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Johnny and Chris Rice, each of whom is a concert pianist and a concert cellist, are performing with another concert pianist, Christina Shatuho from Tallinn, Estonia, in a concert at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church on Sunday, August 17 at 3:00 PM.
During the past year and one-half, Johnny and Chris Rice were each named a gold medalist at an international Chopin competition, and as a result will perform in Carnegie Hall in November of this year. They have performed throughout the United States and Europe, and have just returned from a month in Europe, performing and working with outstanding teachers in Poland, Austria and Hungary.
They have a profound appreciation for all kinds of music including Gospel, jazz, ragtime, and Boogie Woogie, in addition to the great classical composers, such as Chopin, Liszt, and Beethoven. Chris performed the famous Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 for Doug Benton, the Director of Music Ministries at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church, for his 50th Anniversary of Professional Church Music last spring.
Their very special guest, Christina Shatuho, is from Estonia. She has been invited to study in Moscow, but began to think about coming to the United States to study, instead. The Rice family, which had become familiar with her wonderful artistry, decided to sponsor Christina in her first visit to America. She flew with them from Warsaw, Poland, to New York City (where she performed with Johnny and Chris at The Plaza), and then traveled by train with the Rice Brothers and their family from New York City to Los Angeles (a visit “from sea to shining sea!”), performing with Johnny and Chris in the Chicago area and at Disneyland. She is spending the month of August with the Rice family before returning to Estonia.
Doug Benton says, “We are very excited and very fortunate to have the combined talents of Christina Shatuho and the Rice Brothers performing together at this concert! This will indeed be a very good, and very fun afternoon of great music!”
The concert is open to the public at no charge as a free will offering will be received. Everyone is asked to please bring at least one non-perishable food item for the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church Food Bank. The church is located at 6640 S Kings Ranch Road, one block north of Hwy 60 (Walgreens on the corner), in Gold Canyon. For more information, please contact the church at 480-982-3776.
Christina Shatuho, Estonian pianist, performs with the Rice Brothers at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church Sunday, August 17, 3:00 pm.
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