"Fazioli" - is it a new pasta, the Fonz's cousin from Sicily or a wonderful little bistro in Napoli?
Of course it's none of the above - it's the 9-foot F278 concert grand piano that starred at this year's Gina Bachauer competition. The piano is handcrafted in Italy and its spruce sounding board comes from the Fiemme forest - reputed to be source of the same magical wood used in Stradivarius violins.On Saturday, Dec. 3, this world-class concert instrument is bringing together the concert technician for the Utah Symphony, the Anasazi Valley Foundation and a young man who recently performed at Aaron Spelling's home in Beverly Hills, receiving a standing ovation from England's Prince Charles.
A series of benefit concerts (for details, please see box) will take place at Baldassin Performance Pianos, 70 S. Orchard Drive in North Salt Lake. Rick Baldassin is concert technician for the Utah Symphony and the Intermountain dealer for Fazioli grand pianos.
The first concert is Saturday at 7 p.m. and features Dustin Gledhill, a 14-year-old Utah Valley virtuoso who has played with the Boca Raton, Fla.; Grand Junction, Colo.; San Diego and Utah symphonies. Dustin began picking out tunes on the piano at age 4 and now studies with Irene Peery in Provo. He will perform Liszt, Ravel, Chopin, Prokofiev and Beethoven.
Billie Tuttle, Lehi, is a supporter of the Anasazi Valley Foundation and coordinator of the benefit concerts. She recently had the opportunity to play the Fazioli and said, "Whatever you want from the piano you get it, and there's always more. No one has really played it to the hilt. There is so much power and subtlety because of the way it's made. In a Rachmaninoff concerto, the symphony overpowers the piano. If they were playing a Fazioli, that would never happen." Her husband, David, serves on the board of trustees for the foundation and helped arrange for the piano to stay in Utah.
The Anasazi Valley Foundation was formed to meet basic learning and spiritual healing needs of homeless, abused and at-risk children focusing primarily with American Indian youths 13-18 years of age. The foundation is committed to purchasing land and building a learning center for classwork, training and housing.
"Indians were given the least choice land that we could find," said executive director Clarissa Griffith, St. George. "They would give us their best furs, best beadwork for the least desirable thing we could give them. The foundation will teach them with love and offer excellence in vocational training and healing from a loving environment and atmosphere. We will build a center in southern Utah where there were ancient civilizations. We will capitalize on the talents and skills they are born with. They will grow their own food, working with Mother Earth. Studies show healing in abused children working with the earth."
For information about the Anasazi Valley Foundation, contact Clarissa Griffith, 295 N. Main, St. George, UT 84770, (801) 673-0301.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Benefit concerts
The Anasazi/Fazioli benefit concerts for American Indian youths will begin at 7 p.m. on several upcoming Saturdays at Baldassin Performance Pianos, 70 S. Orchard Drive, North Salt Lake, 292-4441. Tickets are a suggested donation of $10, and more will be deeply appreciated. John Prazen will display two sculptures for sale, and Indian prints will be available for purchase.
Dec. 3: Dustin Gledhill, piano (see story).
Jan. 21: Drinkall/Baker, cello-piano duo, Beethoven to Saint Saens.
Feb. 25: Lara Lambert, piano, winner of prizes for solo and chamber music.
March 11: Paul Pollei, originator of Gina Bachauer competition.
April 22: Massimiliano Frani, piano, winner of first prize in Italian Albenga National Piano Competition.