The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music and the Cole Performing Arts Series will present the Alazan Piano Trio performing “Poets and Prophets” at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.
The Alazan Piano Trio, featuring SFA music faculty Jennifer Dalmas, violin, Evgeni Raychev, cello, and Ron Petti, piano, will present “Poets and Prophets” at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.
“It is a piano trio written by composer and virtuoso violinist Mark O’Conner, which is written as a tribute to Johnny Cash,” Petti said.
O’Connor writes, “Johnny was a boyhood hero of mine. I used to sing his songs when I was 8, 9 and 10, and played the guitar like him.” As an adult, O’Connor knew Cash and worked with him. Cash appeared on O’Connor’s album “Heroes,” bringing back the story of the Devil coming down to Georgia to “challenge young Johnny for the golden fiddle,” O’Connor wrote.
Poets and Prophets “infuses many different musical styles, including a strong influence of country fiddle music,” Petti said. “You will most certainly feel like you are at a hoedown.”
Members of the trio are Jennifer Dalmas, violin; her husband, Evgeni Raychev, cello; and Petti, piano. The trio, all SFA music faculty members, has been playing together for several years and specializes in works by American composers.
Also on the program are Piano Trio No. 1 by Gerald Mark Shapiro and Trio Variante by Harold Schiffman.
“Shapiro’s trio has its roots in jazz, and contains a heart-touching third movement written for his then 7-year-old daughter, Emily,” Petti said.
Shapiro is chairman of the music department at Brown University, and Schiffman is an active composer.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. For tickets or more information, visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu or call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 486-6407.
