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Stamford Symphony’s Music Director Eckart Preu will pay tribute to Black History Month with concerts highlighting African-American composer Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Palace Theatre in Stamford.
"As a classical composer, Perkinson blended baroque, American romanticism, blues, spiritual and black folk music to create an eclectic sound," a press release said. "The Sinfonietta No. 1 for Strings that is being showcased at the February concerts has its roots in classical music with hints of blues notes."
Perkinson was a drummer, pianist, conductor and composer. He co-founded the Symphony of the New World in New York and served as the music director for Jerome Robbins’ American Theatre Lab and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
The weekend concerts will also feature Stamford Symphony’s principal cellist Caroline Stinson, who will perform Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor. In addition, the symphony will play a piece written by Shostakovich Kernis closing out the performance with Mozart Symphony No. 39 with guest conductor, Eckehard Stier.
"Caroline Stinson, Stamford Symphony’s very own principal cellist, has been praised for her vibrant lyricism, fresh interpretations and expressive performances," a press release said. "Caroline has received accolades as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and collaborator with an orchestra in traditional and contemporary concert repertoires."
Tickets to the Sunday concert are free for anyone under the age of 18, with an accompanying adult. Concertgoers are invited to "Behind the Baton," pre-concert at the Palace Theatre to hear guest conductor Eckehard Stier speak about musical highlights of the pieces, stories about the composers and interesting historical facts. Behind the Baton is open to all ticketholders and begins one hour pre-concert.
For more information on tickets, residents are asked to call 203-325-4466 or visit the Stamford Symphony website.
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