Andre Loss, a renowned Brazilian pianist, will perform a solo piano recital on the mainstage at the Francis Marion University (FMU) Performing Arts Center (PAC) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7.

      There are 100 free student tickets available in advance, and adult tickets are $15.

      Thursday, Feb.6, Loss will present a master class for students tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. in the black box theatre at the PAC.

      Loss first visited the university and performed in the Kassab Recital Hall in the Fine Arts Center (FAC) while on tour in the U.S. in 2012.

      Dr. Paolo Gualdi, assistant professor of music, said Loss’s performance was a success then, so he decided to invite him back this year to perform at the PAC.

      Loss will open his performance with a Mozart sonata. Gualdi said this piece will be “more familiar” to most people.

      Afterward, the audience can expect two major sets during Loss’s performance, the first by Villa Lobos, a Brazilian composer.  The set is called “The Baby Family,” which gives a musical representation of a doll.  

      “It’s not very often that you see a Brazilian pianist playing music from a Brazilian composer, so this will be interesting for people to come and see,” Gualdi said.

      The second half of the performance is dedicated to “The 4 Baladas,” music from composer Frederick Chopin.

      In his native country, Loss has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work. He has toured in North and South America, and has performed recitals at several universities in the U.S.

      Loss is an associate professor of piano and piano literature at the Music Department of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Gualdi said the university is “one of the most prestigious universities in Brazil.”

      According to his website, Loss leads a “project of recovery” where he is bringing awareness to eighteenth century and pre-romantic works for keyboard and piano.

      This project allowed him to be the first Brazilian pianist to perform the Concertino for Piano and Orchestra by Austrian composer and pianist Johann Nepomuk Hummel.

      Gualdi encouraged students to come to the performance and if they have not already, visit the PAC for the first time.

      “The PAC is beautiful,” Gualdi said. “This is a great opportunity for [students] to get in free and enjoy a beautiful evening of music.”

            To reserve tickets, call the PAC at (843) 661-4444, and for more information concerning this performance, email Gualdi at pgualdi@fmarion.edu or visit Loss’s website at www.andreloss.com.br/home.