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The North Florida Community College Artist Series invites you to enjoy a fun evening of “Ragtime and Boogie-Woogie” music with Pianist Bob Milne on Friday, Jan. 20 at Van H. Priest Auditorium. Milne will mingle with guests in the VHP lobby at the show’s intermission and following the performance. Delicious desserts and beverages will be served at intermission. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show begins at 7 p.m.
Considered by many to be "the best Ragtime piano player in the world," Bob Milne is a highly regarded concert pianist that has been referred to as “magnificent,” “fantastic,” and “awesome.” He brings endless enthusiasm, enchanting ease of playing and an engaging manner while telling stories about Ragtime and Boogie-Woogie music with warmth and humor. The Library of Congress designated Milne a “national treasure,” and he has served as a “musical ambassador” for the U.S. State Department in Japan and Switzerland presenting this true American musical form with anecdotes of its history.
Milne, however, has never practiced the piano a day in his life, saying that he somehow "knew how to play it ever since he was a little kid." Although he excelled as a French horn virtuoso at the Eastman School of Music, Milne is completely self-taught as a pianist. Remarkably, Milne has the unusual ability to mentally “play” up to four symphonies in his head simultaneously and has been the subject of study by Penn State neuroscientists for the last eight years as they try to figure out how he does this.
In addition to touring and sharing his talent around the world, Milne also teaches music history at various universities and is the founder and director of the Frankenmuth Ragtime Festival in Michigan. He is described as a terrifically entertaining performer and wonderful storyteller. Milne has often been called a “one-man orchestra,” referring to his exuberant and complex interpretations. His fans say that when he plays the piano, he can make it sound like six instruments.
Tickets for Bob Milne’s Jan. 20 performance at NFCC are on sale now in the NFCC College Advancement office or by calling 850-973-1653. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended; limited tickets may be available at the door.
Upcoming performances of the NFCC Artist Series include the Russian String Orchestra on Friday, Feb. 3, and The Peking Acrobats® on Thursday, Feb. 23. NFCC Community Theatre will also present “Shrek the Musical, Jr.” on Jan. 28 at Van H. Priest Auditorium. More information is available at www.nfcc.edu or by contacting the NFCC College Advancement Office at (850) 973-1653 or ArtistSeries@nfcc.edu.