Congregation Emanu-El Israel’s Festival of the Jewish Arts Committee

Congregation Emanu-El Israel’s Festival of the Jewish Arts Committee is thrilled to announce that violinist, Monique Mead and pianist, Tom Roberts will present a delightful evening of character pieces and legendary tales of great Jewish musicians at the University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg Campus in Campana Chapel on Saturday December 9 at 7 PM. This program will highlight the musicians who enriched and defined American culture through their music. This delightful program will feature favorite works by George Gershwin, Jascha Heifetz, Aaron Copland, Erich Korngold, and Ernest Bloch, among others. The event, co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, is free and open to the public.
A passionate ambassador of classical music, violinist Monique Mead enjoys a multi-faceted career as a performer, educator and innovator. Inspired and mentored by Leonard Bernstein, Mead has devoted her performing career to nurturing new audiences and deepening the musical experience for seasoned concertgoers. Her programs with major orchestras and festivals in the United Stated and Europe have drawn international acclaim for their popular appeal and innovative approach.
In addition to programming, performing, and presenting concerts with orchestras since 1997, Mead has trained hundreds of orchestral musicians to be effective teaching artists, helping them to make meaningful connections with their audiences. The opportunity to offer this training at the conservatory level came in 2012, when Mead was appointed Director of Music Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University.
Tom Roberts is one of the leading exponents of early jazz piano in the world today. He has performed on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Statler Brothers Show on TNN, and A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Kiellor. Roberts arranged and performed the music for the soundtrack of Martin Scorsese’s film The Aviator, starring Leonardo di Caprio, as well as several titles for the film DeLovely.
He has also arranged music for the syndicated PRI show Riverwalk Jazz, Live from the Landing with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, and a number of pieces for Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for the music of Louis Armstrong
For additional information on the evening’s program please call 724-834-0560