Saint Mary's to host guest pianist Kevin Ayesh Sept. 20

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University guest pianist Dr. Kevin Ayesh will present a free recital at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center. Ayesh has performed throughout the United States and has been the head of the Music Department at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, N.C., since 1992. As a North Carolina Visiting Artist, he appeared before thousands across that state between 1988 and 1992, performing as many as 100 recitals in a season.

During the past two seasons, Ayesh has performed and given master classes at Washington State University, Portland State University, Colorado State University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Tennessee, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the University of Rhode Island, Brevard Community College in Florida, and the Elkader Opera House in Elkader, Iowa.

Ayesh is the recipient of many prizes, including the Naftzger Piano Award and Baltimore Music Club Award; he also won both the JCC Baltimore Piano Competition and the Maryland State Music Teachers’ Elizabeth R. Davis Memorial Piano Competition. He has been a finalist in several national and international competitions, was awarded second prize at the Wideman (Shreveport Symphony) Piano Competition, and won both third prize and Composer's Prize at the New Orleans International Piano Competition.