Piano Recital: Free and Open to the Public
Dr. Geoffrey Kiorpes will present a recital at Bennett College in the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel on Tuesday, February 21 at 4 PM. The program includes music of 20th Century African-American composers Florence Price, Nathaniel Dett*, William Grant Still and George Walker, along with that of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
Kiorpes enjoys a busy career as an educator, accompanist, and musical director. In 2016, Kiorpes co-founded the New York City Charter School of the Arts, a middle school in lower Manhattan, where he serves as Arts Director and piano teacher. His students have given recitals in New York City and have received top scores at the NYSSMA festival at NYU. Over 40% of the 2022 graduating class were accepted to audition-based NYC high schools of the arts. Dr. Kiorpes served on the faculty of the Bronx Preparatory Charter School from 2002 to 2014, as Artistic Director and piano teacher. His students received numerous awards and scholarships and performed at the state music convention and in music education classes at NYU. In 2013, his students were featured in a benefit at Steinway Hall.
In 2006, Kiorpes gave his New York solo piano debut at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall as the recipient of the Artists International Award. Dr. Kiorpes’ concerto appearances include the Raleigh Symphony, the Durham Symphony, and the North Carolina School of the Arts Orchestra under conductor Otto Werner-Mueller. Kiorpes has spent summers teaching at Skidmore College and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. His numerous Broadway and popular credits include serving as keyboardist for the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun with Bernadette Peters, musical director/keyboards for ‘In The Heights’ and ‘Les Mis’ in the Bronx, and arranger/pianist for the hit Off-Broadway productions of Always, Patsy Cline and The Heat is On. He has also served as music director for Broadway performers Kaye Ballard and Miss Maggie Moore, and has appeared as pianist for Tony Award winning actress Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza), Jackie Hoffman, and Montego Glover. A sought-after collaborator, Mr. Kiorpes has served as accompanist for the Empire City Men’s Chorus, and has accompanied the Boys Choir of Harlem and the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus. He gave a live performance of Phillip Glass’ Academy Award-nominated score for the motion picture The Hours at the film’s New York City premiere at the Metropolitan Club, and has appeared with opera singer Stephanie Blythe and the Avalon String Quartet. He has presented solo recitals at Ithaca College, St. Peter’s Church in Manhattan, and UNC-Greensboro, and accompanied the National Youth Choir in Carnegie Hall.
R. Nathaniel Dett, 1882-1943. Photograph, sepia color. Robert Russa and Jennie Dee Booth Moton Papers, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. Unprocessed collection in PR 13 CN 1991: 240.*Nathaniel Dett was Director of Music at Bennett College, from 1937 to 1942.
Details:
Dr. Geoffrey Kiorpes
Co-Founder, Artistic Director & Piano Teacher
New York City Charter School of the Arts
Bennett College
Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
4 PM
Free and Open to the Public
Masks Are Required Indoors