Two generations of master musicians will bring their talents to the University of Houston for the 31st Annual International Piano Festival. Included in this year's event are festival founder and one of classical music's most esteemed figures Abbey Simon, popular concert artist Sandro Russo and innovative duo Anderson and Roe.

Born in Sicily, Russo also gravitated toward music at a young age. He is a graduate of the V. Bellini Conservatory and Royal College of Music in London. In 2000, Russo arrived in the U.S. and won the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition. That year, he performed Liszt's A major Concerto alongside conductor David Gilbert at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood. Russo has performed in some of the world’s top concert halls including Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Salle Cortot in Paris, Teatro Politeama in Palermo, Italy, and Carnegie Hall in New York.

The program includes Chopin's Four Ballades; Strauss-Tausig's Nachfalter (valse-caprice); Schrabin's Valse, Op. 38, Sonata No. 5 in F sharp major, Op. 53, Flammes sombres (Danse Op. 73) and Vers la flame (Poeme Op. 72); and Ravel's La valse.