Feb. 23, 2006 -- As one of the Riceland Distinguished Performance Series events, the sensational European piano duo of Genova & Dimitrov will perform at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro on Thursday, March 9.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., as the piano duo shows off both of the Fowler Center’s concert grand pianos. Genova & Dimitrov have been called “the most successful young piano duo of today,” in recent reviews.

Aglika Genova and Liuben Dimitrov first began piano lessons at the age of five and held their first solo performances with orchestras at the age of nine. They have been playing together for 10 years, meeting by accident at the Music Academy in Germany. One day while practicing for solo competitions, they discovered only one practice room was available with two pianos. Forced to practice together in preparation for their respective solo competitions, the two warmed-up together with Chopin Etude op. 25 No. 11. And, the duo was born.

They have won six international competitions, including the Bellini Chamber Music Competition in Italy and the Piano Duo Competition in Tokyo. They have released eight CD’s to rave reviews and were featured performers at the opening of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and at the World Exposition EXPO 2000 in Hanover, Germany.

During the first three years of the duo’s existence, Genova & Dimitrov won all the renowned piano competitions. Shortly thereafter, the duo’s sensational international concert career began. Their performances have been highly acclaimed by concert goers with standing ovations and by the entertainment and news media with outstanding reviews.

Genova & Dimitrov have performed all around the world, participating in hundreds of festivals and concerts. Their special appearances and awards include the World Exposition, the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and they were listed in Who’s Who in Germany in 1998 and being named “Musicians of the Year 2001.”

The piano duo’s most recent CD “America for Two,” which was released last year, features Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein.

In addition to the concert on March 9, Genova & Dimitrov will hold a master class on March 10 for ASU music students. Their performance in Jonesboro follows a concert at Clemson University in South Carolina. And, following the Fowler Center concert, Genova & Dimitrov will be off to perform at several venues in South Africa.

The Fowler Center concert program will include compositions by Brahms, Rachmaninov, Busoni, Ravel, and Gershwin.

Performance tickets may be purchased by calling 870-972-2781 or 1-888-278-3267, or online at http://tickets.astate.edu.

Prices are $30 and $20 for adults; $23 and $15 for ASU faculty and staff, senior adults, and K-12 students; with a special ASU student rate of $10 and $6.

The next Fowler Center Series concert will be the Sonos Handbell Ensemble on Tuesday, March 28, and the final concert of the season will be the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performing on Friday, April 21.