Nicolas Altstaedt and Alexander Lonquich to perform as part of Music at Noon

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt prides himself on his versatility as an artist. It’s a trait that’s emblematic of all his concerts.

“Altstaedt was an inventive and creative partner; all the time he seemed to be listening keenly, whether he was playing or not. And he varied his tone and phrasing in fascinating ways, sometimes dropping down to a whisper in order to let the orchestra have its say. He also added a fascinating cadenza of his own to the first movement. His technical command was dazzling in the racing finale,” wrote David Weininger in The Boston Globe.

Altstaedt’s versatility will be on display on Tuesday, Feb. 23, when he performs as part of Music at Noon: The Logan Series. He will be joined by classical pianist Alexander Lonquich. The performance takes place at noon in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building. Admission is free, and reserved parking for audience members will be available in the Reed lot.

Altstaedt is known for his deep commitment to contemporary music. He was the first to perform the concertos by Wolfgang Rihm, Georg Friedrich Haas and Nico Muhly. For 2016 and 2017, he will be the Artist in Residence at the Duisburg Philharmonic in Duisburg, Germany.

Lonquich performs as both a soloist and conductor. In addition to Altstaedt, he has played with partners that include Vilde Frang, Nils Mönkemeyer, Joshua Bell and Renaud and Gautier Capuçons.

Music at Noon: The Logan Series was founded by Kay Logan in 1989 and receives major support from Mrs. Logan. Additional funding is provided by the Penn State Behrend student activity fee, and the program also receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information about The Logan Series or Nicolas Altstaedt’s appearance, contact series director Gary Viebranz at 814-898-6289 or email [email protected].