On January 27, 2026, Antonine University (UA) inaugurated Chamber Music Season VIII with a piano recital by the award-winning Italian pianist Elia Cecino, marking a distinguished opening to a concert series that has become a cornerstone of the University’s cultural life.

Held at the Our Lady of the Seeds Church on the Hadat–Baabda Campus, the opening concert set a refined artistic tone for the season ahead, reaffirming UA’s commitment to musical excellence, attentive listening, and meaningful artistic dialogue within an academic setting.

The program brought together four major pillars of the piano repertoire—Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Frédéric Chopin—offering the audience a stylistically coherent and carefully shaped musical journey. From the opening measures, Cecino demonstrated a refined command of structure and sound, favoring clarity, balance, and architectural vision throughout the recital.

Bach’s “Toccata in G minor, BWV 915” set the tone with its bold gestures and improvisatory character, articulated with precision and rhythmic vitality. Brahms’ “Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5,” a work of expansive scale and emotional contrast, unfolded with a strong sense of direction, highlighting both its symphonic breadth and its introspective moments.

In Beethoven’s “Sonata in A-flat major, Op. 26,” Cecino brought forward the work’s unconventional structure, shaping the variations with elegance and giving particular weight to the Funeral March, whose gravity and restraint stood out for their expressive depth.

The recital culminated with Chopin’s “Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35,” a performance marked by structural clarity, controlled sonority, and sustained dramatic tension. Rather than relying on overt virtuosity, Cecino emphasized the work’s inner gravity and tragic breadth, allowing its architectural coherence to emerge with striking impact.

The concert was performed on a Fazioli piano, whose rich timbral palette and sonic transparency complemented the recital’s expressive range and supported the nuanced demands of the program.

This opening concert reaffirmed UA’s commitment to cultivating a vibrant musical life on campus under the artistic direction of Maestro Toufic Maatouk, OAM. Through the Chamber Music Season, Antonine University continues to welcome internationally recognized artists, foster attentive listening, and strengthen its role as a cultural reference point where education, creativity, and artistic dialogue converge in service of the wider community.