Feast of Stephen Archives - O'Connor Piano Studio

Christmas Countdown: Good King Wenceslas

December 18, 2022

| Christmas, Composers, Holiday

“Good King Wenceslas” is a popular Christmas carol that tells a story of Good King Wenceslas braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (the second day of Christmas, December 26). During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, […]

🎹 Pender UMC Spring Concert 2023: Joy Ringers
On May 13, 2023 Brian Stevenson, Pender Music Director, produced our annual Spring Concert. The Joy Ringers played Streams of Life by Jason Krug and Fantastica by Ron Mallory.
💃 National Tap Dance Day
Today is also National Tap Dance Day
🧖‍♀️ Towel Day
Towel Day is celebrated every year on 25 May as a tribute to the author Douglas Adams by his fans. On this day, fans carry a towel with them, as described in Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, to demonstrate their appreciation for the books and the author.
🎹🥁🎺 🎵 It’s National Buy a Musical Instrument Day
Each year on May 22 we observe National Buy a Musical Instrument Day. The day is all about playing music. If you are a musician, it might be time for a new instrument. Maybe you can learn to play a second or third one. If you have never played an instrument before, National Buy A […]
☦️ Hymn History: Great is Thy Faithfulness
The Pender UMC Traditional Service Prelude “Great is Thy Faithfulness” on Sunday May 14, 2023 was played by Hetty Jacobs on piano. This was Hetty’s first Sunday as Pender’s Pianist.
🎧 Keyboards for Beginners
Each year on May 22 we observe National Buy a Musical Instrument Day. The day is all about playing music. If you are a musician, it might be time for a new instrument. Maybe you can learn to play a second or third one. If you have never played an instrument before, National Buy A […]
🎹 “Advent Medley” from Spring Concert 2023
On May 13, 2023 Brian Stevenson, Pender Music Director, produced our annual Spring Concert. Heidi had just been hired as Pender’s pianist on May 11, 2023 and she agreed to play her audition piece, “Advent Medley” for our concert.
☦️ Hymn History: The Church’s One Foundation
Samuel John Stone (1839–1900), then a newly ordained curate at New Windsor Parish Church, wrote “The Church’s One Foundation” in 1866 as a direct lyrical commentary to a controversy in the Church of South Africa, part of the Anglican Communion. The controversy was between Bishop John William Colenso of Natal (an early apologist for the […]
🌸 Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day!
🇺🇦 Don’t Get Around Much Anymore by Duke Ellington from Concert for Ukraine
“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” is a jazz standard written by composer Duke Ellington. The song was originally entitled “Never No Lament” and was first recorded by Duke Ellington and his orchestra on May 4, 1940.
🇺🇦 Sonata Latino: Bossa Merengova by Mike Mower from Concert for Ukraine
The Pender Concert Supporting Ukraine on April 23 featured Liz Sellers on piano, Brian on harp, and local professional musicians, including woodwind quintet, drums, organ, guitar, flute, penny whistle, singing and violin. Concert repertoire included: Harp arrangements by Debussy, Piano trio of Jazz/Baroque, Flute Concertino by Chaminade, Woodwind Quintet with music of Duke Ellington, The […]
🇺🇦 “Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio” by Claude Bolling from Concert for Ukraine
Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio by Claude Bolling “Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano (aka Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio) is a “crossover” composition, synthesizing Baroque and swing era jazz elements, by the jazz pianist and composer Claude Bolling. The composition, originally written in 1973, is a suite of seven movements, […]
🇺🇦 Clair de lune by Claude Debussy from Concert for Ukraine
Brian Stevenson, Director of Music Ministries at Pender UMC in Fairfax, VA, performed Clair de lune from Debussy’s Suite bergamasque during Pender’s new Concert Series which began on April 23, 2022. ‘Clair de lune’, meaning moonlight, was written by the Impressionist French composer Claude Debussy. It is the third movement of a four-movement work, Suite […]
🌟 Happy Star Wars Day!
🇺🇦 Flute Concertino in D major, Op. 107 by Cécile Chaminade from Concert for Ukraine
Cécile Chaminade’s Flute Concertino in D major, Op. 107, was composed in 1902 for flute and piano and later arranged by herself for flute and orchestra.The piece remains a standard and popular part of the flute repertoire.

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