Newton Cultural Alliance

Oktoberfest: A Concert of Drinking Songs for Men’s Choir
2024-10-26 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Grace Episcopal Church, 76 Eldredge Street, Newton, MA, 02458, United States
On offer will be a selection of rousing drinking songs for men’s choir, spanning time, place, and genre including Mendelssohn’s Opus 50 song cycle.
With a special guest appearance by operatic baritone Junhan Choi who will join the men in Schubert’s Trinklied D. 75 and sing a set of themed arias. To add to the fun he has been persuaded to sing Rossini’s famous “Figaro” aria. The concert will be followed by a special beer garden reception courtesy of
The Highland Glee Club and the Mighty Squirrel. It’s going to be WICKED FUN. But also extremely classy.

Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra presents Treasures of Youth and Age
2024-10-27 15:00 - 17:00 | Second Church in Newton, 60 Highland St., West Newton, MA, 02465, United States
Pro Arte’s 47th season opens with Louisville-based conductor Gabriel Lefkowitz leading an expressive program for the strings, principal clarinetist Ian Greitzer, and principal bassoonist Ronald Haroutunian. In her Canyons, from 2018, Tanner Porter paints nature at its most jagged, imposing, and majestic. A work like no other, Richard Strauss’s vibrant Duett-Concertino features writing so organic, its solo clarinet and bassoon seem to become living, breathing characters. Although Josef Suk’s warm Serenade was a departure from his melancholy style, it won him early critical acclaim from Johannes Brahms and positioned him as the successor to his teacher Antonín Dvořák, and it brings this first concert to an elegant close.

Bay Colony Brass presents: Space and Beyond
2024-11-02 19:30 - 21:00 | Second Church in Newton, 60 Highland St., West Newton, MA, 02465, United States
Music director Philip Sanborn leads Newton’s 20-member BAY COLONY BRASS in a wide-ranging concert including Richard Strauss’ Fanfare from “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust,” and selections from Gustav Holst’s monumental work, “The Planets.” This program is supported in part by a grant from the Newton Cultural Council, a local council that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council and the City of Newton.
FREE ADMISSION
Parking is available adjacent to the building at Second Church in Newton. Parking lots are accessible from either Highland Street or Chestnut Street.
Handicapped access is available immediately uphill from the sanctuary via the side driveway or drive-up entrance through the main doors to the sanctuary.
Learn more about Bay Colony Brass at www.baycolonybrass.org.

Newton Baroque presents London Rivals
2024-11-12 08:00 - 17:00 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
London Rivals
Saturday, November 16, 7:30 pm
Newton Baroque performs at The Allen Center. This concert features cantatas, violin sonatas, and keyboard fugues by the rival music directors Nicola Porpora and George Frederick Handel.

Music to Lighten the Darkness
2024-11-16 16:00 - 17:30 | Grace Episcopal Church, 76 Eldredge Street, Newton, MA, 02458, United States
As the winter deepens and the days become shorter, we take this time to reflect on light and darkness – physical and emotional – and the challenges that we all face during this cold and lonely time. Cappella Clausura offers a performance on these subjects as a spiritual balm, with music by living women composers who speak directly to the challenges that come during this time of year. Please join us for this journey, as we bring you through darkness to light.
Music by Anna Clyne, Ashi Day, Jessica French, Natalie Draper, Dorothy Hindman, Alma Mahler, and some classic Hildegard. Including a performance of Francis Poulenc’s epic and rarely-heard “Soir de Neige”.
Individual tickets are on sale now through the website: clausura.org, or patrons can charge by phone at 617.993.0013. Single tickets: General Admission @ $35, Student/Under 30 @ $15 and, Card to Culture @ $5. For further information, contact manager@clausura.org.

Capella Clausura presents Music to Lighten the Darkness
2024-11-17 16:00 - 17:30 | Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116, United States

Commonwealth Chorale Presents " Reverent Praise"
2024-11-24 16:00 - 19:00 | Church of the Holy Name, 1689 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, United States
In November, we bring you Johann Sebastian Bach’s beloved Magnificat and compositions by two well-known contemporary British composers: Jonathan Dove’s Köthener Messe and Cecilia McDowall’s Laudate. Dove and McDowall’s compositions both pay tribute to Bach and, with the Magnificat, provide respite for uncertain times

Pro Arte presents Holiday Brass!
2024-12-02 19:00 - 20:00 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra presents the first concert in this season’s Salon Series- Holiday Brass Quintet, featuring traditional holiday favorites, at The Allen Center in Newton at 7pm on December 2nd. The Holiday Brass salon concert has become a recent tradition at the Allen House, after its first performance during the pandemic as a video offering. This year’s concert will include music by Handel and Bach, along with traditional carols and more familiar popular Christmas songs. This concert will also be offered at 2pm that day at the Scandinavian Cultural Center. For more information www.proarte.org or info@proarte.org.

Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra presents Holiday Brass Quintet
2024-12-02 19:00 - 20:30 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
The Salon Series is Pro Arte’s chamber music concert series. Each performance features a select handful of musicians from Pro Arte’s cooperative along with occasional guest artists to present musical gems not featured in the full orchestral Ensemble Series. They are a perfect way to get to know Pro Arte players better. If you haven’t been to one of these fun concerts, they are presented in a less formal manner and feature plenty of opportunities to interact with the musicians and to learn more about the music.

In the Key of Now
2024-12-06 19:30 - 21:30 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
The Allen Center in partnership with Berklee Voice Department presents “In the Key of Now” on Friday, December 6th at 7:30 pm. Featuring the Advanced Vocal Jazz Ensemble, directed by Prof. Ned Rosenblatt and a special cameo appearance by renowned vocalist and Professor Emeritus Donna McElroy. Step into “In the Key of Now”, a live experience that celebrates the power of the present moment through the dynamic energy of jazz.

Highland Glee Club presents A Holiday Feast of Song
2024-12-07 15:00 - 16:30 | Grace Episcopal Church, 76 Eldredge Street, Newton, MA, 02458, United States
Announcing this year’s holiday concert from The Highland Glee Club, “A Holiday Feast of Song”. Saturday, December 7, 2024, 3 PM at Grace Church, 76 Eldredge St Newton, MA. General admission $20 in advance; $25 at the door. Under age 18 free. Features traditional carols, a world premiere composition for Chanukah by Dan Wulf; Kreisler works from our 2024 HCG music award winner Keila Wakao; Alfred Burt carols with a solo by Connor Vigeant, tenor, and our rousing singalong. All followed by a beautiful reception with complementary goodies for the whole family. Details and tickets at www.highlandgleeclub.com

Newton Baroque presents Nativity: Meditations on the Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity by Biber, Bach, and Others
2024-12-07 16:00 - 18:00 | St Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, 1 Morse Rd, Sudbury, MA, 01776, United States
This intensely contemplative concert ventures into both the gritty and the sublime in elements related to pregnancy, expectation, childbirth, and hope, featuring three of the Mystery Sonatas by Franz Heinrich Biber: The Annunciation, the Visitation, and the Nativity, along with Baroque-style improvisation and works by Pachelbel, Muffat, and Bach. We will perform this concert at St Elizabeth’s Church in Sudbury to take advantage of the spectacular English Baroque organ built by William Drake.
Susanna Ogata – violin, Andrus Madsen – Organ

Bay Colony Brass presents A Bay Colony Christmas
2024-12-07 19:30 - 21:00 | Second Church in Newton, 60 Highland St., West Newton, MA, 02465, United States
Music director Philip Sanborn leads Newton’s 20-member BAY COLONY BRASS in a free, family-friendly concert of Christmas favorites ranging from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” to modern favorites. The concert features an audience sing-along. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Newton Cultural Council, a local council that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council and the City of Newton.
FREE ADMISSION
Parking is available adjacent to the building at Second Church in Newton. Parking lots are accessible from either Highland Street or Chestnut Street.
Access for those with limited mobility is available immediately uphill from the sanctuary via the side driveway or drive-up entrance through the main doors to the sanctuary.
And in case you can’t make the performance on December 7, you can still catch “A Bay Colony Christmas” on December 14 at 7:30 at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 280 Main Street in Woburn.

These Are The Days - Newton Family Singers Celebrate the Music of Lilith Fair
2024-12-08 16:00 - 19:00 | Regis College’s Casey Theatre, 235 Wellesley St, Weston, MA, 02493, United States
Join the Newton Family Singers as we celebrate the music of Lilith Fair. This concert will be a bit different from our usual performances. Instead of focusing on a single artist, we’re honoring several talented musicians who were part of the traveling music festival, Lilith Fair.
Lilith Fair was a groundbreaking festival that took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999 and was revived in 2010. It featured female solo artists and female-led bands, providing a platform for their voices to be heard. This gives us the opportunity to perform a wide variety of favorites from musicians you know and love, such as Natalie Merchant, Sheryl Crow, The Chicks, Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Lisa Loeb, 10,000 Maniacs, Jewel, Alanis Morissette, Des’ree, Shawn Colvin, and Tracy Chapman!
Proceeds from this season’s concert will go to The Second Step. The Second Step fosters the safety, stability, and well-being of those who have experienced domestic violence. They provide comprehensive services, including safety planning, legal advocacy, counseling, peer support, transitional housing, and other essential services to adults, youth, and children in Greater Boston and MetroWest.
https://www.newtonfamilysingers.org/events.html

New Phil & Boston Ballet present Celebrations!
2024-12-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Brown Middle School, 125 Meadowbrook Road, Newton Centre, MA, 02459
Celebrations!
Sunday, December 15, 3:00 pm
The New Philharmonia Orchestra + Boston Ballet School perform scenes from the Nutcracker at Brown Middle School. Celebrations! is all the Tchaikovsky you love, plus other holiday favorites like Sleigh Ride, Frozen, and Let There Be Peace on Earth.

Commonwealth Chorale Auditions
2025-01-07 17:15 - 18:45, 2025-01-14 17:15 - 18:45 | First Baptist Church in Newton, 848 Beacon St, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Commonwealth Chorale seeks singers of all voice types who have strong vocal and sight-reading skills. Our March 9th 2025 concert will be a performance of Carl Orff’s stunning Carmina Burana. Unlike most performances of this piece, this one will be done with a full orchestra.
Our May 18th concert celebrates “community and connection” through the diversity of American folk songs. The program includes works of Aaron Copland, Nathaniel Dett, and Alice Parker’s folk song and spiritual arrangements.
Auditions will be held by appointment on the evenings of January 7 and 14 from 5:15 – 6:45 pm. Auditions are held at our rehearsal location at First Baptist Church, 848 Beacon Street in Newton Center, a few minutes’ walk from the Newton Center stop on the “D” Green Line. There is also plenty of parking behind the church and on adjacent streets.
*NEW this season!* Scholarships to reduce costs for singers 30 and under! See website for details: https://commonwealthchorale.com
To apply for an audition, click here: https://commonwealthchorale.com/join-us

Highland Glee Club presents Auditions
2025-01-07 19:00 | Christ Episcopal Church, 1132 Highland Ave., Needham Heights, MA, 02494, United States
The Highland Glee Club, established in 1908, is seeking male singers to join our illustrious men’s singing group.
HGC sings a wide range of songs from classical to Broadway hits to folk and rock standards.
Rehearsals are on Tuesdays from 7:00 pm to 9:30pm at the Grace Episcopal Church, 76 Eldredge St, Newton. For more information please contact Music Director, Sarah Robinson Seeber at sarahjseeber@gmail.com

Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra presents Musical Super Heros
2025-01-26 15:00 - 17:00 | War Memorial Auditorium, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, 02459, United States
This January, Conductor Emerita Gisèle Ben-Dor leads Pro Arte through an adventure of music and storytelling that will thrill your whole family. In The Story of Babar, the tale of a little elephant’s journey from orphan to king is accompanied at every turn by Francis Poulenc’s picturesque music. Our young soloist shines in the irrepressible finale of Joseph Haydn’s first cello concerto. Sensemayá, by Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, is a spellbinding depiction of an Afro-Caribbean ceremony in which a ritualist must subdue a snake. Our program ends with the riotous Toy Symphony, in which playful instruments like a triangle, a rattle, and a cuckoo whistle all try to steal the spotlight.

Musical Program

FRANCIS POULENC Story of Babar the Elephant
FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Finale from Cello Concerto No.1
SILVESTRE REVUELTAS Sensemayá
HAYDN Toy Symphony

TICKETS

House Concert with Folk Singer-songwriter Grace Morrison
2025-02-01 18:30 - 21:00 | House Of Play House Concerts, Newton, MA, 02461, United States
Join us in our welcoming and spacious home! Drinks, snacks, and plenty of joy provided as we delight in this opportunity to be up close with a rising new singer songwriter. Minimum $25 donation goes directly to the performer. You must send an email with your name and phone to reserve a seat ahead of time to houseconcertsnewton@gmail.com.
We are thrilled to host Grace Morrison for folk music that’s so unique, it’s hard to describe. “If country, pop, and Americana were on a Venn diagram – Grace Morrison would be squarely in the center.”
“Her voice smacks of Jewel, and her style, cadence, song structure is every inch from the school of Joan Osborne, Lisa Loeb, Natalie Merchant. It’s uncanny.”
“Grace’s unique brand has established her as a confident, refreshing voice in country-pop. With performances at Nashville’s Bluebird Café and co-writes with multi-Grammy winner Lori McKenna and hit songwriter Barbara Cloyd under her belt, Grace made a name for herself in 2022 at songwriter festivals from Massachusetts to Montana. With subjects ranging from Titanic to tantric; an evening with Grace will take you from the court of King Henry VIII to debauchery in Denver. With humor and raw honesty, audiences leave Grace’s shows with her songs stuck in their heads and their toes tired from tapping.”
CHECK HER OUT — http://www.gracemorrison.com/

Lunar New Year
2025-02-02 12:00 - 16:00 | New Art Center, 61 Washington Park, Newton, MA, 02460, United States
Join the New Art Center in Newtonville for the fourth annual Lunar New Year event. The event will take place on Sunday, February 2 from 12:00pm – 4:00pm at 61 Washington Park and is part of New Art’s Cultural Access Program, a robust Community Outreach program providing free and inclusive art experiences.
The Lunar New Year event will feature a series of art-making and performance activities centered on the celebrations associated with Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year is an important time for celebration in the majority of East and Southeast Asian cultures. We welcome the New Year by spending time with family making food, playing games, telling stories, and cleaning our homes! This is a family-friendly event, free and open to the public.
This year is the year of the Blue Snake in the Korean calendar, or Wood Snake in the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Blue Snake is a year for wisdom, intuition, creativity, and personal growth! The Snake zodiac symbolizes wisdom and carefulness, and the Blue element, or Wood, is associated with movement and growth, as well as cooperation and idealism. This year, we should encourage ourselves to focus on self-growth and planning long-term goals for the future. Focus on your personal relationships, and find stability in reflection and mindful practices!
Ren Li Song will present on the art of calligraphy. Performers include the GBCCA Chinese Music Ensemble, members of the Boston Korean Dance Academy, and a Global String Band JUL.

Classical with a Twist - Love is All Around
2025-02-02 15:00 - 17:00 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
Cherry Street Music starts the new year with Classical with a Twist – Love Is All Around on Sunday, February 2nd at 3:00 pm. A magical program of Love & Friendship, including romantic works by Debussy & a collaborative “Over the Rainbow” finale. Featuring Artistic Director, Allison Eldredge, cello; Dina Vainshtein, piano, and special guest performances from the “TEens of Temple Emanuel.”

All About Love
2025-02-15 16:00 - 18:30 | Grace Episcopal Church, 76 Eldredge Street, Newton, MA, 02458, United States
All About Love
“Sappho begins with a sweet apple and ends in infinite hunger.”
(From “Eros the Bittersweet”, by Anne Carson)
Too often throughout history, we’ve seen women’s love and desire depicted through a male gaze, while authentic expressions of love and desire by women in art have been considered taboo. Cappella Clausura challenges this by centering voices of women and gender non-binary composers in this program on the topic of love in all its forms. Romantic verses by Sappho, Elizabeth Barret Browning and Pablo Neruda set by composers including Evelin Seppar, Modesta Bor, Rafaella Aleotti, Laura Nevitt, and others.
February 15th, 2025 @ 4PM Grace Church
76 Eldredge St. Newton, MA 02458
February 16th, 2025 @ 4PM Emmanuel Church
15 Newbury St. Boston MA 02116

POSTPONED Ari & Mia: Glimmer of Warmth
2025-02-22 19:00 - 20:30 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
This event has been POSTPONED. Check back soon for new date. All tickets will either be refunded or honored at the future event.
Ari and Mia Friedman, New England’s Americana Sister Act, perform live on stage at The Allen Center. This folk duo will sing for you and with you, sharing some Glimmers of Warmth that can perhaps sustain us until springtime.

Bay Colony Brass presents “Prokofiev, Penderecki, and Puccini”
2025-03-08 19:30 - 21:00 | First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, 1326 Washington St, Newton, MA, 02465, United States
LAST MINUTE VENUE CHANGE!
Music director Philip Sanborn leads Newton’s 20-member BAY COLONY BRASS in a free concert featuring a suite from Sergei Prokofiev’s stunning ballet score from “Romeo and Juliet” to Krzysztof Penderecki’s “Danziger Fanfare” and music from Giacomo Puccini’s tragic opera, “Tosca.” The program is supported in part by a grant from the Newton Cultural Council, a local council that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council and the City of Newton.
FREE ADMISSION
Last minute venue change to:
First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton
1326 Washington St.

Newton, MA 02465

Learn more about Bay Colony Brass at www.baycolonybrass.org.

Games of Tones
2025-03-09 15:00 - 16:30 | War Memorial Auditorium, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, 02459, United States
The Highland Glee Club is proud to announce “Game of Tones”- songs of knighthood, heroism, mythic visions, and the supernatural. Inspired by the medieval fantasy series Game of Thrones, the men of the Highland Glee Club along with their musical director Sarah Robinson Seeber bring you a beguiling concert of
Grieg, Sibelius, Elgar, Romberg and more! With special guest soprano Jessica Toupin and piano solos by Jonathan Reddix.
Sunday, March 9, 2025. 3:00 pm. War Memorial Auditorium at Newton City Hall. 1000 Commonwealth Ave., Newton, MA.

Newton Piano Summit - David Schulenberg and Monica Jakuc Leverett
2025-03-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Second Church in Newton, 60 Highland St., West Newton, MA, 02465, United States
David Schulenberg: Historically Inspired Virtuoso
David Schulenberg is a renowned harpsichordist, organist, and fortepianist celebrated for his historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical keyboard music. Best known for his interpretations of works by J.S. Bach and C.P.E. Bach, Schulenberg captivates audiences with his technical brilliance and expressive artistry.
A frequent soloist and ensemble performer, he brings historical repertoire to life through his mastery of period instruments and deep understanding of early music styles. Schulenberg has performed widely across the U.S. and internationally, earning acclaim for his compelling musicianship and attention to detail.
In addition to his performing career, Schulenberg is a respected educator and scholar whose work bridges the worlds of performance and research, ensuring the enduring relevance of early music in the modern era.
Monica Jakuc Leverett: Bridging Centuries of Keyboard Mastery
Monica Jakuc Leverett is the Elsie Irwin Sweeney Professor Emerita of Music at Smith College, where she taught since 1969. An internationally recognized pianist, she has performed on three continents and remains an active solo and chamber musician in Western Massachusetts, playing both early and modern pianos.
Her New York debut at Alice Tully Hall in 1980 featured a program of 20th-century music for two pianos. The New York Times praised her performance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations at Merkin Hall as “an auspicious debut.” She premiered a work by Ronald Perera in her 1988 London debut and has since toured Japan, Alaska, and both U.S. coasts. Passionate about women composers, she has given lecture-recitals at International Association of Women in Music concerts.
Her recordings include works by Haydn, Marianne von Martinez, and Francesca LeBrun. Her latest album, Fantasies for Fortepiano, features music by Mozart, C.P.E. Bach, Haydn, and Beethoven.
Jakuc Leverett holds degrees from Juilliard and studied with renowned pianists including Leon Fleisher and Russell Sherman. She and her husband, Bob Leverett, explore forests and support conservation through the Monica and Bob Leverett Forever-Wild Conservation Fund.
Special guest Jacob Cooper, a Colorado-born baritone, is acclaimed for his dynamic stage presence in opera, recital, and ensemble performances. Described as “stunning” by The Boston Globe, he has performed with top New England period ensembles, including the Handel and Haydn Society, Emmanuel Music, Arcadia Players, and Boston Baroque (Giulio Cesare). He also champions contemporary music, premiering works such as Oliver Caplan’s The Cellist is Dead and song cycles by Stephen Coxe and Frank Pesci.
His recent solo appearances include Chorus Pro Musica, the Blue Hill Bach Festival, and Juventas New Music Ensemble. His operatic roles range from Saul (David et Jonathas) and Leporello (Don Giovanni) to Ford (Falstaff), praised as “the best Shakespearean acting I’ve seen all year” (HubReview).
This program is supported in part by grants from the Village Bank which has a long tradition of commitment to the Garden City, Advance Auto in Nonantum – providing quality service for everything automotive, Honda Village, and the Newton Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, Newton Community Pride, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Charles River Foundation and private donors.

Ari & Mia: Glimmer of Warmth
2025-03-15 19:00 - 20:30 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
This event was rescheduled from 2.22.25
Ari and Mia Friedman, New England’s Americana Sister Act, perform live on stage at The Allen Center. This folk duo will sing for you and with you, sharing some Glimmers of Warmth that can perhaps sustain us until springtime.

Newton Piano Summit - Paul Bloom and George Russell Jr.
2025-03-16 15:00 - 17:00 | Second Church in Newton, 60 Highland St., West Newton, MA, 02465, United States
Paul Bloom : Defies Category
Paul distinguished himself quickly as a prodigiously creative talent in the Boston area before moving to New York City. Originally from Needham, Massachusetts, Paul was enthralled by music as a child and started taking piano lessons at age 5. As a teenager, he took lessons with Steve Sussman, Doug Johnson, and Hal Crook, while performing weekly at Wally’s Jazz Club. He also joined New England Conservatory and Berklee College of Music programs, studying with renowned artists and educators including Austin McMahon, Tiger Okoshi, Alexei Tsiganov, Joanne Brackeen, Wes Wirth, Ken Schaphorst, and Julian Lage.
Paul participated in the Brubeck Institute Fellowship Program from 2012-2013, where he worked with mentors Joe Gilman, Stefon Harris, Patrick Langham, and Brian Kendrick. After moving to New York City in 2013, he began studies at Columbia University and discovered a fascination with neuroscience. Over the following years, he balanced studies in developmental neuroscience with a regular schedule of performances and recording sessions, as well as lessons with Frank Kimbrough and Bruce Barth.
Over the past decade, Paul has been an active member of the New York City music scene, playing and recording with artists spanning many musical styles, including Jess Best, Taylor Simone Harvey, iiii, Justin Carter, Alex Graff, Bria Monét, Chandanie, Sedric Perry, Elysse, Jazze Belle, Marcus Machado, Kendra Foster, and JSWISS. He has had opportunities to perform at premier venues, including the Blue Note, Apollo Theater, Dizzy’s Club, Nublu, Celebrate Brooklyn Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, NYC Winter Jazz Festival, The Bowery Ballroom, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the California Jazz Conservatory.
George Russell Jr. : Fusion of Gospel and Jazz
George Russell Jr. is a name that hardly needs an introduction, he recently performed with vocalist Dominque Eade at the Allen House. This year’s performance will make him the Summit’s first three-time performer​ since moving from the Waban Library. A pianist renowned for his passion, fire, soul, and spirit, he has recently embarked on a sabbatical from his teaching responsibilities to focus on his latest recording project, Reimagined. This album offers a fresh and inspired take on his favorite spirituals and hymns, reflecting his deep musical roots.
Currently, George serves as Chair of the Harmony Department at Berklee College of Music, a role preceded by his tenure as a Professor of Harmony and Piano. Despite focusing on the piano, George often describes himself as “a drummer who happens to play the piano.” This rhythmic sensibility is evident in every performance, where his strong sense of groove and timing infuses his music with dynamic energy and depth.
Through his teaching, performances, and recordings, George Russell Jr. continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of music, blending tradition with innovation in ways that resonate with audiences and inspire future generations.
This program is supported in part by grants from the Village Bank which has a long tradition of commitment to the Garden City, Advance Auto in Nonantum – providing quality service for everything automotive, Honda Village, and the Newton Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, Newton Community Pride, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Charles River Foundation and private donors.
