Garrick Ohlsson's reputation as a great artist was established at the 1970 Chopin Competition in Warsaw, Poland, when he became the first American to win the gold medal. Fontanadirector David Baldwin, who managed Ohlsson's European concerts when he was a talent agent for ICM, says he is still revered throughout the former Eastern Bloc countries for his dedication to performing there during the Cold War.
Baldwin also says a key to Garrick Ohlsson's greatness is his phenomenal memory. For his Fontana recital, Ohlsson will perform Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op 109, Chopin's Sonata No. 3 in B minor, and a wide selection of pieces by the eccentric virtuoso Alexander Scriabin.
