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Ilya Yakushev captivated the California campus with his return to the stage Friday in the latest installment of the St. Vincent de Paul Lecture and Concert Series. Two years ago, Mr. Yakushev awed the audience with a spectacular piano performance, and this time was no different.

Students and faculty made their way that evening to St. Cecelia Hall, excited for the concert. After an introduction from College tutor Dr. John Nieto, Mr. Yakushev took the stage. He led his audience on a riveting musical escapade, occasionally pausing between pieces to banter with the crowd and provide contextual information for a piece. “This is a beautiful spot on this planet,” he said. “I’m truly appreciative for this opportunity to be here with all of you.”

The adventure began with the majestic and flowery “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” by Bach, followed by Beethoven’s thunderous “Pathetique,” which trickled into a number of fiery, valorous compositions by Franz Liszt. Within minutes, the pianist’s emotional, electrifying stage presence raptured the onlookers. After a brief intermission, Mr. Yakushev treated his audience to a final suite: Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Because the movements were inspired by a collection of paintings by Mussorgsky’s deceased friend, Mr. Yakushev thoughtfully pieced together an accompanying slideshow of these paintings to enrich the experience.

The euphonious journey concluded in the final movement of the suite titled “The Great Gate of Kiev.” The audience erupted into a standing ovation and demanded an encore from the master, who joyfully obliged, and bid his audience farewell with Alessandro Marcello’s “Adiago.”

The night, however, was far from over. Following the academic year’s first concert, students and tutors took part in a friendly competition of Trivial Pursuit. In a ferocious battle of facts, the teams took turns answering questions from categories such as history, science, and entertainment. The tutor team maintained the lead throughout the game and, though the student team valiantly tried for a comeback, the tutors took the crown. “They had us in the first half — and they had us in the second half, but not as bad,” laughed Madeline Holewa (’26). “It was really fun, and there was lots of good spirit among the students.”

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