[Anton Arensky: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 2; Twelve Etudes for Piano, Op. 74; Etude Op. 36, No. 13; Etude Op. 25, No. 3; Richard Alston, piano; Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman, conductor; Centaur Records CRC 2307 (1997)]
The African American pianist Richard C. Alston has performed widely in the United States and Europe in solo recitals and concerts with orchestras. His website tells us: “A native of East Orange, NJ, Richard received his first instruction from Dorothy Earley, and by the age of eight, was playing organ and piano for the First Baptist Church in Union, NJ. He later continued with Sylvia Rabinof of New York and received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Juilliard School of Music, in New York City, where he studied with Irwin Freundlich and Josef Raieff. He was later awarded the highly prestigious Maria Guerra Judelson Scholarship in piano to return to Juilliard for his Master’s degree as well.” Richard Alston played the role of Jasbo Brown in the Metropolitan Opera's revival of “Porgy and Bess”. Richard Alston is Professor of Music at Essex County College in New Jersey and has frequently served as a part-time instructor at Rutgers University's Newark Campus. He is also on the Board of Music Advisors of the Education Opportunity Program (EOP) at Westminster Choir College, a division of Rider University in Princeton.
Anton Stepanovich Arensky (1861-1906) was a Russian composer of the Romantic Period. Richard Alston is the piano soloist on a recording of Arensky's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 2; Twelve Etudes for Piano, Op. 74; Etude Op. 36, No. 13 and Etude Op. 25, No. 3. The Czech National Symphony Orchestra performs under the direction of Paul Freeman, conductor, who is profiled at AfriClassical.com, on Centaur Records CRC 2307 (1997). Alston also performed two of the etudes on NPR's classical music program Performance Today for a broadcast on July 28, 1998. The program's website gives this background: “Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov predicted that his former student Anton Stepanovich Arensky would be 'soon forgotten' as a composer. Pianist Richard Alston proves him wrong with his performance of two Arensky etudes. (Centaur CRC 2307)” Alston says he met Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma “...when I made my debut with the Symphony of the New World, Everett Lee conducting.” Dr. De Lerma wrote this note of thanks for a copy of Arensky CD Alston sent him: “Thank you so very, very much for the Arensky CD! This healthy romantic literature I had not known before. You have performed a great service in bringing it to light..........you play so totally musically! It is a splendid recording! Dominique-René de Lerma, Professor of Music, Lawrence University”
Richard Alston specializes in repertoire of composers of African descent. An example of his many recitals is one listed in the April 2009 E-Newsletter of Essex County College: “Professor Richard Alston, music coordinator at ECC, will be the featured pianist in the concert/lecture 'Classically Black' on April 9, 2:30 p.m. in the Dasher Student Center, Newark campus. He will perform the works of composers of African descent.” Composers of African descent in Alston's repertoire range from Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) to George Walker (b. 1922). The pianist has 13 concert videos, including Adagio in F Minor of Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges, at: http://www.youtube.com/rcapno
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