Church to host Thanksgiving recital

STAMFORD — First Presbyterian Church in Stamford will host a recital at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, as part of the Organ Music in the Catskills recital series featuring organist Eddie Zheng. He will play the church’s historic Hook and Hastings pipe organ and pianist Youlan Ji and vocalist Fred Nelson will join him.

According to a media release, Zheng, a native of New York City, is a master’s degree student of Paul Jacobs at the Juilliard School. His aim to promote the masterworks of the organ to broader audiences around the world has led to performances in cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Montreal, and Beijing, where he has helped new audiences in China discover the organ.

With a focus on lyrical phrasing and articulate touch combined with thoughtful programming and spoken notes, Zheng’s performances at the 2018 Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition and the 2019 AGO Quimby Northeast Regional Competition granted him first place awards, concert opportunities, and his engagement as Artist-in-Residence at the Saint Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church in New York.

Recently appointed as organ associate at First Presbyterian Church Greenwich in Connecticut, Zheng seeks to encourage wider musical appreciation through service playing and youth involvement.

Having spent many summers in the Catskills, Zheng created the Organ Music in the Catskills series in 2021 partnering with historic churches to host recitals featuring the organ and other instruments to enthusiastic local audiences. The concert in Stamford will be his fourth in the series.

The program of festive music will feature composers J.S. Bach, Alexander Guilmant and George Frideric Handel.

Admission is free and light refreshments will be served following the performance.

The church is at 96 Main St. in Stamford.

Original article: https://www.thedailystar.com/news/church-to-host-thanksgiving-recital/article_9391bfc2-669e-11ed-8952-37fd82dfb02e.html