Pianist Terrence Wilson made an accidental debut with the TucsonSymphony Orchestra in 2009.
With less than two days' notice, he hopped on a plane from NewYork and made it in time for a quick rehearsal with the TSO beforehe took the stage for an inspired performance of Rachmaninoff'sPiano Concerto No. 3, replacing the ill Italian pianist FabioBidini.
Next weekend, Wilson makes his official TSO debut performingLiszt's Concerto for Piano No. 1.
We caught up with him before the holidays to chat about hisperformance and his first-ever Grammy nomination, for bestclassical recording with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.
First a little background on Wilson: He started playing pianowhen he was 5, fiddling around on his grandfather's piano. Then hismother bought a piano one Christmas, but more as a piece offurniture than a musical instrument.
"I would go over to it and play by ear real simple things that Iheard on the radio," Wilson, 35, recalled. "It was clear that I hada musical ear. And so I asked my parents for permission for pianolessons."
He started with a teacher in the neighborhood when he was 10,but it was quickly apparent that he had a gift. So the familyencouraged him and sacrificed so he could take lessons.
He graduated from Juilliard and has performed around theworld.
Wilson is dedicating his performance to the victims andsurvivors of the Jan. 8 mass shootings in Tucson. Six people werekilled in the attacks, and U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot inthe head.
"I feel it is all the more important to me to express throughmusic my sincere personal solidarity with the Tucson community forwhat has happened," Wilson said in a written release inmid-January. "There is no better place to do that than inTucson."
Congratulations on your Grammy nomination. You'll be here whenthe awards are presented Feb. 13.
"It blows my mind. I can't believe it. This is either thelo! ngest dr eam I've ever had or. . . . It's just wild. I will betrying not to think about that. . . . I'm sure I won't find outuntil after that performance."
Your mom must be proud that her piece of furniture helped launchyour career.
"From the heavens, I think she's very proud and pleased thatI've developed my talent into something that I can make a livingdoing and at the same time doing something that brings me such joyand such passion in life."
When you did the Rach 3 with us, you had just come off doing itin Eugene, Ore.
"Yeah, that's right. I hadn't had such a long history with thepiece, quite honestly, when I went to Tucson. But I had played itrecently enough that it was still in my fingers and ready to go.It's the type of piece that if you learn it at all, you learn itwell. I spent over a year just preparing for that one singleperformance in Eugene. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity toplay it again because it's a mighty project and a mighty piece. Asdaunting as it is, it is so satisfying to play."
Now you return for your official TSO debut playing theLiszt.
"That's a piece that I do have a very long history with playing.Actually, my first professional engagement was with the LisztE-flat Concerto, so it really is an old friend of mine. Back in1989, way back in the 20th century, Riccardo Muti hired me to playthat piece with the Philadelphia Orchestra on a Martin Luther Kingtribute concert. I was all of 14 at that time."
What attracts you to the Liszt?
"Aside from being a real razzily, dazzily showpiece, it reallyis kind of ahead of its time. . . . He was already experimentingand envisioning this form that was kind of a tone poem. He wasalready making his statement about what a piano concerto or anymajor form of a piece is structurally. . . . It's a freer formwithin the context of what we typically think of as a pianoconcerto - a sonata form.
"But it's also just a brilliant piece of music! that re ally usesevery, every nuance and really exploits the possibilities of thedynamic range and expressive possibilities of the piano. And itinvolves the orchestra in a really brilliant way."
You're starting to build a formidable reputation in the UnitedStates. How do you rate abroad?
"I'm trying to work on that. I've been to Europe several timesin the last few years. I was in Brazil a couple months ago. I thinkit's starting to pick up now because I've recently made connectionswith conductors who are music directors in other countries."
A Grammy win could help.
"I would hope that that would open some doors. I would certainlythink so. For me, it's all the more incentive to work really,really hard. The opportunities are going to come, but I still haveto be ready."
Did you do anything else in Tucson when you were here in2009?
"I think I just practiced, practiced, practiced. . . . It wasbittersweet. I was glad to get the gig, but I felt badly forFabio."
If you Go
Tucson Symphony Orchestra "Dancing With Liszt Ravel"
Featuring: Guest pianist Terrence Wilson.
When: 8 p.m. next Friday, 2 p.m. Feb. 13.
Where: Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.
Tickets: $20-$75 through www.tucsonsymphony.org or882-8585.
Liszt's Mephisto Waltz No. 1.
Liszt's Concerto for Piano No. 1 in E-flat major.
Ravel's "Rapsodie espagnole."
Ravel's "La valse."
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@azstarnet.com or 573-44642.
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