Russian Romance Begins Symphony Season
Rapid City Journal
By Victor Weidensee, Special to the Journal

"Saturday's concert in Rushmore Plaza Civic Center was the opening concert of the 2005-06 Season. The theme of the evening was "Russian Favorites" and included three works that were chosen to represent some of the best Russian orchestral music composed in the Romantic and contemporary style. The guest piano soloist was Teresa Walters, internationally acclaimed as one of the world's most uniquely gifted virtuoso pianists.

"After intermission, Maestro Jack Knowles conducted the orchestra and guest soloist Walters in a performance of the Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 of Sergei Rachmaninov. It was first performed in 1901 with the composer as soloist and since has been one of the most performed piano concertos of all time. The performance of the work was excellent, and Walters's playing of this highly romantic composition proved to me and to the audience that she deserves to be in the top tier of piano soloists in the world. She and the orchestra received a well-earned standing ovation."