Corrections or additions?
This article was prepared for the January 31,
2001 edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
Piano Poet Stephen DiJoseph
Stephen DiJoseph makes "piano poetry," and it’s
an art he defines both as a noun: "a mind-bending musical
conversation
between hands on the piano keyboard;" and a verb: "to express
oneself through intricate overtones of piano speak." The
Philadelphia
composer and jazz pianist performs in concert at the Unitarian Church,
on Saturday, February 3, at 8 p.m. Admission is $8 at the door.
With four independent releases to his credit, DiJoseph’s latest solo
piano CD is titled "Artifactual / Piano Poetry." It features
nine tracks each marked by the warm, meditative sound of his
improvised
jazz piano. Working in the tradition of jazz titan Keith Jarrett,
DiJoseph won best instrumental CD in the JP Folks national music
awards
last year.
Had we met DiJoseph early in his life, we might not have predicted
that he’d be weaving the extended, melodic piano improvisations
featured
on "Artifactual." These include the three-minute
"Blackbird"
(based on the Paul McCartney tune) and a lovely "Scarborough
Fair"
in which he’s joined on penny whistle by Mary Kay Mann. The CD is
available at the Princeton Record Exchange.
Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at age 16, Di Joseph’s early years
were marked by the laborious and painful process of repeated
misdiagnoses.
From age 7 to 16, he says that he and his family were pretty much
in the dark as to why he was twitching and cursing and breaking
things.
DiJoseph characterizes this period of his life as a difficult yet
empowering time.
Through his musical ability and introspection, DiJoseph says he was
able to develop a "collaborative" attitude toward living with
Tourette’s. "In a real sense," he says, "I translate my
`synaptic adventure’ into music, into piano poetry! My life with
Tourette
Syndrome and my response to it as a musician culminate in my
music."
He has been featured as a notable "success story" in the
newsletter
of the National Tourette Syndrome Association.
Road, 302-655-3364. The composer, jazz pianist, and
multi-instrumentalist
in concert. $8 at the door. Saturday, February 3, 8 p.m.
Top Of Page
Auditions
Saturday,
February 10, for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s "Carousel," scheduled
to run from May 30 to July 15. They are looking for children and
teenagers,
ages 6 to 16, who can sing and move. Auditions will be held at the
theater with same day callbacks. Children with last names beginning
with A-L sign up at 9 a.m.; those with letters M-Z sign up at noon.
Call 973-379-3636, extension 2278, or visit www.papermill.org.
Greenberg’s
"Three Days of Rain" on Monday, February 19, and Wednesday,
February 21, with sign-in at 7:30 p.m. Two men in their late 30s and
one woman in her mid to late 30s are needed. Readings will be from
the script. Show dates are April 6 to 21. Call 732-873-2710.
Top Of Page
Volunteer Alert
organization
dedicated to helping with the restoration of the Holcombe House,
Lambertville’s
historic City Hall, is seeking volunteers to assist with its
fundraising
dinner. The benefit, "A Gourmet Grazing," Monday, March 12,
at the Fish House, will feature food from various area restaurants
coordinated by Jim Hamilton, owner of the Fish House and Hamilton’s
Grill. Proceeds will be used to purchase and install period style
gas streetlights for the historic building. The committee is
co-chaired
by John Hencheck and Stewart Palilonis, and includes Mary Sheppard,
Barbara Hencheck, and Robin Larsen. Call Hencheck at 609-397-2531.
Top Of Page
Participate Please
Valentine’s Day. A quartet will travel to a home or workplace, sing
two songs, and present your loved one with a card and a silk rose.
Cost is $50, with all proceeds donated to Heartspring, a residential
facility for children with learning and speech disorders. Call the
Harmony Hotline at 609-252-1515.
Committee
will hold its fourth annual interfaith conference for students in
grades 7 and 8 on Sunday, February 11, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., at McCosh
Hall of Princeton University. Conference chair Kathy Ales says the
conference will be known as the Ira Silverman Teen Interfaith
Conference
to memorialize a former executive vice-president of The American
Jewish
Committee. The conference will include a presentation of "The
Right to Dream," a blend of video and live theater about the
struggle
and sacrifice for civil rights in America. Facilitators from Princeton
High School will lead discussion of stereotyping and prejudice. Groups
interested in having teenagers participate may call Ales at
973-379-7844.
"Pens for Hire: The Directory of Professional Writers &
Editors."
It provides contact information, and biographies of more than 35
Mercer
County nonfiction writers and editors. To view "Pens for Hire"
online, visit www.trampsteamer.com/pwa/pens.html. For a hard
copy, E-mail recines@erols.com. For information on PWA membership,
call Robin Levinson at 609-584-9330.
formed
last August as an association of Garden State beer writers. Its
mission
statement is "to promote quality craft beer brewed in New Jersey,
and to encourage its responsible consumption through education."
NJAB was organized by beer writers Gary Monterosso, Mark Haynie, Jim
Carlucci, Lew Bryson, and Kurt Epps. For more information go to:
kurt_epps.tripod.com/njab_index.
applications
for the 30th annual state pageant Friday, April 27, and continuing
through April 29 in Ocean City. Junior age division, 12 to 15; senior
division, 16 to 18. Deadline to enter the scholarship event is
February
15. Call 609-652-8216.
art tour of Philadelphia, Friday, February 23. Destinations include
a tour of the Philadelphia Sketch Club by the sketch club president
and a visit to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, with lunch at
the Philadelphia Inn. Preregister, $66. Call 609-394-5310.
families
of children or adolescents with mental health issues. The support
groups are every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the
Presbyterian Church, 1039 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville. Call
609-777-9766.
about "Conservation Trees" with information on how to plant
shade trees, how to prune them, and how to attract songbirds. For
the free booklet, send name and address to Conservation Trees,
National
Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, NE 68410.
organizations,
church groups, or individuals in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and
Washington D.C., to be considered for possible inclusion in "Best
of the Best from the Mid-Atlantic: Selected Recipes from Delaware,
New Jersey, Washington D.C." For information contact Barbara
Moseley,
editor, "Best of the Best State Cookbook Series," Quail Ridge
Press, 1-800-343-1583, www.quailridge.com.
Corrections or additions?
This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com
— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
Facebook Comments