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A group of area tourism stakeholders held their monthly meeting at the Oxford Performing Arts Center on Thursday, March 28, and it was no coincidence that the gathering was held on International Piano Day.

More than 30 owners and representatives of regional hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions were treated to lunch decorated with piano keys napkins and a tour of the venue, which boasts of having the “busiest stage in Alabama.”

Audrey Maxwell, tourism director of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce, thanked the OPAC staff for their hospitality, which included complimentary tickets to that evening’s performance of the Elvis Presley tribute show.

The meeting was highlighted with a piano performance by OPAC’s Director of Music Education, Julio Barreto.

Barreto, who founded the Rubato International Piano Competition held at OPAC for the past two years, was recently selected as a recipient of the Steinway and Sons Piano Top Teacher Award “for your hard work and dedication to music education.”

“You were nominated for this award by the Steinway Piano Gallery in Birmingham, who has observed first-hand the care and commitment with which you approach your piano students,” said the award letter from Steinway and Sons president Gavin English. “The young people who develop their craft under your guiding hand will be the artists who fill our future with music; for this, we are most grateful.”

“We have a lot of people who come through our town and play on the stage here, but there has never been anyone more talented than that guy right there,” said Calhoun County Commission Chairman and OPAC Advisory Board member Danny Shears, speaking of Barreto.

Outside of his OPAC duties, Barreto has become a popular performer and arranger, working as the artist-in-residence with The Atlanta Pops Orchestra. His latest work is as the arranger/orchestrator for Christian artist David Phelps’ recent release, “Dead Man Rising.”

Barreto said plans will be released soon for the upcoming Rubato Festival this summer, which will feature performances by past Rubato winners. Rubato will return to its competitive format in 2025.

OPAC also received praise from the tourism leaders who visited the venue for the meeting.

Maxwell said attending a Broadway show at OPAC “is comparable to attending one on Broadway.”

Craig Mattox of Kona Ice said he had never been to OPAC but was leaving impressed.

“I’m ashamed to say this is my first time at OPAC, and I am blown away by all of this,” Mattox said. It is definitely ‘top shelf,’ and my wife and four girls and I will be coming many, many times.”