It says a lot about David Grice that one of the world's most prominent pianists volunteered to play a recital in the late Plano piano teacher's memory.

The pianist is Stephen Hough, and the recital is Sunday afternoon at Collin College's Spring Creek campus, where Mr. Grice taught until his death last April.

The program will include an Alfred Cortot piano arrangement of Bach's D-minor Toccata and Fugue for organ; three pieces by Gabriel Fauré; the Prelude, Choral and Fugue of César Franck; Aaron Copland's Variations for piano; a Chopin nocturne and the B-minor Sonata.

"It has a kind of Parisian link," Mr. Hough says, "because all the composers except Bach worked there. And all the pieces except the Copland were connected to Cortot," a French pianist known for richly expressive performances.

Highlights of Mr. Hough's numerous Dallas appearances over two decades include a series of 2004 performances of all the Rachmaninoff works for piano and orchestra, with Andrew Litton and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Recorded and issued by the Hyperion label, the performances drew rave reviews around the world.

Mr. Hough joined Mr. Litton and the DSO for the 2005 world premiere of George Tsontakis' Man of Sorrows, also issued on a Hyperion CD.

It was at his very first Dallas appearance that the British pianist met Mr. Grice and his partner, Sam Wong, and the three became friends. Mr. Grice was a beloved figure in the area musical community, and Mr. Hough calls his death "a terrible loss."

"He was such a warm, kind, intelligent, wonderful person. This will be the first time I've been to Dallas when David hasn't met me at the airport, or we've met for food, or he's baked brownies."

It was nearly 20 years ago that Mr. Grice and Mr. Wong started the Texas Conservatory for Young Artists, a summer course that brings in top-level teachers from around the world. Major-league pianists, including Mr. Hough, have also played public recitals as part of the summer program.

Sunday's recital will be a benefit for TCYA, which continues under Mr. Wong's direction.

"I was not able to come to the memorial," Mr. Hough says, "because I was out of the country at the time. But I wanted to do this concert as a tribute to David, for his friends and as a direct token of sympathy for Sam."

Mr. Hough came to international attention as winner of the 1983 Naumburg International Piano Competition.

He was recently honored with Northwestern University's $50,000 Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance. Recognizing pianists "at the highest level of national and international recognition," the award also books the winner for lectures, master classes, coaching sessions and a recital at the Evanston, Ill., campus.

A composer as well, Mr. Hough recently completed a trio for the unlikely combination of piccolo, contrabassoon and piano.

Requested by members of the Berlin Philharmonic, it will be introduced by them in January.

"These are usually perceived as two of the most humorous instruments in the orchestra," Mr. Hough says, "but I only wanted to do this if it was a very serious piece.

"The piccolo and contrabassoon can't ever meet on the same pitch, which gave me this idea of loneliness and isolation. It actually has a title from Rilke, What Happens With Tears."Plan your life

Stephen Hough performs at 5 p.m. Sunday at John Anthony Theatre, Collin College, 2800 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano. $35 and $60. 972-473-7262. www.tcya.org.