Concert: Opera, Organ and More

Opera, Organ and More
with Mihaela Buhaiciuc, Robert Price, Leon Livshin and Michael Douglas Jones.
Saturday, April 4, 5 pm
Old South Haven Church, Brookhaven Hamlet
Corner South Country & Beaverdam Roads
Benefit Summer Music Scholarship Program, of the Becker/Gambles Music Fund, South Country Education Foundation.
Tickets are $20 and available at the door.

Residents of our communities will have the opportunity to attend a wonderful and unique concert on Saturday, April 4th. The concert "Opera, Organ and More" is being presented by the Becker/Gambles Music Fund Committee of the South Country Education Foundation, Inc. The concert will be held at the historic Old South Haven Presbyterian Church in Brookhaven Hamlet (at the intersection of South Country Road and Beaver Dam Road across from the Bellport High School) at 5:00 p.m. The Church dates back to 1828 and, in addition to its architectural elegance, holds the wonderful story of Senator Daniel Webster sneaking out of a service to catch the famous 14 ½ pound trout in the nearby pond, a replica of which can be seen as the weathervane on the Church spire. The Church now is the home of the Hinners Organ which was built in 1913 for a church in Sayville, and had several homes prior to being installed in the Old South Haven Church in 1961. In 2006, the organ was fully renovated by the Odell Organ Company thanks to a bequest by a former member of the choir, Roger Kickerer. The organ will be played at the concert by Robert Price who holds his Masters degree from the Mannes College of Music. He has been employed as an organist for over twenty years, and holds the prestigious certification by the American Guild of Organists.

The concert’s vocal portion will be provided by local artist Michael Douglas Jones, bass, and Mihaela Buhaiciuc, soprano, a native of Romania who currently teaches voice at the University of Mobile, Alabama. Mr. Jones and Ms. Buhaiciuc will sing both art song solos and duets, including a duet from Don Giovanni by Mozart and from Don Pasquale by Donizetti. Michael Douglas Jones made his New York City debut in Madame Butterfly, and has sung many operatic roles for several opera companies including those in Victoria B.C., Anchorage, Sarasota, El Paso, and Montreal. Mr. Jones won the prestigious Jessie Award for "outstanding performance by an actor in a leading role" for his creation of the Marquis in 120 Songs for the Marquis de Sade by Hannan. Ms. Buhaiciuc graduated Summa cum laude from the Brasov Music Conservatory in Romania and holds a PhD from Stony Brook University. In September 2008, Ms. Buhaiciuc gave a solo concert at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. In addition to concertizing, she is active in music education outreach programs, including giving Master Classes at the South Country Schools and the Port Jefferson Schools.

Mr. Jones and Ms Buhaiciuc will be accompanied by Leon Livshin who studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory before coming to the U.S. on a full scholarship to study piano at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. He has an active soloist and chamber music schedule, and teaches at Stony Brook University.

Tickets for this concert will be available at the door for $20. Proceeds will go to the Becker/Gambles Music Fund to support summer music scholarships for students in the South Country Schools. In addition to wonderful music, you have the opportunity to dine at The Bellport which is offering concert attendees a prix fixe dinner for $22 (For dinner reservations, please call 286 7550.)

Visit South Country Education Foundation at http://www.scefonline.org/