Pianist Alumna Plays Benefit Concert

Thanks to renowned concert pianist Ursula Oppens '65, the Radcliffe Club of Boston will be able to grant 10 scholarships to freshmen from the Boston area.

Oppen's concert for an audience of 400 in Sanders Theater last night raised "at least $15,000" for the club, according to president Beverly B. Weinfeld '56.

A large portion of the funds raised came from patrons and sponsors, not all of whom attended last night's concert. About 700 tickets were sold.

Oppens played a mixed program of pieces by Beethoven. Schumann and Liszt before a Sanders Theater audience last night. She also performed the Boston premiere of "Blue Bambuola," a work written especially for her by contemporary composer Charles Wuorinen.

"It's exciting that it happened," Oppens said yesterday, adding, "It was interesting for me, and I was glad to have the chance to make a connection with my past."

A scholarship recipient herself, Oppens said she was glad to be able to help other students. "I know many 18 and 19 year-olds who could not attend Harvard without a scholarship," she said.

While at Harvard, Oppens also attended a dinner in her honor with Radcliffe President Matima S. Horner. "She's getting the red-carpet treatment," Weinfeld said.

The audience at the concert was enthusiastic, and Oppens played one encore. "I thoroughly enjoyed it," said Aileen E. Smart '35. "It was uplifting," she added.

Oppens has performed extensively with all of the major symphony orchestras. She is known as a champion of contem- Porary composers. But she said that she also likes to mix old and new music on the same program. "We're in an era where audiences are willing to listen to contemporary works and composers are willing to write for them," she said.

The Radcliffe Club of Boston, which has about 650 dues-paying members, according to Weinfield, holds a fund-raising event each year for the scholarships. Last year, the event was a tour of the Harvard libraries, according to Barbara W. Glauber '72, the chairman of this year's benefit.

Weinfeld said she asked Oppens to perform for the club a year ago, adding that the performer accepted immediately.

Oppos's hours plans include a series of concords is California. Oppens was a combined English and aconotnies concentrator at Radcliffe, and then decided to pursue a satirical career.

She won the Busonl Intentional Piano competition in 1969 and the Avery Fisher Prize.

"It's really a privilege for us," said Glauber. "She's an international artist.