On Saturday, March 22nd, the Riverton Piano Company in Peoria hosted a remarkable young talent: 20-year-old pianist Abir Sud. A double major in business and piano performance at Lawrence University in Wisconsin, Abir curated and performed his first self-organized public recital, featuring works by Robert and Clara Schumann, C.T. Griffes, and Naresh Sohal.

     Originally from Arizona, piano was one of many childhood hobbies that stuck and became a true passion. Encouraged by his professors, who praised the range and originality of his recital program, he brought it home to share with the Arizona community.

     The concert’s structure revealed Abir’s thoughtful approach: the works were presented chronologically by composer birthdate, a traditional choice for solo recitals. But the content was anything but ordinary. He paired Robert Schumann’s music with rarely performed preludes by his wife, Clara Schumann—an unpublished work Abir sees as a key to understanding Robert’s emotional and musical landscape. “Clara knew his mind better than anyone,” he said.

     This was followed by a work by early 20th-century American composer C.T. Griffes, and concluded with a contemporary piece by Indian-British composer Naresh Sohal. Abir appreciated the sense of cultural and historical movement through the program—German Romanticism to American Impressionism to Indian Modernism—and wanted his audience to experience that progression too.

     Equally passionate about dismantling the elitism that can sometimes shroud classical music, Abir sees it as his role to make it more accessible. “It’s my job as a performer to try and make the music more accessible.” He does this through stories and explanations, speaking directly to the audience.

     He also brings it physically—moving expressively, performing with his whole body. Something about sharing the music with a live audience brings out a new level in his playing. And when he’s truly in the moment onstage, even he’s sometimes surprised: “There are times I’m playing and I think, is this me?” he said.

     Abir doesn’t have a fixed path in mind yet. He knows music will always be part of his life, whether through performance, teaching, or community work. For now, he’s committed to the joy it brings him—and to sharing that joy with others. His mother, our very own Rohini, should be incredibly proud!

     If this recital is any indication, there’s much more to come—and we can’t wait to see where his path leads next.