South Bend Symphony Plays Tribute To Mary Lou Morris Leighton with
Pianist Jeffrey Biegel's Performance of Marjorie Rusche's "Dreaming
the RagWaltz Blues"

The South Bend Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Tsung
Yeh, will celebrate the life and lineage of the great patron of the arts,
Mary Lou Morris Leighton by dedicating its April 26 Masterworks concert
to her memory.  The concert will be presented on Saturday, April 26 at
8pm in the Morris Performing Arts Center, 211 N.  Michigan Street in
downtown South Bend, Indiana.

The concert, sponsored by Nipsco as a tribute to Mary Lou Morris Leighton,
will celebrate her long dedication to many civic organizations.  The
South Bend Symphony will perform "Dreaming the RagWaltz Blues," commissioned
by the Leighton-Oare Foundation and composed by Marjorie Rusche in Mary
Lou Morris Leighton's memory.  You can find the composer's program notes
about the piece at http://www.sbsymphony.com/pages/masterworks_5.htm

Pianist Jeffrey Biegel will perform "Dreaming the RagWaltz Blues" as
well as Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1.  Due to the untimely passing
of the great American pianist John Browning in January, the South Bend
Symphony has asked Mr. Biegel to play this concert.  Mr. Biegel will
dedicate his performance of the Beethoven Concerto to Mr. Browning, who
died of heart failure after several months' illness.  The Symphony will
also play Carl Maria von Weber's Overture to Der Freischutz, and Alexander
Borodin's Symphony No. 2 in B Minor.

Maestro Tsung Yeh has written the following for the orchestra's website,
"For 70 years The South Bend Symphony and Pops!  has provided musical
encounters in a way not possible with recordings, TV or radio.  No matter
the historical era, from classics to "pops" favorites, there is nothing
like the energy created by watching and hearing a terrific orchestra and
guest artists accompanied by other listeners as enthusiastic as you are."
Visit the South Bend Symphony online at www.southbendsymphony.

Tickets for this concert range from $16 to $55 with a $2 discount for
anyone over the age of 60.  Student's and children's tickets are $5.  To
purchase tickets, call the Morris Performing Arts Center at 574-235-9190
or 800-537-6415.

Performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 as well as Marjorie
Rusche's "Dreaming the RagWaltz Blues" is pianist Jeffrey Biegel who
has consistently amazed audiences and critics throughout the world with
his electrifying technique, elegant pianism, warmth and artistic maturity.
Critics compare him to Cliburn, Lhevinne, Fleisher and Horowitz.  With
his fresh interpretations of standard repertoire, to his affinity for
"Rare Gems from the Golden Age of Piano" and unique piano concerti, he
is placed in the front rank of today's pianist.  Mr. Biegel performed
the American and German Premieres of the fully restored original 1924
manuscript of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.  He also presented the
first American (from N.Y.'s Steinway Hall) and European (Amsterdam) real
audio/video cybercast piano recitals, featuring the music of Chopin and
Johann Strauss.  You can find more about his latest Angelok1 CD,
Cyberecital.com at http://www.jamesarts.com/releases/nov02/JB_cd.htm.
You can find more about Jeffrey Biegel at his website -
http://www.cyberecital.com/

For more information about Jeffrey Biegel, contact Jeffrey James Arts
Consulting at 516-797-9166 or [log in to unmask]

Jeffrey James
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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