Black Pianist Salutes Black History Month
NEW YORK – On Sunday, February 6th, pianist Jade Simmons will join Long Island Composer Association director Paul Hefner and a group of renowned musicians, including soprano Tara Nova, for an exciting and eclectic musical celebration of Black History month. According to Sergio Mims of Ebony/Jet Magazine, “Among the new generation of classical music artists, few are making the huge impact and receiving the kind of acclaim that pianist Jade Simmons has been of late.” Simmons will put her talents to work in solo pieces by the late African-American composer Hale Smith, whose wife will be in attendance. Jade will join pianist and LICA member Paul Hefner in a jazz inspired piano duet and will accompany Ms. Nova in a selection of songs. The program includes pieces by members of the Long Island Composer Association.
Last year's Salute garnered a lengthy feature article in the New York Times.
A frequent performer in New York, Simmons has performed twice on the innovative Look and Listen Festival, at Symphony Space, at Harlem Stage, in Merkin and Town Halls, and in alternative spaces like Brooklyn's BamCafé, Le Poisson Rouge and Joe's Pub. She has collaborated with the likes of renowned pianist Ursula Oppens, Alondra de la Parra and her Philharmonic of the Americas and esteemed chamber ensemble An Die Musik. On Long Island, she has played with the North Shore Symphony.
Jade brings a decisive flair to Contemporary Classical music and her interpretations have been hailed by living composers such as John Corigliano and Guggenheim Award-winning Composer Tania Léon who says of Jade, "... one could not ask for more, a performer who takes the written score to heart and makes it her own.”
The Salute to Black History Month concert takes place on Sunday, February 6, 2011, 2PM at South Nassau Universalist Unitarian Church, 228 South Ocean Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. LICA composers and artists featured include Paul Hefner, Jay Anthony Gach, Hale Smith, Tara Nova, Herbert A. Deutsch, Herb Rothgarber, Rob Schwimmer, Larry Dresner and Henry Martin.
