LEWISTON – Sixteen-year-old Freeport resident Will Bristol, who has state and regional competition honors, will return to play at the Franco-American Heritage Center Saturday, March 7. His recital, part of the 2008-09 Piano Series, will include works by Bach, Haydn, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt and contemporary composer Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee.

Now a sophomore at Merriconeag Waldorf School in New Gloucester, Bristol made his solo debut at the Franco center just over two years ago. He went on to garner first prize in the junior category at the Pine Tree Piano Competition and to win the coveted Mildred Freiberg Prize of the New England Piano Teachers Association. Last year, he won the Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s high school concerto competition and next season will be a soloist with the BSO.

Bristol began studying piano at age 9 with Jonathan Pelletier and continued with Naydene Bowder. He currently studies with Martin Perry and has also participated in master classes led by Frank Glazer, George Lopez, Laura Kargul, Tamara Poddubnaya and Inon Barnatan.

The young pianist has been invited to participate in several festivals, including the Arcady Summer Music Festival Concerts Series, the Portland Conservatory’s International Piano Festival and the Next Generation Chamber Music Festival in Rockport. During the past two summers, he was the only young pianist from Maine to participate in the Bowdoin International Music Festival.

Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. recital are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors. Students under 21 admitted free. Call 689-2000 or go online to www.francoamericanheritage.org.

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