Pianist Panayis Lyras will perform a free concert on Wednesday, October 8 at noon in the Presentation Room of the VisTaTech Center on Schoolcraft College's main campus in Livonia. The program will include works by Mozart, Beethoven, Granados and Debussy.

A silver medalist in the Sixth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Lyra is an internationally acclaimed musician who has performed with major symphony orchestras all over the world. The New York Times called his performance "sensational,” the Washington Post said, “He received an ovation that seemed unending,” and the Los Angeles Times said, “This was playing of fire and passion and thunderous power.”

Venues for his solo recitals include Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and Pasadena’s Ambassador Auditorium. He has performed with the Philadelphia and Minnesota orchestras, the Buffalo, Hong Kong and Rochester Philharmonic orchestras, the Boston Pops, and the symphony orchestras of San Francisco, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Jerusalem and Haifa.

Lyras also performs with chamber music ensembles, has appeared several times at the Interlochen Summer Festival and has appeared on the PBS and Arts and Entertainment networks. He is currently artist-inresidence and professor of piano in the School of Music at Michigan State University.

This event is free, open to the public and lasts approximately one hour. Donations at the door will help fund student scholarships. The concert series is sponsored by the Schoolcraft College Liberal Arts Office and Music Department.