Ikeobasi Ezike
RICHMOND, VA | AGE 21
REPERTOIRE
ROUND 1:
J.S. BACH/FRANZ LISZT: Prelude and Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543
BÉLA BARTÓK: Romanian Dances Op. 8a No. 1 and 2
ROUND 2:
FLORENCE PRICE: Fantasie Négre No. 4
CÉCILE CHAMINADE: Étude de Concert, Op. 35 No. 2 "Automne"
SEMI-FINALS:
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op 90
FRANZ LISZT: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN: Ballade No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Op. 47
MANUEL PONCE: Intermezzo No. 1 in E Minor
CONCERTO:
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS: Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 44
BIOGRAPHY:
Ikeobasi Ezike is a deeply passionate pianist who began his studies at the tender age of 6. Initially placed into piano lessons by his mother, he developed a strong passion for classical music with the inspiration of old classical music CDs that were kept in his house that he had later found and kept in his room. He would listen to these CDs almost every night, and the impression was so strong on him that he thoroughly convinced himself that he no longer wanted to simply listen to music; rather, he wanted to be able to recreate what he heard on the piano. This passion for piano allowed him to advance in skill, eventually earning him a place at the excellent High School of the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston where he won a number of awards, including the HMTA piano ensemble competition. Currently, he studies piano performance at Baylor University under Dr. Bradley Bolen where he enjoys collaborative piano, giving solo piano performances, and achieving successes that include his 2nd place victory in the national MTNA piano competition and being a finalist in the Weatherford International piano competition.
