Monday, Oct 22, 2012
Master Class and recital will feature works by African American composers.
Westminster's Color of Music series will continue on Wednesday, October 24 with a master class and performance by pianist Richard Alston. Both are entitled “Classically Black: Works by African American Composers.” The master class will feature Westminster Choir College piano students performing for Mr. Alston at 3:20 p.m. in Williamson Hall. Alston will also perform a recital, which will be open to the public, at 7:30 p.m. in the Bristol Chapel on the Westminster Choir College campus in Princeton. His program will include such works as Margaret Bonds Troubled Water, Chevalier De Saint Georges Adagio in F Minor, and George Walker’s Sonata No. 1.
Richard Alston has appeared in recitals and as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe. After earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Juilliard School of Music, Richard was poised for a career in both classical piano performance as well as performing arts education. The musical advisor/consultant of a PBS documentary entitled "Classically Black" in which he performs piano compositions by composers of African descent. His performance credits range from recitals, guest soloist with orchestras, live opera to radio and television broadcasts as well as CD recordings. He has received several awards including the Award for Excellence from the New Jersey Education Association and Musician of the Year from the National Association of Negro Musicians. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, New Brunswick.
The Color of Music is a series of master classes, forums and recitals offers students and faculty in all disciplines the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the music within the African-American tradition. Admission is free. For more information visit rider.edu/arts.