Steinway Piano Series

Celebrating its 10th Anniversary Season, the PSU Steinway Piano Series welcomes the "suave and gifted pianist" (New York Times)  Dmitry Rachmanov in a spring residency. Praised by Brussels' Le Soir as an “indisputable musician,” Rachmanov is Chair of Keyboard Studies at California State University, Northridge, and has appeared at major venues including Carnegie Hall and Southbank Centre. In his recital Mystics and Romantics, Rachmanov explores the expressive breadth of the Romantic tradition, pairing beloved works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Frédéric Chopin with the evocative sound world of Russian composers including Alexander Scriabin and Sergei Rachmaninoff, alongside rarely heard music by Varvara Gaigerova and Bogdana Filz. Known for performances of exceptional color, focus, and emotional depth, Rachmanov brings this rich repertoire vividly to life.

Celebrating 10 Years!

Founded in 2015 and directed by piano professor Dr. Susan Chan, the PSU Steinway Piano Series brings internationally recognized performers and educators to Portland for a weekend of public recitals and master classes each year. Acting as a bridge between world-class stages and the college classroom, the series elevates awareness for PSU’s outstanding music program while providing students and concertgoers with access to a broad spectrum of the highest level professional pianists performing today.

"One of the secretly best concert series in Portland...

[PSU’s Steinway Series] brings an impressive array of some of the best pianists alive to the city for concerts and masterclasses...

"For students, this [series] offers a broader perspective of what music one can perform as a concert pianist. The classics are still there, of course, but augmented and placed within a broader context of a globalized, musical world."

- Oregon ArtsWatch

American pianist Chad R. Bowles commands a vast repertoire and effortless technique. He has performed hundreds of recitals across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, earning critical acclaim for his albums on JRI Recordings devoted to Haydn, Liszt, Strauss, and the Chopin and Liszt B-minor sonatas. He is artist faculty and Chair of Piano at Peabody Preparatory and Co-Director of the Peabody Piano Academy. In 2019 he was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame, and in 2021 was named a Master Teacher for Portland Piano International’s Tholen Fellowship program.

Above photo by John Rudoff.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

The PSU Steinway Piano Series is sponsored by the Arima Schumann Fund of Schwab Charitable, Ausplund Tooze Family Foundation, Layzell Family Foundation, Steinway & Sons Portland, and other donors with additional support from PSU College of the Arts and PSU School of Music & Theater.