by Jarrett Hoffman
In response to current events, pianist Michael Lu will begin his free, live-streamed recital on the 5pm Series (Friday, June 19 at 5:00 on Facebook) with the Andante second movement of Florence Price’s Piano Sonata in e. He will then continue with his previously scheduled program: Liszt’s Rhapsodie Espagnole, Franck’s Prelude, Choral, et Fugue, and Beethoven’s Sonata No. 32 in c.
Lu is dedicating the concert to Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, “and every single member of the African-American community whose lives and futures were cut short because of the cruelty of a broken system that for centuries has failed them,” the pianist said during a recent conversation.
For every donation made to the 5pm Series for Lu’s concert, he will match it in giving up to a total of $200 to the NAACP. He will also donate all of his proceeds to the International Rescue Committee (35%), the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (30%), and back to the 5pm Series (35%) “to help increase the reach of their platform and support professional musicians during these difficult times with the coronavirus pandemic.”