By Mitch Holt, Staff Writer

The Music Department will offer two free piano recitals during April in the Williams Performing Art Center Recital Hall.

Dr. Richard Shuster, assistant professor of piano at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, will give a piano recital April 2 at 8 p.m. Dr. Sergio Ruiz of Sul Ross State University in Alpine will perform April 22 at 8 p.m.

“Both of these artists will display much virtuosity, and I believe people will be amazed at seeing what a piano can sound like when in the hands of such talented artists,” said Gustavo Tolosa, head of the Music Department’s piano division.

Shuster’s selection of songs will include A Little Midnight Music by George Crumb and Piano Sonata in F minor, Op. 5 by Johannes Brahms. He is a lecturer, teacher, functioning soloist and collaborative artist. His recitals have taken him to Texas, Oklahoma, the eastern United States, Budapest, Berlin and the Caribbean. He has also taught at numerous universities across the United States.

Ruiz will perform a sonata by Mozart, Spanish Dances by Granados, Preludes for Piano by Gershwin, and Sonata for Piano by Barber. In 1998, Ruiz was a finalist at the Carmel Music Society competition and performed with the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra in 1995. Ruiz joined the music faculty at Sul Ross in 2002.

“It is a real privilege to have two pianists of this stature here at ACU,” Tolosa said, “and I hope people will take advantage of this opportunity.”