The Arts at WTAMU: A Subscription Series and the WT Guest Artist Series presented French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet on March 22.

Senior Development Officer Joe Bill Sherrod said the process to bring the foreign performer was moderately difficult.

“Bringing Bavouzet was for our students and supporters,” Sherrod said. “It’s so they can be exposed to a worldwide entertainment.”

Bavouzet performed compositions by Claude Debussy and Franz Lisz. The last time Bavouzet played in WT was over twenty years ago.

“I take piano lessons out of WT,” Pre-Vet and Animal Science major Kristen White said. “I enjoyed the great composers whom [Bavouzet] played.”

White said she enjoyed the passion Bavouzet put into his performance.

“I liked how he explained a little history of the composers he played,” she said. “It was interesting.”

White said she was surprised to learn he was from France and found that out when she read his history.

“He [was] very expressive when it came to his performance,” Music Education major Chelsea Koester said. “You could easily tell that he felt the music as he played it.”

Koester plays percussion and said the similarities between the marimba and piano were apparent to her.

“The way he portrays dynamics and how he plays can be used by any performer,” Koester said. “He’s living the dream by being able to tour around the world.”

Koester said she believes the piano is even a member of the percussion family.

“The performance was fantastic,” Koester said. “And the showmanship was great.”