Originally from Lakeland, Florida, Robert Fleitz’s doctoral project explores the biographies of the composer-pianist himself as well as those of composers important to him. The concert features hybrid works that challenge boundaries rooted in the traditions of art music and the concert institution. The piano becomes a herald of truth that occasionally misleads and veers into unpredictable narratives. At times the piano becomes a cathedral, at times a diary, and at times a game console.
Fleitz reflects that the works may initially appear flippant or ironic, but he believes they conceal complex and layered meanings: “I have felt strongly that such works are more than jokes or “novelties,” and that they invite deeper exploration.”
Fleitz invites listeners to discover their own pathways beyond familiar musical and cultural norms, which he believes have lost their original meaning. According to Fleitz, we collectively write our own autobiographies through our endless experiences as we (re)play the past and (re)imagine the present.
Robert Fleitz is currently completing his doctoral studies at the Sibelius Academy. He also participated in a Time of Music course in 2022.
Performer
Robert Fleitz, piano
Programme
Jennifer Walshe: becher (2008)
Jasna Veličković: Good Bach (2001)
James Layton: having never known the piano (2025)
Lena Raine, arr. Trevor Alan Gomes: Scattered and Lost (2018)
Ryuichi Sakamoto: 20220302 — sarabande (2023)
Tania León: Tumbáo (2004)
Nino Hellberg: Min-Max (2025)
Akiko Yamane: State No. 8 (2024)
Simon Bahr: Counterfeits, Cover-Ups, and Karaoke (2024)
Brian Dozier Brown: Neo-Soul (2025)
Yuri Umemoto: Mass (2024-25)