World-renowned pianist Emanuel Ax brought an enthusiastic crowd to its feet and took four curtain calls after a concert in Bryn Mawr's Thomas Great Hall on Monday, Nov. 28. The seven-time Grammy winner performed a program composed entirely of ballades, including works by Brahms, Liszt and Chopin, the latter a staple of Ax's repertoire. Also included were newly commissioned works by Chen Yi and Kaija Saariaho. "I commissioned pieces from two women composers because I knew I was going to be playing at Bryn Mawr," Ax quipped onstage.

Ax performed as the Roberta Holder Gellert Lecturer. He will return to Bryn Mawr in that capacity next March. Ax, along with W. Alton Jones Professor of Chemistry Frank Mallory and Rachel C. Hale Professor of the Sciences and Mathematics Paul Melvin, will lead a workshop for students. Mallory and Melvin, both committed amateur musicians who play regularly with the Bryn Mawr Chamber Music Society, will join Ax in a Brahms trio. The three will then lead a discussion with students about maintaining creativity and vigor in performance, making career choices when one has multiple interests and talents, and nurturing talents through avocations.

The Gellert Lecture Fund was established in 1986 by Donald Gellert in memory of his wife, Bryn Mawr alumna Roberta Holder Gellert '61, to support lectures on topics of interest to students. Gellert attended the performance on Monday night.

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