Sounds from Ireland
World-renowned pianist, Finghin Collins, privileged the Chatham community with the opportunity of hearing his lecture-recital. Collins played an exquisite program of music by John Field, Chopin, Mozart, and Schubert, as well as two contemporary Irish composers, Philip Martin and Marian Ingoldsby, performing their works from the Ros Tapestry Suite, which, as the New Ross Piano Festival site describes, “represents a variegated musical response to the Ros Tapestry, an impressive fifteen-panel work of embroidery tracing the history of the Norman invasion of Ireland.” Collins, in a remarkable way, infused in his music both the remembrance of things past and the freshness of the contemporary, performing simultaneously with gravitas and lightness, attentive to every subtlety. The Chatham community offers an indelible gratitude and a perpetual bravo to Finghin Collins!
Music for Food
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians Kelsey Blumenthal (violin), Deanna Badizadegan (viola), Will Chow (cello), and Max Blair (oboe) performed with pianist Francesca Tortorello at our second Music for Food concert this semester. These brilliant musicians delivered a program of works by Britten, Loeffler, and Brahms, exhibiting remarkable sensitivity, passion, and masterful musicianship.
Being one of our first programs since the daylight savings time change, it was warm and light outside as the concert started. The performers serenaded our audience into the evening, beginning with the jaunty militancy of Britten’s Phantasy Quartet, Op. 2 for oboe and string trio, and capturing, in the Loeffler and Brahms pieces, the shifts between the shadows and light we saw outside. Bravo and thank you to these talented artists who showed us that music is truly food for the soul, as well as to our audience for their generous contributions to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
Photo credits: Yundian Jing
Music from Ireland: Art Songs and Arias
Congrats and bravo to Chatham’s talented Voice Ruud Scholars, Francesca Fello, Justine Barry, Kaitlyn Salmon, and Sarah Krastman, and vocal students, Nick Graef and Dek Ingraham, who gave an impeccable performance this weekend! Also, thank you to faculty adjunct, Walter Morales, who provided flawless piano accompaniment!
The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
The Chatham community gathered last night to hear the legendary Ethnic Heritage Ensemble perform and host a Q&A session, followed by a small reception. The event was truly a spiritual experience. Bravo to Kahil El’Zabar, Corey Wilkes, and Alex Harding!
Songs from the Heart: A Musical Valentine
Bravo and many thanks to mezzo-soprano, Katherine Soroka, and pianist, Nathan Carterette, as well as violinist, Jennifer Orchard, and cellist, Kellen Degnan, for a moving and truly heart-warming performance this past Friday! Each song, exquisitely sung by Katherine Soroka, was equally matched with pianistic expressivity and technique by Nathan Carterette. No words can describe the communal sentiments of pain and love these musicians created as they carried the audience through an emotional journey beginning with Mozart’s Ch’io mi scordi di te, through Ravel’s Kaddisch in memory of the Tree of Life tragedy, to the tender, tear-welling climax of the performance, Lee Kesselman’s setting of e.e. cummings’s poem, “i carry your heart,” which received a standing ovation. There was no better way than to end on the lighthearted note of the encore, Gershwin’s By Strauss. Thank you to all those who attended!
Music for Food: Chamber Music Recital
The renowned Clarion Quartet gave the first performance of the Spring semester at Chatham with talented pianist Dimitri Papadimitriou on Saturday, February 9, 2019, performing works by Mieczyslaw Weinberg and Bohuslav Martinu. Many gathered to support the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank with donations. The event was so well-attended, in fact, that extra chairs had to be brought out. After the program was finished, the Clarion Quartet received a standing ovation that demanded three re-entrances for bows. Bravo to Clarion and Dimitri!
If you missed this performance, you can watch an excerpt at these links:
Faculty Recital Series: Henry Spinelli
November 10, 2018, Henry Spinelli, former Chatham Professor of 35 years graced us with a performance including works by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, Debussy, and Ives. The recital was nothing short of fantastical. Spinelli also celebrated his 85th birthday at the reception immediately following the performance. It was all smiles for Spinelli, friends, family, students, and alumni alike.
The Chamber Music Series: Dedicated to The Tree of Life
Many gathered to hear James Laughlin Music hall fill with the sounds of the cello, piano, and violin. Artists Yeeha Chiu (piano), Katya Janopladyan (cello), and Roy Sonne (violin) came to perform works by Brahms and Debussy, which was the quintessential way to uplift the community that November 3rd. To quote Leonard Bernstein, “this will be our reply to violence to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.”
All donations went to the The Tree of Life and its congregations.
Not Alone … a concert for Jack
On September 30, 2018 7pm many a person gathered for a concert to raise awareness for Suicide Prevention. This concert was a benefit for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The concert featured guests artist from the Pittsburgh symphony Orchestra, poets Sheryl St. Germain and Phillip Terman, and pianist Pauline Rovkah.
Friday Afternoon Musicale
Wow! What an afternoon of avant-garde music and all composed by women! James W. Iman graced us with his talents that friday afternoon with entrancing music. Featuring works by Bunita Marcus, Jonghee Kang and Betsy Jolas. His ability to emote through piano the waves of the ocean, still and violent; the triumphs of a interpersonal battles, and the pure talent of these female composers was top notch. Thank you to all who attended and thank you James! There are always more events to attend if you missed this one, just visit https://www.pulse.chatham.edu/blog-announcements/2018/9/4/chatham-university-fall-2018-music-events-announced and come to the next!
