For four decades, pianist and teacher Donald Hageman has enhanced the cultural atmosphere of Dayton, Ohio—and the entire Midwest—by offering pianists of artistic distinction on his Soirées Musicales series. Since the series' inception, over ninety pianists have graced its roster, and many have been so warmly received that Dayton audiences have requested their return on three or four separate occasions. The Soirées has provided the Midwestern debut for many of these artists, and a large number have gone on to achieve recognition throughout the world. To date, the series has offered a podium to pianists such as Frank Braley, Constance Carroll, Nigel Coxe, Steven DeGroote, Janina Fialkowska, Kotaro Fukama, Kemal Gekic, Angela Hewitt, Eric Himy, Aleck Karis, Yaron Kohlberg, Anne Koscielny, Petronel Malan, Spencer Myer, Garrick Ohlsson, Caio Pagano, Roberto Plano, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Sergey Schepkin, Dan Franklin Smith, Cédric Tiberhien, tenor Jon Frederic West with Jerome Rose, Juana Zayas, and many others of international distinction. In addition, the Soirées has offered the area premieres for contemporary works by composers such as Adams, Birtwistle, Boulez, Carter, Messiaen, Prokofieff, Sessions, Shostakovitch, and Stravinsky. The guiding philosophy of the Soirées Musicales has been to celebrate the artistry of the piano by presenting performers of rare distinction, many of whom have traveled uniquely individualistic paths of accomplishment. Happily, that philosophy has been warmly embraced over the years by its audience, which has proven to be one of the most knowledgable and appreciative in America.

—Mark Stryker, The Dayton Daily News

All concerts for the 2009-2010 Season are held at the beautiful Shiloh Church, located at Philadelphia Drive and North Main Street in Dayton. All concerts begin at 8 pm. Shiloh Church’s large, well-equipped sanctuary is one of the most desirable acoustical environments in the Miami Valley, and it is conveniently located with extensive parking.

Click here for directions

Petronel Malan

"Malan dazzled the audience with a strong rendition of Rachmaninoff’s Sonata no. 2. With bravura playing, she tore through the work with fierce intensity, resulting in a deeply moving performance."

—The New Orleans Times-Picayune

Jens Elvekjaer


"The instrument’s rich spectrum of timbres was evident in Jens Elvekjaer´s magnificent performance of Ravel´s Gaspard de la Nuit. With dazzling control of touch he transparently and elegantly presented the piece so that the different sound layers could play with each other on equal terms.”

—Jyllandsposten (Denmark's largest newspaper)

Juana Zayas

"She played with color, with technique to burn, with a good deal of individuality . . . like Joseph Lehvinne or Ignaz Friedman, she never broke the line by over-interpretation. . . . It was altogether an imposing feat, and it may be that we have with us a Chopin pianist to the manner born.”

—Harold Schonberg, The New York Times

Justin Bird


New Zealand's "Young Musician of the Year" for 2002

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SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 2010

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Eric Himy


"As for the Ravel Miroirs, I have never heard the five pieces done better. The echo effects in Oiseaux tristes are what you dream of, and the liquid quality of Une barque sur l'océan invites you to listen over and over again. Even the passages of the single-line melody in Alborada have an indescribably exotic atmosphere in Himy's subtle moulding."

—BBC Music Magazine

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SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2010

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Anderson & Roe



"Phrasings tapered across the instruments; harmonies blended sumptuously; articulations were perfectly matched in weight and color. . . . Their playing connected viscerally with the crowd."

—Fort Worth Star-Telegram