A mixed audience of local fans and music majors gathered to hear the accomplished pianist Peter Longworth perform classical pieces in the Davis Concert Hall on Wednesday.

"I couldn't believe the sounds that came out when he sat down to play," said Marilyn Russell, a local retired teacher. "It sounded like they were produced by more than just a piano. I'm so glad I came."

Longworth currently lives in Canada and has performed extensively in North America and Europe.

He is currently on the faculty at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and was a finalist in the prestigious Ferruccio Busoni Piano Competition in Italy.

Probably the most powerful piece in his repertoire was Ludwig van Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" (Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2), which he performed in its entirety for the delighted audience. He was able to capture the intensity of Beethoven without overwhelming the music with the drama of the piece.

"The 'Moonlight Sonata' has gained the horrible reputation of being 'over-played,' but only the first movement is usually heard," said music minor Brianna McNall. "This was my first chance to hear the whole piece performed live, and [it was] really exciting to hear it played by a pianist as wonderful as Mr. Longworth."

Similar to UAF maestro Eduard Zilberkant, Longworth has a masterful stage presence. His intensity at the piano is highlighted by the way he seems to say the chords as he plays them which echoes Zilberkant's conducting style.

He jokingly referred to the movement of his lips during his performances, calling it "Speaking in Tongues," and explained that he doesn't know why he does it.

He also performed pieces by Schubert, Mozart, Bach-Busoni, Brahms, and Liszt. When pressed to pick a favorite among the piece performed he refused, explaining: "They all feel like old friends. It's almost like having to choose between your children, even if you had a favorite you wouldn't want to say it aloud."

Hannah Wagar, a sophomore piano performance major, took notes during the performance and was effusive about it afterwards. "He is truly a master of beauty in dissonance, suspending every harmony until just the right moment for release," Wagar said.

The next performer in the Connoisseur Recital series is cellist Andres Diaz on Feb. 22.