Philadelphia Musical Academy - Da Capo Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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c L A S s I c s Andre Watts Born in Nuramburg jennany, June 20, 19 6 is a muBical genious at sixteen. Music critics believe that Andre ' .Vatts will develop into one of the great American pianists of the century. .Ve at the Academy can truly accept this opinion. Andre has had quite a busy year so far. In January he played the Liszt E Flat Major Piano Concerto with the New York Fhilharrronic at the Youth Concert and later recorded this work for Columbia Records. It is interesting to note that in April of this year, The Exciting Debut of Andre Watts occupied fifth place in the periodic sui ey of Best Selling Classical Albums (Billboard Music Week Magazine). The record is still a top seller across the nation. A few weeks after the Youth Concert, Conductor Leonard Bernstein called upon Andre to substitute for Glenn Gould, scheduled to appear as piano soloist with the Philharmonic. For a few moments the audience was aghast at the change in program, but after the first few notes of the Liszt Concerto, they were astounded at Andre ' s virtuosity. Needless to say, Philadelphia loves him; the city proved this in March when Andre gave a recital in the Yen Pelt Auditorium. The recital was scheduled to begin at 5 sJO, but by 2P.M. the place was overflowing with people. The Auditorium guards had to open the sound studios after the five-hundred seat auditorium was filled. On May ' th, Andre made a video tape with Eugene Ormandy and the Phila- delphia Orchestra. In this performajioe he played the first movement of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2. The program will be televised in late summer. Andre will be performing this summer in cities from Buffalo to Hollywood. Doubtless, the nation will follow with us the rise of Andre ' s stardome in the musical firmament.

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DOCTORATE MR. DONALD OHITTUM D. Mu8. MISS. F. L. SNYDER D. Mu8..