American pianist John Noel Roberts, the artist-in-residence at the West Australian Academy for the Performing Arts, played a program which included some notable works outside the usual concert repertoire at his recital at the Canberra School of Music on Friday night. These works were particularly in the second half of the program, which opened with a Sonata No. 4 (1976) by John Pozdro; although both composer and sonata were previously unknown to me, the work itself proved both interesting and attractive. In two movements, it is post-Ravel in idiom, and owes much to that composer in its clear, linear writing and harmonic basis. This was followed by the Sonata No. I of Charles Ives, written between 1902 and 1910 and powerfully conceived, being typical of the composer in its often-acerbic harmonies, free rhythms, and frequent use of revivalist hymns such as Bring in the Sheaves, I Hear Thy Welcome Voice, and What A Friend We Have in Jesus. It was given a brilliantly assured performance which conveyed both the originality and the bold vision of the music. Then came the Three Movements from Petrouchka, highly virtuosic piano arrangements from Stravinsky’s ballet music which were projected by the pianist in fine style with crisp and consummate assurance.