Park University brings out its biggest names for new classical music season

Lisa Hickok couldn’t have begun her new job at a more challenging time.

When she was named executive director of the International Center for Music at Park University one year ago, COVID was raging and arts groups were cowering. But through her creative ideas, like presenting an ICM concert on the big screen of the Boulevard Drive-in, Hickok has helped guide her organization through some rocky times.

The pandemic is not yet over and there are many uncertainties ahead, but Hickok is ready to lead the center into its 2021-2022 season. ICM standouts Kenny Broberg and Behzod Abduraimov will be featured, as well as renowned violinist Elmar Oliveira. An all-star recital featuring Stanislav Ioudenitch, ICM’s founder and Van Cliburn International Competition gold medalist, will help cap off the season.

With students and teachers like that, it’s obvious ICM is not your typical music school.

“Probably the best way to explain Park ICM is that we are a boutique conservatory,” Hickok said. “We have 23 students, and 18 of the 23 are international students. They are training to become concert musicians with some of the major orchestras of the world. They are literally taking the Park University name wherever they perform, whether it’s the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory or in Omaha.”

Luckily for Kansas City, these amazing musicians perform regularly right here and for a very affordable ticket price.

Abduraimov, a former ICM student and now its artist-in-residence, won the 2009 London International Piano Competition. He’ll perform at Carnegie Hall later this year, but he’ll also give a recital at the 1900 Building in April.

“Behzhod Abduraimov is always awesome,” Hickok said. “Kansas City audiences haven’t experienced him in three years now because he was literally our first concert that we had to cancel in the spring of 2020. With Behzod you feel the power. He has such control over the instrument, the machine that is the piano.”

Kenny Broberg is the latest star to emerge from the International Center for Music. With the help of Ioudenitch’s coaching, Broberg recently won first prize at the very prestigious American Pianist Awards. He has two degrees from Park, a graduate certificate and a master’s in music, and this fall, he’ll begin his artist’s diploma with Ioudenitch.

Kansas City will have a chance to experience this amazing talent on Sept. 14 at Helzberg Hall.

“Kenny will do a solo recital on the first half of the concert, and then on the second half, the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra will perform a Beethoven piece, and for a big finish, Kenny will join the orchestra for Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1,” Hickok said. “I love watching Kenny play. You feel that he’s representing the composer. He seems to escape to someplace else and take you along with him.”

Elmar Oliveira, the only American violinist to ever win the gold medal at Moscow’s International Tchaikovsky Competition, will give a recital on Jan. 29. After the concert, Oliveira will conduct a master class with one of ICM’s violin students.

“We think this will appeal to families with students in classical music or anyone who’s interested in more than just a concert,” Hickok said. “And then there will be a reception so you can meet him and the students and actually talk to him about his training or whatever you want to ask him.”

As a former member of the Kansas City Ballet, Hickok is especially excited about ICM’s collaboration with Owen/Cox Dance Group on Oct. 9 and 10.

“Some of our star pupils on both the piano and string side will be right on stage with the dancers,” Hickok said. “We’re actually working on the repertoire with Jennifer Owen right now because she’s going to do the choreography to the chosen pieces. I’m extremely excited to combine ICM with a wonderfully talented dance company.”

Hickok believes Park’s International Center for Music is one of Kansas City’s best-kept secrets, and she sees it as her mission to change that.

“People know more about us in Uzbekistan than they do in Kansas City,” she said. “When people come to one of our concerts, they’re getting world-class artistry at a really reasonable price. It’s also something special and really cool because they got to meet Behzod Abduraimov or Kenny Broberg. Or Stanislav Ioudenitch!”

For more information about Park University’s International Center for Music, icm.park.edu.

For Kauffman Center tickets, KauffmanCenter.org.

For 1900 Building tickets, 1900bldg.com. (All tickets $30, or $10 for students.)

For Polsky Theatre tickets, jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center.

Here’s the full lineup:

7 p.m. Sept. 14: Kenny Broberg, piano, in concert with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra conducted by Bruce Sorrell. (Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts)

7:30 p.m. Sept. 22: The Boston Trio. (1900 Building, 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission Woods.

Oct. 9 and Oct. 10 (times TBA): Owen/Cox Dance Group with Park ICM (Polsky Theatre, Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park)

7:30 p.m. Nov. 19: Park ICM Piano Studio in Recital (1900 Building)

7:30 p.m. Jan. 29: Elmar Oliveira, violin (1900 Building)

7:30 p.m. Feb. 3: Park ICM String Studios in Recital (1900 Building)

7:30 p.m. March 2: Ben Sayevich, violin, and Lolita Lilovskaya-Sayevich, piano (1900 Building)

8 p.m. March 19: Third Annual Stanislav and Friends. (Helzberg Hall)

7:30 p.m. April 16: Behzod Abduraimov, piano (1900 Building)

You can reach Patrick Neas at patrickneas@kcartsbeat.com and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at www.facebook.com/kcartsbeat.