St. John’s, Antigua (15 February 2009) – “Why Me?”, The Antigua & Barbuda Cancer Society held a fundraiser Friday night at the Half Moon Bay home of Bruce and Barbara Bauer featuring the brilliant Argentinean Pianist, David Cesar Block. Tickets to the sold-out “ladies only” event, helped raise $10,000 for the Why Me? “Look Good, Feel Better” programme which provides wigs and other hair pieces, make-up, scarves and prostheses to cancer patients. Block’s riveting performance wowed the audience of about seventy-five guests which included the Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, Her Excellency Dame Louise Lake Tack.

The Pianist, who received his BA in Music with specialization in piano performance from the National Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has performed extensively throughout his native country, and won top prizes at national piano competitions such as the Franz Liszt Memorial National Piano Competition and the City of Panama National Piano Competition. In 1989, he moved to Poland to continue his piano studies under Swigniev Sliwinky with a full scholarship from the Polish Government. Block later moved to the U.S. to study with Rosalyn Tureck at the Tureck-Bach Institute in New York City.

He has performed extensively in the Northeast and as Principal Pianist with the Hartford Ballet in Connecticut, appearing with the Company at the Bushnell Theatre for performances of Tchaikowsky’s Third Piano Concedto for Balanchine’s “Allegro Brillante” and K. Peterson’s “Ballades”, a ballet set to Ballades 1, 2 and 3 by Chopin.

At the Why Me? piano recital, Mr. Block chose music that transported the audience through the Argentinean Countryside and the City of Buenos Aires. Selections included La Siesta: Three Preludes “El Patio (The Patio), “El Sauce” (The Willow Tree) and “Gorriones (Sparrows); Tangos: Evocación (Evoking), Llorón (Cry-Baby), Compadrón (The Scoundrel), and Milonguero (Dancer), Tres Danzas Argentinas, Tres Hueyas Op. 33 from “Airs de la Pampa”, Primavera Porteña - Tango (Spring in Buenos Aires), and two pieces by the famous tango master Astor Piazzolla.

During a brief intermission, Carolyn Aziz, Founder and Chairwoman of Why Me? expressed her gratitude to the Bauers for opening up their home for the event, and thanked the ladies of the “cooking class” headed by Allison Camacho who prepared and served the delicious hors d’oeuvres. “This is what it’s about — girls helping girls,” Aziz exclaimed, overcome by the outpouring of love and support from members of the cooking class and numerous friends of Why Me? who donated their time and resources or purchased tickets. “There is a cancer patient right now who needs treatment and your contributions will go a long way towards making that happen.”

Aziz said she was very grateful to the sponsors who made the evening possible by generously donating the food, wine and champagne, door prizes and flowers. They include Quin Farara, The Epicurean Fine Foods, the Catamaran Marina (Helen Cools-Lartigue), Caribe Bean Coffee, Best Cellars Wine and Spirits, The Body Shop, Sunseekers, Premier Beverages, The Linen Shop, Lipstick, Touch Therapies, Greenhouse Boutique, Jennifer Meranto, and Vanity Salon. Martha Watkins-Gilkes was the official photographer for the evening.

Mr. Block is currently the Music Director at first United Methodist Church in Boynton Beach, Florida, and an organist at Temple Israel in West Palm Beach. He recently completed his Master’s Degree in Music with a specialty in Piano Performance under Dr. Irena Kofman at Florida Atlantic University.