The FEMC is excited to celebrate Black History Month by featuring works by two African American composers. Christine Loughran will perform a short organ work, Adoration, by Florence Price, the first African American woman to have a composition premiered by an American orchestra (Chicago Symphony – 1933). Ms. Loughran will be joined by Beverly Hritz in piano duo arrangements of Solace and Maple Leaf Rag, penned by Scott Joplin, the most famous composer of the first truly American musical genre – Ragtime!

Continuing the American music portion of the recital, organist Sylvia Andrae will play Elegy, by composer and organist, James Biery. Flutist Christina Andrae will join her mother in performing Herdsmaiden’s Dance by Swedish composer Hugo Alfvén.

Featured this month is FEMC’s Mildred Gardner Scholarship runner-up, harpist Juliana Matteo, a senior at Penn-Trafford High School, who is planning to major in harp in the Fall. The winner of the scholarship competition will be performing at the final recital of the season, in April.

Ariana and Ilana Aranovich, sisters and members of the youth orchestra (WYSO), will present a selection from their violin duo repertoire; Ilana, WYSO concertmaster and winner of this past month’s Young Artists Competition (Level I), will also play the Adagio movement of Bach’s Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001.

Admission is free to club members and voluntary donations are accepted from non-members at the door. All are invited to a reception following the recital.