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Date: 12/23/2019
RUSSELL – Westfield musician and piano teacher, Isabel Marcheselli, will be kicking off the New Year by offering a classical piano concert for residents of the Hilltowns and surrounding communities on Jan. 19, 9:30 a.m. at the Holy Family Church at 5 Main St. in Russell.
Works to be played include a Haydn sonata, an excerpt from Mozart’s Viennese Sonatinas, Bach preludes and an excerpt from his Goldberg Variations. Pieces will be prefaced by brief biographical and music commentaries on the composers whose works will be presented.
Marcheselli said she wanted to do a pure classical piano recital, something which she said is not too common in the hilltowns. Coming on the heels of Christmas, she said the concert will be “upbeat, but also meditative.”
“What’s different about it, it will be a lecture recital. I will talk about the lives of the composers before I play, which serves to enhance the meaning of the music,” she said, adding, “I’ve been a fan of these musicians.”
Marcheselli said she has been working on the music for a long time. She called the piece by Haydn, “lively, almost comical.” She said the Mozart Sonatina she will be playing is one of his most famous pieces.
On the Goldberg Variations by Bach, she said she would be playing just an excerpt. “I’m such a fan of his preludes and fugues; which are so harmonic, so alive,” she said.
Marcheselli said, in November, she performed a concert in Springfield, where she sang classical French art songs, talked about the songs and provided translations of the lyrics.
“It made a world of difference. I want people to feel engaged,” she said.
A graduate of Cornell University, Marcheselli studied music at Mannes School of Music and Hunter College and performed for years as a singer, songwriter, and musician for crowds in New York City before entering the music scene in western Massachusetts as a performer of classical, contemporary and sacred music.
One of her latest area performances was at the Westfield Athenaeum to a full house of listeners who enjoyed her classical piano playing and community sing held during the Christmas season last year. It was her third concert at the Athenaeum.
As of this year, Marcheselli is also a nationally certified piano teacher accredited by Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) founded in 1876, and is welcoming new students.
Currently, she serves as a professional music minister on multiple instruments (voice, piano, organ, and guitar) at Holy Family Church where her concert is scheduled.
The concert is open to all for a freewill offering to support Holy Family Church as it celebrates the 10th anniversary since its founding. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do this at Holy Family for a free will donation to the church, which is celebrating its tenth year on Feb. 14. I’m happy to have the opportunity to have people who wouldn’t know anything about the church to visit,” Marcheselli said.
The concert will last just under an hour. Parking is available in front of the church at 5 Main St. in Russell, and in the parking lot across Route 20. For more information, contact Marcheselli and visit www.isabelmarcheselli.com. Holy Trinity phone number is 862-4418.