Music At Noon, the concert series sponsored by Music@MUMC, continues its 35th Anniversary season with a concert on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, featuring Paul Zeigler, Pianist.
In addition to the Beethoven Sonata in F Minor, Mr. Zeigler will be joined by guest artist, Patricia Ruggles, Mezzo-Soprano, performing his song cycle “Astonishing Light: 6 Songs on Poems by Hafiz.”
This song cycle was the 2nd place winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Art Song Award in 2012. The 30-minute concert begins at 12:15 pm and is held T in the sanctuary of the Morristown United Methodist Church, 50 Park Place (on the Green), Morristown, NJ07960.
There is a light luncheon available for purchase before or after the concert (11:30 to 1:30 pm).
The cost of the luncheon is $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for seniors and students.
The January concerts have a suggested donation of $7 for adults and $6 for senior citizens. Students are free to all concerts. Free childcare is available during the concert. The sanctuary is handicapped accessible.
Paul Zeigler‘s multifaceted career as a pianist, composer, teacher, lecturer and adjudicator has taken him on performances throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. But no matter where he has performed, the critics have been unanimous: “absolutely thrilling, emotionally exciting, mind-expanding… a virtuoso performer.”
Paul began playing piano at age 16 under the tutelage of pianist/composer Wells Gemberling and later with pianist/composer Harold Zabrack. He won first place at the 1986 Young Keyboard Artists International Piano Competition, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and took second place at the 2002 Bartok-Kabalevsky-Prokofiev International Piano Competition, Radford University, Virginia.
From the very beginning, Paul has been captivated by the genre of “art song” and has composed many works for voice and piano. In 2008 his composition, Peace: A Song Cycle on Five Poems by Langston Hughes, was a finalist in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Composition Competition (NATS), and in 2013 his song cycle, Astonishing Light: 6 Songs on Poems by Hafiz, won the NATS 2nd place award. In May, 2013, Paul’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra was premiered with the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey and Maestro Robert W. Butts, conductor. Sheila Abrams, who reviewed the concert in the online magazine, NJ Arts Maven, described it this way:
“…once in a while, a miracle happens. And one happened on Sunday. The concerto was an absolute joy. Passionate and lyrical…”
Paul has also released four CDs:
- Beethoven: Three Sonatas, Pathetique, Moonlight and Appassionata
- To Music and Other Original Works by Paul Zeigler with Patricia Ruggles, mezzo, Janet Vidovich, clarinet, and Mitchell Vines, piano
- Peace with Diane Gold Toulson, flute, Patricia Ruggles, mezzo, and Renee Jolles, violin, and Paul Zeigler Pianist
- Brahms Sonata in F minor, Liszt Sonata in B minor
When not performing and composing, Paul teaches music privately at his studio in Madison, New Jersey. He takes great pride in the fact that many of his students have gone on to win awards a
Funding has been made possible in part by funds from Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
For further information: 973-538-2132 or www.morristownumc.com
