Grace Goudy Distinguished Artists Series presents pianist Jon Kimura Parker

On Tuesday, November 4th, 7:30 p.m. in Willamette University’s Rogers Music Center, Hudson Concert Hall, the Grace Goudy Distinguished Artists Series presents pianist Jon Kimura Parker.

"Jon Kimura Parker...Has never performed as intimately and imaginatively in Portland as he did Sunday. Parker played like a one-man orchestra, calling forth different colors and textures as the music required."  —The Oregonian

Parker is the recipient of many international awards, and has won famous international competitions, including the prestigious Leeds International Pianoforte Competition in 1984 at the age of 24. Parker received the National Arts Centre Award in 1996, a companion award of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.

Parker has appeared as soloist with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Bergen Philharmonic, the Berlin Radio Symphony, the Bournemouth Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Scottish National Orchestra, the Warsaw Philharmonic, the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, as well as every major Canadian orchestra. Parker has performed for the US Supreme Court, Queen Elizabeth II, and Prime Ministers of Canada and Japan. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1999. Parker has recorded works by Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. His recordings appear on CBC Records and the Telarc labels, among others.

The program will feature: Sonata in D Major KV 311 — W.A. Mozart, Sonata op 57  "Appassionata" — L.V.Beethoven, "Jeux d'Eau"— Ravel, “Got a Match?” — Chick Corea, “Memories in an Ancient Garden” — Alexina Louie, "China Gates" — John Adams, and "Blues Etude" — Oscar Peterson.

Parker's masterclass for WU students will be on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 9:10 am in Hudson Hall. Admission is free and open to the public to observe.

Tickets may also be purchased in person at the lobby box office on the evening of the performance.