The Norell Piano Duo, which consists of married couple Mary Rose Norell and Luke Norell, gave a recital on Friday night in Reith Recital Hall, honoring the late pianist André Watts. 

Watts served as a professor at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he was Luke Norell’s piano teacher. Watts also coached the Norell duo in their first collaborations as a married couple. 

Watts and his wife, Joan Brand, who was in attendance at the recital, formed a close connection with the Norells that lasted long after their degrees were completed.

Luke Norell earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northwestern and his master’s degree and doctorate in piano from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Mary Rose Norell earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indiana University and her doctorate from the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music. 

The duo played two grand pianos, an unusual sight for the recital hall. The performance included renditions of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Schafe können sicher weiden,” Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor” and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances.”

When asked about their repertoire choices, Luke Norell said, “We had considered several repertoire possibilities that were connected to André, but in the end Mary Rose recommended that I play the Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1 that I had studied with André, and agreed to play the very demanding orchestra part on the second piano. 

Rachmaninoff’s final piece, the Symphonic Dances, is probably our favorite two piano work to perform together. We will always remember the opportunity we had as a two piano team to study this music with André.”

Abigail Donovall, a sophomore music major and pianist, was impressed by the performance. They noted how much technical skill is required to successfully play in a duet and how impressive the duo’s collaboration was. 

Donovall said, “It was really neat to be able to hear so much artistic voice, expression and freedom while staying together in a duet.” 

The Norell Piano Duo has been performing together since 2009 and have performed repertoire for one and two pianos at venues The couple are fixtures in Goshen’s musical community. They both serve as faculty of the Goshen College Community School for the Arts; Mary Rose Norell serves as the private lesson program director and co-director for the college’s piano camp, and Luke Norell is the lead piano instructor. Luke Norell also works as a collaborative pianist for the GC music department. 

The recital was a tribute to Watts, a classical pianist who passed away in 2023. Watts shot to stardom at age 16 when he won a competition which gave him the chance to play in Leonard Bernstein’s televised “Young People’s Concerts.” 

This was the start of a career spanning six decades that included performances in every major U.S. city with top orchestras. Watts earned many accolades throughout his life, including a Grammy Award and the National Medal of Arts from former President Barack Obama. 

The recital contained heartfelt reflections from both Luke and Mary Rose Norell, who remembered Watts as “family” and shared memories of Watts’ generosity, artistry and sense of humor. Luke Norell said “André was an inspiring figure before I had even met him, so to be accepted into his studio was an amazing event in my life. To get to know someone of his stature, and experience how very ‘down to earth,’ kind and generous he was leaves an indelible impression on my life. If you were in his studio, you were family, and it was a great one to be a part of.”

After the recital, the crowd moved to a reception with refreshments in the lobby. Photos of Watts throughout his career, which were provided by his family for the recital, lined the lobby and provided the audience with a visual of his remarkable career.

Pauline Hochstetler, a Greencroft resident who was in attendance at the recital, said, “I knew the evening would be amazing, but it far exceeded our expectations. The Norells’ tribute to André Watts and their great performance made it sensational and gave us the feeling that we, too, knew this ‘legendary superstar.’”