News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5056 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE OCTOBER 11, 2006

PIANIST AT STAFFORD SERIES OCTOBER 23

TIFTON - The Stafford Steinway Series will showcase pianist Benjamin Woods, professor of music at Francis Marion University, on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. in Howard Auditorium on the Abraham Baldwin College campus.

Woods will play classical pieces from Brahms, Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, and Rachmaninoff. This event is open to the community at no charge.

Woods made his professional music debut as a pianist at Carnegie Recital Hall in New York City in 1985. He has performed at Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress and served as the Director and Conductor of the Florence Symphony Orchestra from 1996 – 2002. He also performs in the Woods Family Ensemble comprised of his wife, Sherry Woods, violinist; and his children, Christopher Woods, violinist; and Adrienne Woods, cellist.

Woods earned his Bachelor’s degree in performance and education from Lamar University; his Master’s of Music degree in performance from Midwestern University; and his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of South Carolina, studying with Artist-in-Residence Raymond Dudley.

He was selected as the 2005-2006 recipient J. Lorin Mason Distinguished Professor at Francis Marion University and recently received the distinction of being named one of Francis Marion University’s Board of Trustees’ Research Scholars.

The Stafford Family, through the Stafford Foundation, donated a Steinway piano to ABAC in March of 2004 to be used in Howard Auditorium. The Steinway is a 150^th Anniversary Edition nine-foot D.

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