Join us at BRAC for a Piano Performance by Helen Ryba June 27th at 7PM

Join us at BRAC for a Piano Performance  by Helen Ryba  June 27th at 7PM

BRONX RIVER SOUNDS:   June 2019 Performing Arts Series Continues.... With Pianist Helen Ryba at on June 27th at 7pm. Ukrainian classical pianist Helen Ryba, who will offer a program of rarely performed 20th century works for piano   in our new event space! Including a composition by Florence Price, the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer, and the first to have a composition played by a major orchestra. Ms. Ryba's program will feature Bach's Chaconne in D minor as well as works by lesser-known composers, Viktor Kosenko, Myroslav Skoryk, and Florence Price. The program will be performed on our recently donated Yamaha baby-grand piano.This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a selection of rarely performed works by artists whose identity informed their compositional choices.  Florence Price's life as a black woman in a segregated society found expression in her exploration of the sonata form. Price helped to broaden the definition of what American classical music could represent. Likewise, Kosenko and Skoryk's works helped expand the musical vocabulary to include Ukrainian folk melodies, some of which weave their way through these works and connect us to Ms. Ryba's homeland.  Ms. Ryba studied at the Mykola Lysenko Music school and Gliere Music College in Kiev, Ukraine. She works as a piano teacher and vocal coach in NJ and NY, focusing on creative and technical skills, ear training, sight reading, as well as music history and theory. An accomplished solo pianist, Ryba's career highlights include the complete Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier and The Goldberg Variations by J.S. Bach. Ms. Ryba will play the following works of music at BRAC: 1.       Bach-Busoni                Chaconne in D-minor BWV 1004 2.       Viktor Kosenko            Consolation op. 9 3.       Viktor Kosenko            Allemande op. 19 4.       Florence Price             Sonata in E-minor movements I and II. 5.       Myroslav Skoryk          Prelude and Fugue in F-Major

(April 9, 1887 - June 3, 1953) was an American  She was born as Florence Beatrice Smith on April 9, 1887, in Little Rock, Arkansas. She had her first piano performance at the age of four and had her first composition published at the age of 11. After a series of racial incidents in Little Rock, Florence Price and her family decided to leave. Like many black families living in the Deep South, they moved north in the  The Chicago Symphony Orchestra premiered Price's Symphony in E minor on June 15, 1933, making Price's piece the first composition by an African-American woman to be played by a major orchestra. Even though her training was in European tradition, Price's music reveals her Southern roots. Being deeply religious, she frequently used the music of the African-American church as material for her arrangements. Her melodies were blues-inspired and mixed with more traditional, European Romantic techniques.

To RSVP go to   www.bracbx.eventbrite.com Suggested Donation:  $10 adults, $5.00 seniors & youth through age18 FREE for currently enrolled Students in BRAC's Education program Or Pay what you can. This program is supported in part with City funds by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, including Council members, Ritchie Torres, Andrew Cohen, Andy King, Ruben Diaz Sr. and Mark Gjonaj, as well as BronxCare Health System and individual donors.