"Bach and Beyond" – Benefit Concert for the Bach Parley String Academy

This Sunday, the Tallahassee Bach Parley will perform a special benefit concert, “Bach and Beyond,” with all donations going toward Bach Parley String Academy student scholarships. The faculty of the String Academy, Valerie Arsenault, Carrie Holden, Miriam Barfield, and Zlatina Staykova, will present a wide range of 18th through 21st century music, including some Irish fiddling. The program has music of Bach as arranged by Mozart, a lively trio by Dvořák, “Lullaby and Grotesque” by Rebecca Clarke (a 20th century British composer), Sinfonia No. 2 in D major by Mendelsssohn, and jigs from the “Irish Session Suite” by Kevin Burke and Cal Scott.

“We are excited to introduce the String Academy faculty to the community and share a wide range of repertoire beyond our usual Baroque Era music,” explains Bach Parley President and Music Director Dr. Valerie Arsenault. “At the end of the concert, a group of students from the Bach Parley String Academy will join us for a grand finale. We want everyone to know about the good work we do teaching lessons in downtown Tallahassee every day.”

Donations at the door will go to the Bach Parley String Academy’s need-based scholarship fund to teach students who would not otherwise be able to afford private music lessons.

The discipline of learning to play a stringed instrument develops the character of the whole child by teaching perseverance, leadership, time management, reliability, and responsibility. The String Academy’s goals are to bring together students of different backgrounds and to cultivate a lifelong appreciation of quality music of all types through the study and performance of music.

At all Tallahassee Bach Parley concerts this season, patrons will receive an insert in their programs with a discount coupon to use after the concert at participating downtown Tallahassee restaurants.

“Bach and Beyond” will be held at on Sunday, April 2 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 211 North Monroe St. in Tallahassee at 3 PM. A $10 donation is suggested and free childcare is available.

For additional information about the Tallahassee Bach Parley, including the Bach Parley String Academy music school, visit www.tallahasseebachparley.org.