Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

Several new readers have started to follow this blog since Rebekah and I started our year here in Tarboro. Thanks, I really appreciate that! There’s a lot of local interest in how someone new responds to this most excellent community – and it helps that I’ve been sharing nothing but love!

Even though I have deep roots in journalism, please don’t confuse my posts with actual reporting! Think of this more as commentary, or Op-Ed. That’s important to remember because – and these reflections on the Mozart Festival are a great example – you won’t get the whole picture, just my experience.

Piano Recital at the Conservatory of Music:

If I wanted to encapsulate Tarboro’s charm, class, sophistication and cultural panache I don’t think it would be possible to do any better than Saturday afternoon’s recital at the Conservatory of Music on Main Street.

The beautiful period house made for a picture perfect venue as probably 75 guests occupied three reception rooms for a scintillating concert by accomplished virtuoso pianist Carol Ferri.

The late-afternoon soirée featured some of Mozart’s most lively compositions, and Carol Ferri’s facility at the keyboard demonstrated exactly why she once played storied venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center in New York. But this time – and to our good fortune and delight as an audience – Carol was introduced as all the above – and more, only “playing her piano, in her house.”

Light hors d’oeuvres, wine, people spilling out onto the expansive porch, wonderful music. Like I said, a real window into this community: Tarboro and then some.

Here is a short snippet of Carol performing one of Mozart’s most recognizable and impossible to play piano compositions. Then, I will share a few thoughts about the evening of opera in Calvary Episcopal Church.

Operatic Arias:

If Rebekah and I had not already been saturated in hospitality, good taste and fine culture, the evening program over at Calvary Episcopal Church – just a few steps away from our home – delightfully finished the job.

I often say that “I do not especially like opera… but I do love live music that is done well.” Case in point, Saturday evening. This is a genre of music I would never ask Alexa to play, but I absolutely delight in opera when I am listening to it performed live, in person, by talented artists.

I especially appreciated the attention paid to context, interpretation, and first telling the story in English, so I was able to understand what I was listening to.

The program featured a number of Mozart’s solos, duets, trios and quartets. So thanks to Emily Wagner, soprano; Rebekah Ambrosini, contralto; James Mauk, tenor; Dirk Lumbard, tenor; Jeffrey Ambrosini, bass; and Matthew Young, who did an amazing job as piano accompanist.

Here, then, is a brief sample from the performance. The rich harmonies served as a compelling invitation to put Sunday evening’s choral performance on our schedule.

Creativity is, to me, one of the most profound and compelling witnesses to the glory and the love of God – DEREK