2023
The Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia premieres “Our Pictures,” a new major chamber music work for ten players written by composers with ties to Richmond and inspired by the people, places and fine art of historic city. Experience the music of Chloe MacKenzie Biggs, Benjamin Broening, Krystal Folkestad, Antonio Garcia, Anthony Smith, Zachary Wadsworth, and Donovan Williams. This culmination of a three-year project will take you on a memorable journey through the nature, art, people and places of Richmond – from the James River rapids, to street murals and community gardens, to the inspiring words of Maggie Walker.
65 years of French & American Classical Jazz Fusion: Third Stream IS Mainstream
Anamarie Diaz and Hope Armstrong Erb will be performing music by Francis Poulenc (1957) Claude Bolling (1973) Valerie Coleman (2008) William Averitt (2014) and Chloe MacKenzie Biggs (2022).
As part of RPL100, the library’s centennial, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Gellman Room Concerts, Commonwealth Concert Opera Unleashed will present music and readings from 1923 (the year the Library Board of Trustees was established) and 1973 (the year the Gellman Room Concerts started. Attendees will hear music by Weill and Romberg, Sondheim and Wagner, and readings from Kahil Gibran and JRR Tolkien.
The Richmond Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota will present a mix of classical and contemporary pieces featuring pianists, vocalists, violinists, and recorder performers.
“Sweet Potatoes Live at the Gellman Room” presented by the Richmond-based jazz band, Sweet Potatoes, with members Johnny Hargrove, guitar, Reyna Pannell, vocals, Stephon Larue, drums, and Brian Cruise, bass.
2024
Thomas Pandolfi is one of the leading pianists of our time, hailed a “phenomenon.” He began his career early on while at The Juilliard School (BM & MM) where the young prodigy caught the influential ear of Vladimir Horowitz, who would become his mentor, and legendary composer, Morton Gould. Since then he has been an audience favorite, selling out the world’s most prestigious stages, including Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Strathmore, The Kennedy Center, Kiev Opera House, Bucharest’s Romanian Athenaeum, London’s Cadogan Hall, and many others.
The Virginia State University Concert Choir under the direction of Dr. Craig L. Roberston will perform a variety of choral selections representative of the HBCU choral experience.
Several concerts in CMSCVA’s 19th season explore the passing of time. This free event combines poems and readings with the first half of Peter Tchaikovsky’s romantic suite of short pieces named “The Seasons.” Experience the calendar journey from January to June in words and the intimate, tuneful music of one of history’s most emotional musicians.
RVA Baroque uses historical instruments and techniques to honor the performing arts of the past, while opening doors of possibility for the future. We serve Central Virginia through free and low-cost concerts, outreach, education, and the commissioning of original works. We inspire diverse learners and listeners of all generations to grow, reflect, and rejoice.
The Greater Richmond Children’s Choir is dedicated to bringing together boys and girls from diverse backgrounds to experience the joy of singing and to gain a life-long love for good music through age-appropriate vocal training. The GRCC strives to nurture the unique gift each child brings, to encourage all to reach for excellence, and ultimately, to create responsible and compassionate citizens of the world. After twenty years, Founding Artistic Director Hope Armstrong Erb was named Artistic Director Emeritus, and veteran GRCC director Crystal Jonkman was named Artistic Director in 2017. GRCC includes choristers, ages 8-18 in ensembles representing many different schools in the city of Richmond and the surrounding counties.
Victor Haskins is a multi-instrumentalist, multidisciplinary artist, international performer, composer, improviser, bandleader, and educator. Haskins creates transformative, sound-based works which channel the power of human connection, immediacy, and inventiveness to engage with time and space.
In 2014 Marina started a Piano Duo with Panamanian pianist, Itzel Hamill, since then, they have given several piano recitals conferences in the Richmond area in four hands piano music of Hispano-American composers. Their last recital took place in the Main Richmond Public Library in the Gellman Room Series of Concerts, featuring music of Manuel de Falla, Ernesto Lecuona and Astor Piazzolla. This project was in combination with Arts students from Godwin High School who, under the leadership of Mrs. Lindsey Hurlburt, produced works inspired in the listening of the music of the featured composers.
This free event continues CMSCVA’s two-concert cycle combining poems and readings about the seasons with music from Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s romantic suite of short pieces named “The Seasons.” Experience the passing of time from July to December in words and the intimate, tuneful music of one of history’s most emotional musicians.