An all-star performance by FIU students and faculty on Friday, 9/26/25 at 7:30 PM opens the 2025-26 Wertheim Concert Series with powerful music, bold interpretation, and lasting impact.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) spent much of his adult life battling illness. By the time he composed some of his most groundbreaking music, he was wholly or nearly deaf. Wracked by chronic digestive pain and facing the emotional weight of isolation, he turned inward and emerged with music that was nothing short of extraordinary. This Friday night, that resilient and defiant spirit will echo through the halls of FIU’s Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center, as FIU Artist-in-Residence & Professor of Piano, and world-renowned performer, Kemal Gekić opens the 2025–26 Wertheim Concert Series with a bold and exhilarating program: “All Beethoven with Kemal Gekić,” that includes the FIU Concert Choir conducted by FIU Assistant Professor Erynn Millard, and the FIU Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Associate Professor of Conducting, Javier José Mendoza.
The concert begins with Beethoven’s “Consecration of the House” Overture (1822), a grand, ceremonial piece written for the opening of Vienna’s Theater in der Josefstadt. Both majestic and architectural, the overture reflects Beethoven’s late style, fusing classical structure with sweeping Romantic emotion, ideally situated within FIU’s acoustically brilliant Wertheim Concert Hall. As a piece written for a festive grand opening, it sets the perfect tone for a spectacular concert season at The Wertheim.
Gekić, whose performances are known for their daring and emotional power, dives headfirst into Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73, famously known as “The Emperor” (composed in 1809). Written during the bombardment of Vienna by Napoleon’s troops, the concerto bursts with heroism and grandeur. Beethoven could no longer perform publicly by this point, but his music spoke louder than ever. Gekić, hailed for his virtuosic technique and bold interpretations, brings fresh fire to this iconic work, making it feel both timeless and thrillingly new.
The evening also includes the Choral Fantasy in C minor, Op. 80 (1808), a vibrant and eclectic work that fuses solo piano, orchestra, and chorus in a rousing celebration of creativity and community. Often seen as a spiritual forerunner to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the Choral Fantasy offers a joyously unexpected finale, one that bursts into life with an almost improvised flair.
But this concert is more than just a night of extraordinary music. It promises urgency, boldness, and connection. “Beethoven’s music still hits with raw power. I find it emotional, fearless, and deeply human,” said Dr. Karen S. Veloz, Director of the FIU Wertheim School of Music and CARTA Associate Dean for the Arts. “Opening our season with this all-Beethoven program, performed by our world-class students and faculty, is the perfect way to launch an innovative new concert season at The Wertheim!” And as CARTA Dean, Brian Schriner said, “What better way to open our concert season than with the timeless brilliance of Beethoven, showcasing the extraordinary talent of our students and faculty and uniting our community in a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and the enduring power of music to inspire and uplift.”
Fittingly, since the Wertheim School of Music is one of a small group of All-Steinway schools, Gekić will perform on one of FIU’s Steinway grand pianos, instruments prized not only for their quality but
for their technological brilliance. They are, like Beethoven himself, testaments to how tradition and innovation can live in harmony.
“This concert has me filled with anticipation,” said Kemal Gekić, Wertheim Artist-in-Residence and Professor of Piano. “There’s nothing like starting the season with Beethoven’s most powerful works and knowing it helps fuel scholarships for the next generation makes the night all the more electrifying.” And as CARTA Dean, Brian Schriner put it, “What better way to kick off our concert season than with the brilliance of Beethoven? This program not only shines a light on our amazing students and faculty, but also brings our community together to celebrate creativity, collaboration, and the power of music to inspire and lift us all.”
Proceeds from the event will support students at the Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts, helping ensure that future artists, scholars, and educators can follow their passion and leave a lasting mark—just as Beethoven did, even as his world grew silent.
Register for tickets here!
