Sanctuary Series Resumes Concerts on November 7 with Pianist Jeffrey Biegel

The Sanctuary Series begins its 2021 – 2022 Fall Season with the return of virtuosic pianist, Jeffrey Biegel, for a recital entitled, “Hope and Reflection,” featuring Bach and Beethoven as well as several new pieces the artist wrote during the pandemic. One of which, “Reflection of Justice: An Ode to Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” he premiered in October with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The concert concludes with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
 
In 1985, Leonard Bernstein said of Mr. Biegel: “He is a splendid musician and a brilliant performer.”  Those comments together with numerous first place competition prizes helped launch a prolific and varied career as a soloist, composer, arranger and chamber musician. In 2019, Mr. Biegel was soloist for Kenneth Fuchs’s Grammy award winning “Piano Concerto “Spiritualist” with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Now entering its ninth season, the Series was founded by the South Salem church’s late pastor, Dr. Charles “Chip” Andrus and director of music Mary Jane Newman, who serves as artistic director, to bring beautiful music to the heart of the historic hamlet of South Salem and thereby further their commitment to promoting the South Salem Presbyterian Church as a center for great art and a welcoming place for the entire community.

The opening portion of the season continues on November 28 with Oxana Mikhailoff and Vassily Primakov. The acclaimed piano duo will present the music of Mendelssohn, Czerny, Liszt and Saint-Saens arranged for four hands on one piano as each pianist brings an individuality and unique musical texture that perfectly complements the style of the other.

On Sunday afternoon December 19, Mary Jane Newman with her husband Anthony Newman will play the music of J.S. Bach and W.A. Mozart arranged for two pianos. Mr. Newman will also perform Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in E flat major (“St. Anne”) on the pipe organ, an instrument for which he is internationally renowned.

Tickets may be purchased in advance through the Series’ website www.thesanctuaryseries.org via credit card or PayPal: $25 general, $40 preferred and $15 student ($30/$50/$15 at the door). All attendees are required to show proof of vaccination prior to entry and wear masks. Seating in the sanctuary will be limited to 40% of stated capacity to allow for social distancing. South Salem Presbyterian Church is located at 111 Spring Street. The venue is handicap accessible and ample parking is available. For further information email info@thesanctuaryseries.org.

About The Sanctuary Series

Friends of Music at Holy Trinity, Inc. DBA The Sanctuary Series is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fostering the development in the community of an appreciation of the musical arts by procuring and producing, and by causing to be produced concerts, musical productions and entertainments, having taken part in activities having that end in view, and by supporting the presence of musical artists in residence. In furtherance of its mission The Sanctuary Series presents extraordinary keyboard performances to the heart of the Historic Hamlet of South Salem, hosted in the Sanctuary of the South Salem Presbyterian Church.