The showing
is scheduled to take place on March 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rialto
Theater in Santa Rosa, California, just north of San Francisco.

This tribute, entitled "The Buddha of the Piano: Leopold Godowsky,"
was conceived and performed by the well known concert pianist Antonio
Iturrioz.  It is narrated by Dr. Charles Sepos.

After 10 years of preparation, Antonio Iturrioz chose the Steinway
Duo-Art piano recently restored by David Snyder and Tockhwock
(Geoffrey Kaiser) as his "on-stage recording piano", remarking many
times about its smooth, light action and its superb tone.  The process
of restoration of this piano was recently documented in several
articles in the AMICA Bulletin.  There is a short clip of Godowsky
playing the Duo-Art roll of Chopin's Ballade, Op. 23, in G-Minor.

The movie itself has received high acclaim from notables such as Kevin
Bazzana, author of "Wondrous Strange, The Life and Art of Glenn Gould,"
and internationally acclaimed pianist and Godowsky specialist Marc-Andre
Hamelin who said, "Antonio Iturrioz has performed a wonderful service
to music lovers and pianophiles in particular."  Legendary pianist
Byron Janis said, "Many bravos," and pianist Gary Grafmann said,
"A splendid accomplishment!"

Initially we wanted to include complementary DVDs in the AMICA Bulletin
but costs proved prohibitive.  It was hoped that Amicans might help
spur the national PBS television to pick up it up for re-broadcast
on local stations across the country.  Broadcast over KRCB here in the
San Francisco Bay Area should be sometime this spring, though as yet
a final date has not been set.

If you are in the Bay Area and plan to attend, get there early; this
very popular theater often sells out.  This will be a benefit to help
the Collaborative Family Practice Center to provide sliding-scale and
no-fee support to income eligible Sonoma County families in navigating
the divorce process without a court battle and the conflict that
damages children.  Antonio Iturrioz will not be receiving any payment
for this event.

Copies can be ordered at  http://www.theartofthelefthand.com/ 

I would like to encourage pre-event online sales using this link:

  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/99709 

Bruce Grimes

 [ At http://inthedark.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/10269/classical-piano-to-knockout-artists-a-documentary-for-everyone/ 
 [ "The documentary features extended performances by its writer-director,
 [ Antonio Iturrioz, who will be at the Rialto for the screening along
 [ with Dr. Charles Sepos.  The Cuban-born Iturrioz has long been
 [ a Godowsky enthusiast, and when he himself temporarily lost the
 [ use of his right hand he immersed himself in the discipline of the
 [ single-handed works.  The film is instructive if not transporting,
 [ a film made by non-filmmakers; but you can't fault the music, its
 [ performance or the colorful genius who illuminates it."
 [ -- Robbie